Feast awaits at End Of The Sea

MANY domestic tourists and returnees (former Penang residents) frequently revisit the island for the sole purpose of relishing its local specialties. The island cuisine covers hawker fare spread over the various roads, streets and alleyways of Georgetown and elsewhere.

Then there are those who prefer to eat by the sea, in places stretching from Teluk Kumbar and Gertak Sanggul all the way to the other side of the island, from Balik Pulau to Teluk Bahang. Through word of mouth and personal recommendation from adventurous foodies, places like Hai Boey Seafood have been enjoying large crowds during business hours.

Hai Boey is not easy to find if you are not an island resident because it nestles in one of the lonely corners of Teluk Kumbar but it’s easily reachable by car. This Pasir Belanda eatery in Mukim 9 comes so highly recommended by connoisseurs that not to experience its fine cuisine would be like going to Rome and not visiting the Basilica.

It opens from 6pm to 11pm and the large number of waitresses and kitchen helpers is a clear indication that its daily business is anything but slow. Sure enough, by 7pm, at least 10 of the total 30 tables had reserve notices on them.

Hai Boey, which faces the setting sun, has a seafront that lulls customers into instant relaxation. The rhythmic sea waves brushing its curved shoreline offer a panoramic sweep of a rarely disturbed part of Teluk Kumbar.

But locals who come to Hai Boey usually take the beautiful scenery for granted. Their sole purpose is the food. Dishes on the menu range from Phuket-style clams to claypot duck stewed with yam. Or if you prefer, there is heh kor (mantis prawns) fried with salted egg yolk. Barbecued crabs also find favour with many regular clients.

Hai Boey in Hokkien dialect means End Of The Sea. It was started by a husband and wife team four years ago. Tan Tatt Ghee, a former cook at the Chinese Recreation Club restaurant, takes care of the kitchen while his wife, Samantha Ang, is in charge of customer services.

Today, they are doing so well that a number of their regular customers are careful to call and make reservations before they show up after 7pm.

The restaurant is a simple, single-storey structure with a long and wide extendable roof that provides shelter from the sometimes scorching sun and the occasional rain.

The kitchen is well organised as evident in the trays of vegetables, seafood and other ingredients neatly laid out in rows.

Malaysians in general dislike having to wait too long for their food and an integral part of any restaurant’s fine reputation involves serving hungry customers before their patience runs out.

Non-Penangites are usually oblivious to time because they are often too engrossed in the pretty surroundings at Hai Boey Seafood, especially at sunset.

Getting There - The owners of this seaside establishment have wisely built three tree swings for the enjoyment of families who bring along their children.

The gradual setting sun with its fading fingers of light caressing the mountain landscape often mesmerises Hai Boey customers into a state of gentle euphoria.

Hai Boey Restaurant is understandably sanguine about its future because even Nature has lent a hand in transforming its surrounding landscape into a kind of Garden of Eden. The narrow, winding road leading to Hai Boey is deceptively unattractive but the vista that awaits at journey’s end is well worth the trip that takes you past villages, factories and shophouses, with fleeting glimpses of lovely stretches of the sea.

If you haven’t been to Hai Boey, do expect to pay between RM20 and RM40 per individual. The bill of course depends on what kind of seafood you’ve ordered. In its four years of business, this innocuous-looking restaurant has grown from strength to strength. There are other equally well-known seafood outlets in places like Batu Maung and Teluk Bahang but Hai Boey is holding its own in the face of keen competition and fastidious foodies.

Hai Boey Seafood’s bright future is currently assured with the large number of repeat customers. The sun may set every evening at its frontage but not on its present thriving business.

Clams or Tan (in Hokkien) are similar
to La-La but taste just as great

Claypot steamed fish is an excellent
side-dish for a party of four

Mantis prawns fried with salted egg yolk
hit the sweet spot in the tummy

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Food & Recipes - Eat your carrots!

Carrots are versatile, nutritious and high in fibre. Below has some useful tips and recipes utilising her favourite vegetable. CARROTS have always been and will probably always be my favourite vegetable. They can be eaten in countless varieties. You can chop, boil, fry or steam them, cook them in soups and stews as well as in baby foods.

You can use grated carrots in carrot cakes, puddings and muffins. In salads, they add a colourful zest to your dinner plate. Lately available in supermarkets are baby carrots, which are often more tender, though have less flavour because of their immaturity.

They are excellent as snack food, and a good alternative for dips instead of chips or breads.

Carrot juice is also widely marketed, especially as a health drink, offered in fresh fruit outlets, blended together with different fruits and vegetables. Carrots are an excellent source of antioxidant compounds and the richest vegetable source of the pro-vitamin A carotenes. Note that a lack of vitamin A can cause poor vision.

They are also rich in dietary fibre and minerals. Just a single, full-sized carrot fulfills an adult’s daily rate of essential vitamins. Carrots once came in almost every colour: red, black, yellow, white, but not orange! They were first cultivated in Afghanistan, having purple exteriors and yellow flesh. In the Middle Ages the Dutch developed today’s bright orange carrot.

To prepare carrots for eating raw or cooking, wash and gently scrub them with a brush. If the carrots are not organically grown, or old and thick, you should peel them, since most conventionally grown carrots are grown using pesticides and other chemicals.

Also cut off the stem if it is green, as it will give a bitter taste. A good thing about cooking carrots is that the beta-carotene is not destroyed by the cooking process.

But be sure not to overcook them to ensure that they retain their maximum flavour and nutritional content.

Here are three favourite carrot recipes:

1. Carrots and potatoes in a mustard-cream sauce

You will need:

• 500g potatoes, peeled and cut in quarters
• 500g carrots, peeled, cut in little sticks about half a centimetre wide
• 200ml whipped cream
• 150ml milk
• 2 egg yolks
• 4 tsp mustard (preferably Dijon mustard)
• 50g capers
• salt, pepper to taste
• a few basil leaves
  

Preparation:

In a saucepan, mix whipped cream and milk. Add salt and bring to boil over medium heat.

Add the potatoes and let them cook for about 10 minutes. Add carrots and let all cook together for another 5-7 minutes, until potatoes and carrots are almost soft.

Drain the veggies in a sieve, but saving the milk-cream liquid in a separate dish.

Mix the egg yolks with the mustard and 4-5 tablespoons of the milk-cream liquid until creamy.

Bring the rest of the milk-cream liquid to a boil over medium heat. Whisk the egg yolk mixture carefully into the milk-cream liquid until smooth.

Mix the capers into the sauce.

Lastly, place the veggies carefully into the creamy sauce. For garnish, place the basil leaves on top of the dish.


2. Carrot and orange soup



You will need:

• 500g carrots
• 30g butter
• 125ml orange juice, either freshly pressed, for a better flavour, or from the carton
• 1.25 litre vegetable stock
• 1 small onion, roughly chopped
• 3-4 tsp chopped fresh thyme, or 1 tsp tried thyme
• Salt and pepper
• Sour cream and nutmeg for serving

Preparation:

Peel and slice the carrots. Place them in a pan with the butter and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the orange juice, stock and onion.

Bring to the boil, add thyme, salt and pepper. Reduce heat, cover and cook for 20 minutes or until the carrots are tender.

Allow to cool. Process the mixture in a blender until smooth. Return to the pan and reheat. Serve in individual bowls.

Alternatively, chill and then serve. Top each with a dash of sour cream sprinkled with nutmeg. Garnish with a small sprig of thyme.

3. Carrot-mint-sauce



Either as a side dish with meat, or as a refreshing dip with corn chips, etc.

You will need:

• 250g carrots, roughly sliced
• 1 onion, roughly diced
• 1 apple, roughly diced
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 200ml milk
• 1 tbsp sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 tsp coriander
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup of fresh mint

Preparation:

Put the carrots and onions into a pan. Cover with water and boil over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Drain the water and put carrots, onions, apple together with the milk into a blender. Add seeds, coriander, salt pepper and fresh mint, keeping back a few mint leaves for garnish. Blend until smooth.

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Food & Recipes - Tiramisu

THERE are many variations of tiramisu. It is Italy’s most popular dessert. No matter how it is presented, tiramisu is essentially made out of lady finger biscuits dipped in coffee and mascarpone cream.

Apparently, the name tiramisu means “pick me up”. You know, something that has the capability to make you happy. There is also the preconception that tiramisu came about to save old cake and cold coffee from going to waste.

Whatever its origins, it is a marvellous, sophisticated and relatively simple dessert to make. Especially for one who does not have an oven at home!

Some Chef prefers to use chocolate sponge cake and espresso.

“Simply because it will enhance the flavours. Do remember that the mascarpone cheese has a subtle flavour.

“It is best to keep a tiramisu recipe simple. Don’t mix too many things into it. Alcohol such as amaretto, kahlua or brandy can be added. I recommend simply soaking the sponge rather than the mascarpone cream,” he said.

You will need:

• 200g chocolate sponge, bought from bakery
• 200g brewed espresso coffee
• 500g mascarpone cheese (cream)
• 100g sugar
• 500g whipping cream
• 2 large eggs
  

Note: This is a fun dessert to experiment with. You can do so by adding onto the layers canned strawberries, cherries, blueberries or anything your heart desires! Kids also like it when you throw in coloured hardshell candies like Smarties.

1. Use a cool bowl to whip cream until it is semi hard in consistency. Then chill it while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

2. Beat the mascarpone cream with sugar until it is soft with a spatula or a wooden spoon. The final texture should be soft and shiny which means the sugar is diluted and has mixed well.

3. Break both eggs into a separate bowl. Add and fold the eggs bit by bit into the mascarpone and sugar mixture. Fold these two well together.

4. Now take out the chilled whipped cream and fold that into the mascarpone mixture.

5. Slice up your sponge cake and soak it in the espresso.

6. Pour the first layer of mascarpone mixture into a bowl.

7. Place the sliced and espresso soaked sponge cake on top of the first layer of masacarpone mix. Brush on some more espresso onto the sponge layer if you’d like (or in some cases, brandy or amaretto), depending on your taste.

8. Keep repeating the layers of mascarpone mix and soaked sponge cake slice until you almost reach the rim of the bowl.

9. While most people sprinkle some good cocoa powder atop the readied tiramisu, Chef Joe has an even better idea: simply chop up the leftover sponge cake into chunky bits.

10. Then simply sprinkle them on top of the tiramisu.

11. Now it’s ready to be chilled for a couple of hours until it becomes firm, before your guests arrive!

12. Before serving, sprinkle powdered sugar on top to make it prettier.

HERE’S how to decorate a glass bowl that contains your tiramisu. Melt some of your favourite chocolate by double-boiling it. Using a paper cone, pipe the melted chocolate onto the sides of the glass bowl. Form some pretty squiggly lines along the sides and bottom of the bowl. Then chill the bowl for a few minutes.

SOME tiramisu tips :

1. Soak strong-flavoured ingredients such as coffee, liqeur or liquor in the sponge cake rather than mixing them together in the mascarpone. This is to avoid spoiling the cheese’s flavours.

2. Do not whip cream at room temperature or use a warm bowl. This will only result in badly-whipped cream. The warmth will not allow for the cream to ‘rise’.

3. Use 35 per cent whipping cream as it will produce a very smooth cream and a fragrant taste.

4. If you do not like the idea of tiramisu served in a big bowl, just spoon the mascarpone mix into small individual cups and layer them with appropriately-sized soaked sponge. Your tiramisu will look like the ones served in fancy restaurants.

5. It helps if your kitchen is not overly warm. A cool, dry space is ideal when making desserts. A temperature of between 18ºC and 24º C is preferred.

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Asparagus is green, unless you are French or German

TO most of us asparagus is green, unless you are French or German. Serve green asparagus to a French or German and chances are he/she might not be amused. To these nationalities, the white asparagus is considered ‘Queen of vegetables’.

I am puzzled as all the asparagus I see here (both imported and local) are green in colour. However, I recently saw a strange looking imported white vegetable in a decidedly upmarket supermarket which I was told is the white asparagus.

It was explained to me by none other than a German native and chef at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Dirk Haltendorf.

A genus of the lily family, asparagus has been cultivated around the Mediterranean and enjoyed as a delicacy for 2,000 years.

It is widely regarded for its medicinal value and diuretic properties.

Asparagus is rich in vitamins A and C and minerals such as potassium and phosphorous.

Epicureans, from Aristotle to Louis XIV of France, adored it.

In Europe, asparagus is normally harvested between April and June.

According to Dirk, the Germans developed the white asparagus more than 200 years ago.

How was this done?

The young shoots were denied sunlight as they grew, by being covered with mounds of soil. They only saw daylight when the soil was removed on the day they were harvested.

Denying them sunlight (UV light in particular) means that they cannot produce chlorophyll and so do not become green.

This also gives the white asparagus a different flavour to the green version (it is less bitter and has a more intense taste, with a hint of artichoke).

Production is labour intensive and asparagus exhausts the soil quickly, so growers in Germany only produce the plant in the same field for a couple of years, then let the land rest (which explains why the price of white asparagus is high).

In the kitchen too, white asparagus requires special treatment. Before cooking, its bitter, fibrous outer skin needs to be peeled.

Asparagus peeling is an art, peel it too little and some fibre and bitterness remain, peel too much and you are wasting tasty and expensive flesh.

Dirk showed me his trusty asparagus peeling tool from Germany, and even gave me a high speed peeling demonstration.

Asparagus peeling is an art to which chefs aspire! Very few chefs are trusted by the chef de cuisine to peel the vegetable. It has to be done correctly and fast.

The peeled asparagus spears are then bundled together in bunches using a special twine tied in a special way.

The basic cooking comes as something of an anti-climax, the asparagus spears are simply steamed or boiled in lightly salted water.

Many asparagus lovers eat it with a little melted butter or Hollandaise sauce.

It can be consumed hot or cold, made into a cream soup, or wrapped in ham, bacon or crepes, and even served as a regular vegetable accompaniment to a main course, though to an asparagus lover it could never be a mere side dish.

If you enjoy green asparagus, I am sure you will appreciate the luxury of white asparagus at least as much.

Look for it in any specialist supermarket, and try it at home but remember to peel it before cooking if it is not already peeled.

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