The Morning Wet Market & The Breakfast of Champions

I am not usually a morning person.

However, this morning I decided to drag myself out of bed and venture to the morning wet markets. As a child, I used to accompany my mother to these wet markets to buy fresh produce. It was the only way to shop in those days - before the big supermarket chains changed the way we bought our groceries. 

The Morning Wet Market

At the break of dawn, these fresh produce and meat sellers would procure their products from the farms and suppliers. Then they will assemble their products in their own carts or stalls at a specified area. Yes, the area is zoned for a wet market with the condition that they will dismantle everything and leave the said area by 12 noon or the set time. It is usually a large parking spot that has been turned to a wet market like the one pictured above. After 12 noon, it will be returned to its original status as a parking lot. It is always busiest at around 9:00am to 10:00am.  

In Malaysia, these markets are called wet markets because the ground is literally wet. 

The View from at the Ground Level

You can find all things "fresh" here - vegetables, fruits, seafood, meat and etc. I have not taken a picture of the hanging fresh cut meats. It has never been a pretty sight to behold in my books. What I do enjoy going through are the vegetables and fruits. Every stall owner would mind their own space, careful not to over-step the boundaries of another. 

Vegetables Galore

Assortment of Fruits

One of the several Fish Mongers

A wet market is never complete without the usual "traditional" breakfast stall-sellers. There is the "nasi lemak" lady with her own small table set up. "Nasi Lemak" is a staple breakfast diet for most Malaysians. It is basically coconut milk-infused cooked rice served with a half of a hard boiled egg, some fried anchovies, roasted peanuts, slices of cucumber and accompanied by the famous spicy "sambal" sauce. Then it is all wrapped up nicely in banana leaf.

The "Nasi Lemak" Lady

"Nasi Lemak" Unwrapped 

These days, there are several variations to the original "nasi lemak". There are even "gourmet" versions whereby you can add "chicken rendang" or "beef rendang", fried chicken and etc. "Rendangs" are traditional Malay-styled curries but in a dry form, unlike the soupy curries that we usually see. These "rendangs" are always loaded with spices and exude a wonderful enticing aroma when done well.

Another local favourite breakfast diet is the "Chee Cheong Fan". It is essentially made of rice flour and rolled into individual long cylinder pieces. Similar to the rice flour "Cheong Fans" in Chinese Restaurants for "Dim Sum". However, these are plain "Cheong Fans" - without any meat fillings.

The "Chee Cheong Fan" Stall

These are usually eaten with fish balls, fish cakes of different varieties and drenched in sauce. We have a choice of sauces - from curry, to spicy to sweet. I usually pack all three just because I do appreciate variety. Of course, we can pick anything that we like to go with the "Chee Cheong Fan". The stall above sells all kinds of tofu and soy products to go along with the "Chee Cheong Fan".

The sauces to accompany the "Chee Cheong Fan"

This is how we serve the "Chee Cheong Fan" at home

And this is usually how I eat mine - drenched in a mixture of the sweet and spicy sauce. Yes, in the end, the curry sauce was left aside :(

My Fave Combi of the "Chee Cheong Fan"

Lastly, another local delight which one may not find in Western countries - the "Putu Mayam". It is another childhood fave of mine. It is a sweet rice-vermicelli-looking dish that is served with grated coconut and "gula melaka" (coconut palm sugar). Here, at the wet market, an Indian man sells it straight from a box off his motorcycle. 

Preparing the "Putu Mayam" for a customer

Yes, he uses his bare hands! No, just kidding.

All packed up and ready for the happy customer to take home

The "Putu Mayam" is the perfect ending to my entire breakfast. Yes, I started off with the "nasi lemak" which is traditionally Malay, then moved onto the "Chee Cheong Fan" which stems from a Chinese culture and ended with the Indian "Putu Mayam".

Naturally, there are much more varieties in a Malaysian cuisine in terms of breakfasts. I am just highlighting one small part of my Sunday morning. The cities all around Malaysia are buzzing with all kinds of people waking up, and venturing out of their homes in search for their favourite Malaysian breakfasts by now. 

This is the glorious priviledge of living in Malaysia. Our breakfasts are created from our colourful and diverse communities. To me, IT IS THE BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS.

In fact, in most households, it is not surprising to find that the dining table would feature dishes from different races. In my family home, our meals are as colourful and diverse as our motherland, Malaysia. This is what "One Malaysia" tastes like :)

May we always enjoy the beauty and harmony of being Malaysians, living in Malaysia. 

Have a lovely Sunday, everyone.

Peace to all :)

A Revolution or a REVIVAL?

Anyone who knows me well, would know that I HATE POLITICS with a passion.

I do not like talking about it, reading about it, watching it or even listening to it.

It is not that I do not care about my country or my fellow Malaysians. It's the sense of hopelessness that weighs me down every time I come across something which I know should not happen at all, but it does. And in Malaysia, it seems almost condoned.

When one has read, listened and watched more than enough B.S over the years, it becomes rather old and stale. In my case, I have become totally numb to the B.S of Malaysian politics.

Recently, Malaysia has been voted as the worst corrupted country. We have out-performed China and Indonesia in this aspect. Our CHAMPION TROPHY is not accompanied with glory. Rather, it reeks with shame and disgust.

Do not take my word for it. Watch it for yourself here and read all about it here.

This is my personal opinion - I can actually accept that some measure of corruption exists in every country and it is virtually impossible to wipe that slate clean. However, I expect and demand that you please deliver the goods and promises after you have pocketed the money. IT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE for you and your cronies to take the money and deliver crap to the people and nation. THAT IS EPIC B.S.

Question: Why does every other person on the street feel fed-up and totally disillusioned with the government at this point in time?

Answer: They have been repeatedly let down and been majorly screwed over.

The very least any government could have done, after taking the money, IS to do the job well and right. But there is no such thing here because GREED has ensured that no one could do any job well. Some do not even lift a finger to do anything at all and yes, they continually get paid well.

Hence, we have arrived to where we are now - Angry, Fed-Up and yes, we have had it up to our eye balls with the lame excuses, lies, shadow plays and superficial charades.

No one is that stupid anymore, and no one wants to buy the B.S anymore.

I ESPECIALLY HATE IT WHEN THEY PLAY THE RACIAL GAMES. TRYING TO FOOL PEOPLE INTO DISHARMONY. THIER OLD TACTICS OF DIVIDE AND CONQUER ARE STILL BEING USED TO THIS DAY. ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY HAVE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING GOOD TO OFFER OR STATE. 

ENOUGH WITH THE IMPERIAL B.S ALREADY!

WE ALL KNOW WE DESERVE BETTER.

WE WANT BETTER AND WE DEMAND BETTER.

IF ANY GOVERNMENT WANTS TO WIN BACK THE NATION AND PEOPLE'S TRUST, THEN THEY HAVE TO START DOING WHAT THEY DID NOT DO AT THE START - THAT IS, DELIVER ON ALL THE PROMISES AND GOODS TO THE PEOPLE, TO THE NATION. ENSURE THAT EVERY PROCESS IS CLEAN, FAIR, TRANSPARENT AND UNSTAINED BY CORRUPT TACTICS.

IF ANY GOVERNMENT WANTS TO WIN BACK THE PEOPLE'S VOTES - THEN FOLLOW THROUGH CONSISTENTLY WITH POLICIES THAT ACTUALLY HELP THE PEOPLE AND NOT JUST THEMSELVES.

IF THE ONLY THING THAT ANY GOVERNMENT FEAR IS THEIR OWN DEMISE, THEN THEIR ACTIONS AND POLICIES WILL ALSO REFLECT EXACTLY THAT. AND EVERY CITIZEN WILL BE ABLE TO SEE THROUGH IT ALL VERY CLEARLY. NO ONE IS THAT BLIND AT THIS DAY AND AGE.

The Election is coming up soon. They have until April this year to call it.

People have taken to the streets in a peaceful rally to demand a clean election.


KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 12 ― Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan took Bersih’s fight for electoral reform to the “Himpunan Kebangkitan Rakyat” rally at Stadium Merdeka this afternoon, urging the crowd of over 80,000 people to help the group spot fraud in the coming polls.

The Bersih co-chairman, who was introduced to the rally as “the iron lady of Malaysia”, said Malaysians should also come out in full force on polling day and exercise their constitutional right to vote for the government of their choice.

“We need help. Help us as observers. In the 13th general election, all must come out to vote. You must,” she thundered to the standing crowd that filled the entire stadium from the open field to the bleachers.

“Ini kalilah. This is it. Repeat after me. This is it. We love Malaysia. This is for Malaysia. And we have hope because of you.

“You, the rakyat, will make the difference. You can help us clean the election. You will rise to the occasion, you will take part in democracy. This is it,” Ambiga said, leading the crowd into a chant.

Source: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/ambiga-rallies-crowd-to-join-bersihs-polls-reform-campaign/

IT'S TIME FOR ALL GOVERNMENTS TO CLEAN UP THEIR ACTS.

IT'S TIME FOR ALL NATIONS TO RAISE THEIR STANDARDS.

WE, AS THE PEOPLE, DESERVE MUCH BETTER.

THIS IS NOT A REVOLUTION.

THIS IS THE REVIVAL OF PEOPLE POWER.

We, AS THE PEOPLE, are the ones who define our country by the decisions we make and the things we allow to be put into place. We, as the voters, have the power to decide how we want our country to be governed. After all, we are the very ones who have to live with the decisions or suffer the consequences. Remember this when it's voting time. Here's to a better, stronger and more united Malaysia! 

Peace to all!