sOleiLian

After bidding farewell to the last paper of my finals on Thursday, my 2nd academic year at the university officially came to an end. The next day, my parents were in Penang to fetch me and my belongings home. Since it was not frequent to have their presence here in the island-state, a quick tour of its capital, George Town, was therefore a must.

It was lunch time when they arrived, and I was looking forward to have a satisfying meal with my parents. Having come across a lot of positive reviews on numerous local food blogs, I was determined to bring them to this quaint Indian restaurant at the heart of George Town’s Little India. Named after the regional capital of Chettinad in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, the Karaikudi Restaurant specializes in both North and South Indian cuisines.

Most Malaysians have come to learn about Indian cuisine through the ubiquitous 24-hour mamak (Tamil Muslim) restaurants, with all-time favourites like roti canai, thosai/dosa, chapati, and naan leaving an indelible mark on the fabrics of Malaysian food culture. What’s noteworthy is that roti canai is no longer considered an Indian dish, but a national one which Malaysians from all walks of life enjoy at any time of the day.

But unlike its mamak counterparts, the Karaikudi Restaurant was furnished with colourful doors and windows as well as cultural depictions synonymous with India. There were beautiful pictures of temples and food on the restaurant walls, constantly reminding the diners that they were about to savour authentic Indian cuisine. I was delighted because I could finally take a break from my so-called Indian meals at the mamak restaurants which typically serve South Indian dishes since the bulk of Malaysian Indians trace their ancestral roots to Tamil Nadu. I’d never tried North Indian cuisine before and this restaurant was just the right place to try the best of both worlds.

First to come was my mango lassi. The only thing I knew about lassi prior to this was that it was a popular yoghurt drink in India and nothing more. And well, it tasted just like a yoghurt drink. Haha! The mango lassi was refreshing and I was given a cup of ice cubes to add into my drink for a chilled effect.

Papadums were served as a complimentary dish and my mum loved it. As for me, the vegetable soup which came next won my heart despite its simple ingredients. The soup gave me a warm feeling after having spoonfuls of it. Nice! However, things weren’t that good for the Ladies’ Finger Pepper Fry. Although I found the pepper taste acceptable, the saltiness of the dish was a wee bit empowering. Quite a disappointment since most blog foodies recommended it on their food reviews. Perhaps I shouldn’t have trusted these writings too much. And at RM7 per serving, it wasn’t cheap either.

I was a huge fan of potato dishes, and I still am. So of course the Chettinad Potato Masala was a must-have. The taste of this dish was rather mild and definitely not spicy. Being a lover of all things hot and spicy, I wished more chillies and onions were added in. But of course, this was just me. I’m sure most of you would find this dish appetizing especially when served with the fragrant biryani rice. Oh by the way, 1 serving of the biryani rice is definitely enough for 2 people, or maybe 3. We ordered 3 but ultimately had to reject 1.

The Kadai Paneer is a North Indian dish consisting of cottage cheese, capsicums, and various spices. For your information, North Indian cuisine is distinguished by the proportionally high use of dairy products. I just loved the appearance of this dish, especially its wonderful colours. The taste of the cheese cubes was unlike the one I was used to, say mozzarella or parmesan. It was plain and neither salty nor sweet, and the texture reminded me of dried bean curds. Similar to the potato masala, this dish was not spicy too. Good news for those who stomp their feet at the bite of a chilli.

Did I tell you guys that we were so full that we hardly finished our food? Blame this on me because I got too excited placing our orders and this was the consequence. In order not to waste, I had to force-feed myself and stuff myself silly like a pig. Very unhealthy.

Oh ya, don’t you just love the bowls that these dishes were served in? So Indian… I like!

Once we stepped out the restaurant, the sights and sounds of Little India immediately filled our senses. Shops and alleyways were brimming with locals and tourists. I’ve always enjoyed checking out the colours and smells of this thriving quarter. Given these reasons, Little India could’ve been George Town’s most alluring and exciting ethnic enclave. While religious harmony is still an unattainable goal in the Indian subcontinent, here at Little India, Hindu and Muslim entrepreneurs operate their businesses side by side. Apart from their different religious beliefs, their shared mother tongue and immigrant background might have contributed to their mutual trust and coexistence.

Shops were selling all things Indian, or more precisely, South Indian. Saris, spices, wreaths, wares, religious icons ~ you name it. There was this video store where the portraits of Jesus, Ganesha, and the Kaaba were placed in front of it. I found it pretty amusing since you don’t really get to see depictions of these religions alongside each other in this country. If only each and everyone of us understands the true meaning of peace and religious tolerance.

Oh wait… Where’s the Buddha?

c a t e g o r y | life as a student . passport to nowhere . yummylicious
f l u f f e r p u f f | food . little india . malaysia . penang . travel . university life

22 sOleiLians

So our study tours during the last semester did not end with the trip to Kelantan. 2 days after returning to Penang from the East Coast state, we were all set to embark on a new one: a trip to the enchanted Tropical Spice Garden, Penang’s award-winning ecotourism paradise.

Located in Teluk Bahang on the northwest coast of Penang Island, the Tropical Spice Garden was certainly a hidden surprise. We were truly delighted to know the presence of such an amazing destination in Penang. Housing more than 500 species of tropical plants and herbs, the spice garden was formerly an abandoned rubber plantation before it was transformed into this beautiful place of lush greenery. Despite this fact, many of the existing rubber trees were left untouched by the visionaries of the garden.

A man-made botanical garden, Tropical Spice Garden didn’t appear artificial to me. Not taking into account the landscaped ponds and waterfalls that embellished the site, the spice garden made me feel like as if I were in a rainforest reserve or a national park. Towering trees rose from various heights into the sky, forming a grand canopy of shades that sheltered us from the scorching heat of the sun. It was picture-perfect tranquillity at every turn, and I found myself soothed by the therapeutic sounds of the flowing waters and the momentary breeze that brushed against the foliage of the trees.

This trip was basically a part of our assignment for one of our university courses. We were divided into a group of 5 and each group was given a set of questions to answer based on what we saw and found in the garden. It was not just about speed (yes, there was a time limit) as having sharp observation skills and a good team spirit were crucial too. And before we knew it, we’d already left behind a long trail of footprints in the vast garden, passing through various wild orchids, ferns, and some exotic-sounding ones like heliconias and cycads as we wandered along the designated routes (3 trails: Jungle Trail, Ornamental Trail, and Spice Trail), seeking for the answers to the questions in our hands.

When the time was up, we were told to gather at the hilltop Spice Café and had our answer sheets submitted. The café was built adjacent to a gift shop as well as a mini museum which showcased the origins of various spices and the historic spice trades and routes in an illustrative and informative manner. The one thing that I felt was worth the hike to the peak was the spectacular view of the Strait of Malacca. Frankly, gazing at the wide open sea from an altitude was an exhilarating experience like no other.

Ah… The beauty of Mother Nature.

c a t e g o r y | life as a student . passport to nowhere
f l u f f e r p u f f | beaches . malaysia . parks & gardens . penang . travel . university life

15 sOleiLians

Having gone through an extremely busy month of March at school (and one with the most sleepless nights at that), I finally got to touch down on the doorstep of my home sweet home on Friday night in time for the annual Qingming Festival 清明节. Mum was so sweet to prepare me some delicious home-cooked dishes that I’ve missed so much for a month. Imagine a pot of sizzling hot baked cheese pasta in mushroom sauce, some nicely-rolled popiahs (fresh spring rolls), and a plate of vegetarian fried squids made of enokitake mushrooms in a seaweed roll were welcoming my arrival at 11pm! :D

The next morning, my family and I departed to the Chinese cemetery on the outskirts of Alor Star where my paternal great grandparents were laid to rest half a century ago. It was a great morning, and despite some looming grey clouds, the sky had great mercy on us and spared us the horrid drizzle that used to shower in the mornings of Qingming.

Qingming Festival, perhaps more widely known in the West as the Chinese equivalent of the Roman Catholic/Eastern Orthodox All Souls’ Day, originated in the Tang Dynasty in the year 732. Being a Chinese festival for more than a millennium, Qingming holds a significant place amongst the ethnic Chinese and is a unifying cultural force of the 40-million strong worldwide Chinese diaspora. Despite not being a public holiday (unlike in areas under the Chinese cultural sphere, namely China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau), the 7-million Chinese community in Malaysia still cherish the festival as part of their cultural tradition which their forefathers brought here from mainland China centuries ago.

I met some familiar and unfamiliar faces there. Despite all of us being relatives (you know, dad’s cousins, grandpa’s siblings and their offspring), we hadn’t met for years! It was like an unofficial family reunion, albeit an incomplete one. And I used to think that family reunion was the exclusive right of Chinese New Year. Apparently, I was wrong. Who would’ve thought that this important event would take place at a graveyard? Definitely not a pleasant place to reunite, right?

This pineapple plant has sprouted from the grave of my great grandparents! It was planted a year or two ago in order to assist us in recognizing the site at the vast cemetery.

A cousin tried to break the ice by handing me some coloured papers to place all over the grave of my lao gong lao ma (great grandparents). Till this day, I still haven’t got the faintest idea of the symbolism of this practice. Anyone knows?

And there were the usual food offerings. A distinctive element of traditional Chinese festivals was none other than the burning of golden papers, bright red candles, and joss sticks. This aged-old practice helped to shroud the whole  cemetery in a thick cloud of incense smoke, adding some touches of Oriental mysticism to the overall atmosphere.

Despite it being deeply rooted in Chinese culture, I have a feeling that Qingming would not outlast my generation or the one after mine in this country. The very purpose of Qingming is being drastically downplayed by the younger generations. Prized Asian values and centuries-old cultural practices are gradually giving way to the increasing Westernization of the society. While I’m not an opponent of Western culture, I think it’s absolutely absurd to exterminate the remnants of one’s heritage for the sake of being culturally Western. Some have even gone to admit that they feel utterly ashamed simply for being Asians! How ridiculous is that?

Westerners and Christians tend to relate Qingming with ancestral worship. Frankly speaking, I’m personally against the usage of the term worship. Very against it. Hell no, I don’t worship my ancestors! Never ever. The image of Qingming presented to us might invoke some acts of worship due to the infusion of Taoist practices (I won’t say it’s a Buddhist one because Buddhists don’t worship). But once that association with Taoism or Chinese folk religion is cleared, Qingming is a pure and noble festival which one carries out his filial piety and pays homage to his deceased parents and ancestors.

No offence to my Protestant friends, but one of the reasons why I strongly favour Roman Catholicism over Protestantism in their interpretation of Christian doctrines is the Catholics’ soft approach to these cultural practices which enables them to thrive and survive within the context of the religion. Almost all Christian friends of mine who abhor the very practice of Qingming hail from the Protestant faith, in which they deem the festival as thoroughly wrong and a grave mistake in their religion.

In fact, Qingming is a cultural, I reiterate, a CULTURAL practice that’s got nothing to do with religion whatsoever. Does that mean being inclined to Chinese cultural practices or one’s traditional customs will make him a lesser Christian? Hell no. The same thing can also be applied to the local Muslims where increasing numbers of them are gleefully riding the waves of Arabization. Does that mean being an Arab will make one a superior Muslim? Definitely not. In case any Christian friends of mine think that being culturally Western is fundamental in being a Christian, don’t ever forget that Christianity was born 2 millennia ago in this very continent called Asia.

And what’s that Commandment again? Honour thy father and mother.

c a t e g o r y | personal growth
f l u f f e r p u f f | cemeteries . chinese . festivals . society

19 sOleiLians