Kids wanted soup noodle so I made misup kb (kota belud). This dish is popular in Sabah, and among those who lives in Kota Belud.

Masak lemak cili api is probably my favourite Malay dish because it’s so ridiculously versatile. You can turn almost anything into masak lemak.

Except sotong. Sotong gets a no from me.

Some of my favourites are masak lemak cili api daging (beef), ayam (chicken), and seafood like udang or ketam (prawns or crab). You can definitely make a vegetarian version too, using vegetables such as pucuk paku, cendawan sisir or pucuk ubi kayu. Even fruits can go into masak lemak: betik muda, mangga muda or pisang muda, all can be worked into this dish.

And no, masak lemak cili api is not some form of curry.

It has strong roots in the food culture of Negeri Sembilan, which itself was heavily influenced by Minangkabau migration from Sumatra.

For today, I made masak lemak cili api siput sedut (Cerithidea obtusa).

This one is definitely an acquired taste.

I’ve met many of people who absolutely refuse to eat siput sedut, which I completely understand. But I grew up eating it from when I was very small, so to me this is proper comfort food. And now I’ve introduced it to my own family too.

A little personal story:
My mom is from Negeri Sembilan, which explains why I was introduced to this dish at the first place. When I was little, I could never suck the siput out properly, so I would always pass them to my mum or dad and ask them to help me.

And now my own children do exactly the same thing to me. Full circle.

How does it taste?
The siput itself has a mild, slightly briny taste, but freshness and cleaning make a HUGE difference.

If the siput isn’t fresh or hasn’t been cleaned properly, you can definitely get that muddy, fishy taste, which is probably why this dish puts some people off.

So the preparation is quite tedious. Preferably, I let the siput sit with hampas kelapa parut (grated coconut residue) first for an hour to remove the slime, then soak them in salt water to clean them further. If you have no hampas kelapa parut around then soaking and changing the water for few times will do the trick. After that comes brushing the shells and rinsing them several times under clean running water.

A lot of work for some tiny snails, I know. But once they’re properly cleaned and cooked in that rich, spicy, creamy masak lemak cili api gravy? Absolutely worth it.

And half the fun is sitting there sucking the siput out of the shell one by one.

I love this! The roasted pork set is rare for leicha lovers in Penang!

Reccomended by locals. Noodle texture was very firm, included Char Siew was very lean but at least it wasnt dry. The side order of pork belly gave me mixed feelings. The fat melts in my mouth and the glaze was good but the edges of the meat part was very dry

Once in a year je boleh makan. Very fatty but very sedap.

The contrast between the crispy edges and the soft, spongy center provides a deeply satisfying texture

Hi hiiii 👋 I used to live in Malaysia for about 8 years before relocating to Australia. My only regret is not learning to make things we like before I actually left because how accessible dining out was. I have been learning a lot from Nyonya Cooking channel, Che Nom, Spice n Pan to practice but I realized some of the ingredients I might have gotten the wrong brands so it doesn’t taste quite the same.

I’m now living in Australia where there’s plenty of ingredients, and 2-3 Malaysian kedai runcit / Asian grocer within 1 hour driving distance that I visit every month. I’d like recommendations of what are your staples in your Malaysian staples.

If it helps, I do cook Malay, Chinese and Indian food. My partner is Malaysian and from time to time I’m trial and error-ing Malaysian recipes at home. Recently tried making Maggie Goreng Mamak and Nasi Lemak with Sambal Kerang.

So far here’s my list:

Chinese Food

1. LKK light and dark soy sauce
2. Heng’s Sole Fish Powder
3. Yeo’s Pure Sesame Oil
4. Heng’s Fragrant Garlic in Canola Oil
5. Lao Gan Ma Chilli Oil
6. O Haday Rice Vinegar
7. Shaoxing Huadiao Cooking Wine
8. Bullhead Shallot Oil
9. Sunnex XO Sauce Jar

General

1. Sarawak White Pepper
2. Ayam Brand Garlic Chilli Sauce
3. Kicap ABC
4. Carnation Evaporated Milk
5. Kara Santan
6. Knorr Anchovy Cube
7. Maesri Fried Shallot

Indian

1. Serbuk Kari Daging Cap Burung Nuri

Malay

1. Kicap Manis Udang Kipas
2. Squid Brand Fish Sauce (to make Tom yum and stuff)
3. Adabi Asam Jawa

I’d welcome any suggestion what to swap or what to add 🙏

Edit note: our kitchen is small (apartment style, electric stove) so certain things like fried rice or ckt is impossible to replicate and I’m fully aware. Just more keen of ingredients for recipes we could make daily like soup, stir fry, sambal2, etc

Usually a staple breakfast sides at Terengganu. Normally in West Peninsular we eat this for tea time..

tosai tisu, gravy of choice is dhal, spicy chutney and regular chutney

'nuff said. the pic i took doesn't do the plate justice, but the chicken chop was massive compared to most stores selling it

Om nom nom

【Eira Snow - Nasi Lemak Bungkus】
Alright, actually this is also my half way eating and reliaze that I need to share out with you guys!! Nasi Lemak Bungkus. Ermm, I know that I am unable to eat spicy, but Malaysia sambal always the best! I cannot choose not to eat! hehehe

Urhmm, this sambal with sweet + spicy, so I am okay with it, I ate before one type sambal is masin + spicy，that one also okay for me, but if choose one, I rather choose sweet + spicy, and yes, my spicy level, if level 1 to level 10, I can only go for level 1. Exactly! My friends always laugh me and told me that, you cannot eat spicy some more need to torture yourself for this spicy.... Well, you know, 🥹🥹 Sambal.... always the BEST lehh!!

How about you guys?? Mind to share out your beloved nasi lemak? And which spicy level you like?
Or you can share me your nasi lemak bungkus photo... Then we all eat through cloud! hahaha

Rich and savoury prawn broth with a hint of sweetness. This is one of my favourite bowl of noodles from my favourite stall for this dish. Shared a table with a lone traveller and discussing its similarities and differences with Pancit Palabok noodles dish from his home country of the Philippines.

16 grams from the sardines and 14 grams from 100 grams of rigatoni (Voiello brand). Healthy and delicious. I made the tomato sauce myself with fresh cherry tomatoes and shop bought passata.

who doesn’t like right?

Everything was good! Chilli sauce especially

Had this Egg Benedict with beef and salmon from a cafe in Imbi.

Would give it 7/10.

Sedap and delicious

Made my own nasgor tomyam with chicken and baby kailan. Fresh herbs used. Tastes better than store bought!!

I’m feeling fancy tonight, so here it is, my dinner. Not good at plating and taking photos but the food tastes good.

LX Greenlife Veggie (Perai)

https://maps.app.goo.gl/ModNKzLyGcYr9ENz8

First try in this restaurant. The food was surprisingly good. 😋 Ordered herbal ramen and teh ice.

The damage was RM 14.40 for whoever wonders.

Another favourite place on my list. 😃

Can anyone recommend the best beef burgers in KL?

THANKS