Top Vegetarian Picks At The Pasar Malam

We now have an idea on what a pasar malam (night market) is and you’d probably have visited one recently. If you had, you’d have noticed there are countless number of local food selection at the pasar malam. Even so, I find the vegetarian selection in the night market not easy to find.

Today I am going to share some of the yummy vegetarian bites you could try out at the pasar malam. Some of these may contain egg, so please clarify with the stall operators if you have restrictions.

• Tofu Bakar  

Tofu Bakar is a vegetarian item in Bangsar pasar malam, but it may not necessarily be elsewhere. It is one of my favourites, that’s why this tops my list.

Tofu Bakar is a vegetable stuffed soya (tofu), grilled over charcoal. Once heated lightly, it is removed from the grill and cut into smaller pieces. It is then topped with black vegetarian sauce and crushed peanuts.

• Appam Balik

This is a sweet pancake filled with a generous serving of chopped peanuts. Some versions also include corn paste and scrapped coconut fillings, as add-ons.  Appam Baliks  are easy to eat on the go. It is usually sold hot, so be careful not to burn your tongue.

• Fruit Rojak or Rojak Buah

Rojak Buah is an assorted fruit salad mixed with a tasty black sauce. It is also topped with plenty of chopped peanuts and hot sauce.  Shrimp paste is sometimes added to the mixture, so do request for the vegertarian version when ordering. Also, request for less ‘chilli’, if you cannot handle the hot spice. The stall operator thought I could. Hmm.... Nevertheless, Rojak buah is delicious!

• Assorted Deep Fried Rice Flour Snacks

There are several delicious varieties of fried rice flour snacks to choose from.  Rice flour items are freshly fried. I like the sweet ones that have black bean filling.

• Puttu Bamboo

This is a sweet rice-flour mixture steamed in bamboo containers and, once cooked, the puttus are topped with scraped coconut as a garnish. There are usually two flavours sold – original (white) and pandan (green). You could order either or both.  This is a hot seller.

• Vadai and Puttu Mayam

These are popular Indian snacks. This stall operator offers a few varieties. She also provides some chutney (a spicy dip) for the vadai. Puttus and string-hoppers (both steamed rice-flour variations) are also sold here. These are delicious light tea or dinner items.

 

• Banana Fritters/Pisang Goreng

In the picture, the stall operator is showing me her latest offering - pisang goreng topped with cheese. I am old fashioned, I prefer the traditional one. The traditional is the plain ol’ deep fried sweet banana fritters.

• Cut and whole fruits

There are plenty of must-try local and imported fruits at the market.  They are fresh and juicy. 

• Corn on the Cob

This is a classic – grilled or boiled sweet corn. I can’t have them, and that’s just too bad, an allergy reaction.

• Fried Noodles  

Be prepared to wait, here is where you get the best freshly-prepared noodles under the stars (and sun) in the neighbourhood. Vegetarian noodles are prepared on request.

• Biscuits and Nuts

These are convenient pick-me-up tidbit choices. I like the selection of nuts.

• Crispy Pancake

I have always been fascinated with the art of making pancake this crispy and thin.

• Dim Sum/Pau

These buns come in interesting shapes. The stall owner told me the vegetarian-looking ones like the corn and peanut are vegetarian and contain only vegetarian fillings.

• Assorted Drinks

And finally, a drink, something to cool you down on a hot day after all that shopping. 

To finish off, lets have some coffee. Below is an ice-cold Caribbean coffee made using the fresh fruits I had just bought from the market. It is a lemon, orange and pineapple infused filter coffee. You could also replace the coffee with black tea for a variation . Allow the mixture to stand for an hour, at least; the longer it stands, the zestier the flavour. Here is glass of cold Caribbean coffee for you and me.  Very refreshing indeed.

Till we meet again, enjoy your cuppa and have a nice week.  💗💙💚💛💜💗

Looking for something to do over the weekend? Come and join me at the Pasar Malam.

A few have asked me what I do on Sunday afternoons. My answer would always be the same……I have a few important errands to catch up on.

All time favourite - satay

One of these is not only important but also ‘hot' because it usually involves walking in the heat. My mission is to get ‘sweet-looking’ apples and a few seasonal fruits, and some local hot-bites to satisfy my fussy appetite. I am talking about my weekly routine to the Pasar Malam.

One for the lovely lady?

Pasar, in the Malay language, means market and Malam is Night. So, there you go - Night Market! Traditionally, these markets would start operating in the late evenings but, these days, some start as early as 3 pm. Try to be there early if you wish to get perishables - the freshest of fresh sellout fast. 

Banana fritters

Pasar malams in Malaysia are street markets which generally operate weekly. Usually, vehicles would be prohibited from using the streets when and where these markets would be operational. These markets sell food, drinks, vegetables, fruits, small household items, t-shirts, footwear, etc.  The stall setup, venue, frequency and individual vendor licenses for the area are managed and administered by the local municipalities.

At the market

These markets are usually in residential areas to provide shopping convenience to those living in, or visiting, the neighbourhood.  For visitors to Malaysia, these night markets provide a great opportunity to visit local neighbourhoods and to taste local delicacies.

Delicious local berries

Below is a link to a list of pasar malams in Kuala Lumpur.
(at the time of publication of this post, information on operational hours was not available.)

http://www.dbkl.gov.my/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=246&catid=30&Itemid=160&lang=ms

More chicken

The pictures in this post were taken at the pasar malam in Bangsar, a residential neighbourhood in Kuala Lumpur. This market is open every Sunday evening, rain or shine.  

Sugar cane juice

There are many different types of drinks sold at the market. These drinks are non-alcoholic and usually chilled. My top pick is soya milk with brown sugar. Street markets do not have stools or chairs to sit around. So, if you prefer to sit somewhere or to have warm drink, you could indulge in some coffee or tea at any of the many cafes nearby. Last week, after shopping, I met up with a few friends and we decided to go to a coffee bar for our hot drinks - a Latte, a Cappuccino and a Piccolo Latte. Coffee was good but pricey. The ambiance was pleasant and ideal for us to shake off all that heat, catch-up up on old stories and talk about those stars.

Our drinks

In my next post, I will share my top food & drink picks at the pasar malam. Till then, enjoy your cuppa. 💗💙💚💛💜💗

Sail Me Home Oh Sweet Mama.

Traffic, crowds, food, and stalls. Some have arrived here early. The smoked-smell of freshly grilled chicken or the Ayam Panggang and Satay linger in the air. The Asr prayers in the background accompany the rest of the traders as they set up their stalls. In the Muslim calendar, this is the holy month of Ramadan. We are at home, in Malaysia.

Setting-Up and Boy I am lost in Dessert-land

If you are like me and love to explore sweet delicacies, especially the once-a-year rarities, you are heading towards the right direction - to find that bliss, to a Ramadan Bazaar.  This is the time of the year when one would always get spoilt for choice of Kuihs (sweet traditional Malay desserts). There are many treats like the fast selling Kuih Pelita (layered coconut and rice flour dessert presented in cute banana leaf based holders), Ondeh-Ondeh (tiny mouth sized green-pandan rice flour balls filled with melted palm sugar wrapped around shredded coconut and a variety of Kuih Lapis  (multi-colour layered rice flour cake).

These food bazaars are temporary ones permitted by the local Municipal Council for licensed traders or hawkers to carry out small businesses during the Ramadhan month while giving both local visitors and tourist the opportunity to sample a bit of Malaysia during the Muslim fasting month. In Kuala Lumpur, these traders usually operate between 4 pm until just about after the Maghrib prayer, around 7.30-ish. The size of the bazaars varies depending on the location. To maintain and encourage recycling efforts and to ensure the hygiene and quality of the food among the traders, the local councils organise various competitions and conduct regular quality inspections.

If you are in the larger cities in Malaysia, you don’t have to go too far in search of a food bazaar. The crowds and traffic backlogs are general indicators that you are closing in on one of them. And if you still haven’t visited one yet, then it’s about time! You may think I am exaggerating when I say this is the best place for Kuih-hunting, but come and see for yourself, you wouldn’t disagree after. The food options are plenty for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians, and they are at affordable prices.

I am sure you realise by now I have the softest spot for anything sweet and if you are trying to reach me on the weekend at 4 pm during the Muslim fasting month, try locating me at one of these busy bazaars.

Sweetness is infectious and lucky for us it’s is not only in the form of Kuihs but also in the friendly smiles offered in exchange as you pass each stall and in their warm replies as you curiously ask about what each item is and how much they cost. It is also in the generous amount of fruit pieces Atiq cuts up for the watermelon juice; in the young cheerful-spectacled girl at Putrajaya Sentral Station who never fails to keep aside a Kuih Pelita packet even if I almost always arrive after her closing time to pick it up. She may not realise, but with that, I sailed home smoothly.

Lets Detox the Water-Melon Way

A freezing cold coffee on a hot day is a tempting call. That’s precisely my coffee today. Its origin is unknown, but I learned from the stall operator it’s a local one and that’s all I need for now. I saw her put in 2 large bags of freshly opened ice cubes into the pre-mixed coffee and gave it an even bigger stir until the mixture blended well with the ice. Trust me, mixing those involve a lot of muscle work. According to the Kakak (sister), she had prepared the mixture at her home earlier today. The result is a full strength cold local coffee with a high dose of sugar and condensed milk. I am riding so high on energy now, I feel like I can run a quarter marathon not only this weekend but on every weekend during this Ramadhan month, until we reach the month of Syawal, that’s when our Muslim friends celebrate the Eid or as we call it the Hari Raya Aidil Fitri here.

Ice-Iced Coffee!

To all readers all over the world, my sincere wish and prayers for peace everywhere. Those stars are not too far within our reach.

Have a great fasting week and enjoy your coffee after.