The real flavours of Kyoto |
- The real flavours of Kyoto
- Springy and delicious: 5 under-the-radar wantan mee places in KL and Klang
- Banana leaf rice… but really, it’s soul food!
- Ronaldo’s hat-trick adds to Real’s 8-2 thrashing of Deportivo
- Thriller ‘Cape Fear’ actress Polly Bergen dead at 84
- In New Zealand, PM John Key sweeps to another victory
| Posted: 20 Sep 2014 05:59 PM PDT
Here's how to fit a full day of dining out in Kyoto, with a healthy dose of culture along the way! The kitchen of Kyoto Enjoy a "walking breakfast" by wandering around Nishiki Market, a narrow street spanning five blocks and housing more than one hundred shops and restaurants. The market is dedicated to everything food related from fresh produce and seafood to Japanese knives and earthen cookware. Seasonal specialties include a wide assortment of pickles, "catch-of-the-month" sashimi and festive candy. No prizes, then, for guessing why Nishiki Market is also called The Kitchen of Kyoto. Unlike other famous markets in Japan (Tsukiji's notoriously busy fish market comes to mind), the stores remain inviting even while the vendors race around handling their wares.
Sample some of Kyoto's finest culinary delicacies from skewers of grilled squid to simple rice balls. During autumn, chestnuts are in season and you can find baskets of freshly roasted ones here. The highlight of the market for me has got to be Stall No. 50, Konnamonjya. This shop not only sells tofu but doughnuts and soft-serve ice-cream made from soymilk. Sold by the dozen, these tiny doughnuts are some of the best I've ever tasted.
Kiyomizu-dera is one of Kyoto's most revered temples. Who knew its surrounding streets could be so filled with temptations? That is, if you are one to shop and snack. The Kiyomizu-zaka Street down the steep slope from the temple (from which it derives its name) is a haven for souvenirs and some mid-morning nibbles. Don't worry about the hilly path; take your time to peruse the small lanes and busy shops. Where pilgrims once trekked, now tourists hunt traditional painted fans and elegant kimonos. One worthy purchase could be a piece of Kiyomizu-yaki pottery ware, famed for their elegant shapes and intense colours.
Another must-try is Kyoto-style cream puffs. Freshly-made choux pastry is paired with not-to-rich cream. Typical flavours include a robust, mildly bitter matcha and vanilla custard. This being Japan, every season brings a different limited edition flavour: expect delicate cherry blossom in spring and smoky chestnut in autumn.
For lunch, head to Hanami-koji Street in Gion where there are many inns (ryokan) and fine restaurants (ryotei) serving kaiseki meals. Kaiseki-ryori is the pinnacle of multi-course Japanese aristocratic cuisine and the Kyoto style (kyo-kaiseki) is considered the most refined with its emphasis on fresh, seasonal ingredients from the region and delicate flavours. Every kaiseki meal has a prescribed order of elaborate courses, depending on the cooking method. Usually you start with an aperitif (shokuzen-shu) such as a local sweet wine followed by bite-sized appetizers served on a narrow platter called hassun. A light soup (suimono) is offered next, then seasonal sashimi (otsukuri) and a boiled dish (nimono), often simmered in soy sauce and sake. A grilled dish (yakimono) follows, either fish or wagyu beef. The next few dishes arrive deep-fried (agemono), steamed (mushimono) and vinegared (sunomono). The final warm course is shokuji, a set of rice, miso soup and pickles (tsukemono), before dessert is artfully presented. Modern kaiseki chefs may opt to depart from this traditional order and add or omit some courses to best showcase specific ingredients or their personal style. Old-school or otherwise, prices are generally high, ranging from 10,000 yen (RM315) to 30,000 yen (RM945) per person. This is why lunch can be a less expensive option, going as low as 6,000 yen (RM190). While every course is small, the sheer number adds up so burn off some calories by strolling around the neighbourhood. If you're lucky, you might spot a geisha or two travelling from one appointment to their next as this area is famous for these graceful entertainers skilled in various arts including dance, tea ceremony and flower arrangement.
Time for tea. And there's no place better than Kyoto for the highest quality Japanese green tea. The leader in this area is the nearly 300-year-old Ippodo Tea Co. From procuring the finest leaves cultivated in regional tea fields (famed for its perfect balance of mild climate, sufficient sun and rain, and mineral-rich soil) to carefully blending the teas, this tea purveyor does it all. Ippodo's flagship shop in the heart of the city doesn't just sell tea but also offers education in the form of a tearoom ceremony. Indeed, what could be more relaxing than sipping slowly on a well-brewed cup of tea and learning about the different varieties of tea available? Discover how sharper-tasting sencha makes it ideal for refreshing the palate between meals, while the shade-cultivated gyokuro offers a smoother and full-bodied sweetness. Children prefer drinking hojicha, which is lighter in caffeine and easier to drink. Matcha, the popular powdered green tea, isn't just meant to flavour desserts and non-coffee lattes; in Japan, it's used in ceremonies and special tea parties.
Night falls. After all those light and delicate flavours earlier in the day, you might be hankering for something less sophisticated. Look no further than a supper of ramen at the Kyoto Ramen Koji (or "Ramen Street"), conveniently located inside the JR Kyoto Station. Here you have eight regional styles of ramen shops under one roof. No one would confuse Kyoto-style ramen with the more elegant kaiseki-ryori. The broth is usually made from chicken bones (torikotsu) and is actually richer than the more common pork bone broth (tonkotsu). This makes it very kotteri, meaning a thicker, heavier soup. The noodles tend to be thin and straight, cooked to a softness in the Chinese fashion (good news for those who are unused to al dente ramen).
Nishiki Market Kiyomizu-zaka Street Hanami-koji Street Ippodo Tea Kyoto Ramen Koji  |
| Springy and delicious: 5 under-the-radar wantan mee places in KL and Klang Posted: 20 Sep 2014 05:58 PM PDT
Most stalls seem to focus on the noodles, where the ultimate noodles must have a "QQ" or al dente texture with a bit of bite. Most noodle makers add alkaline water or kan sui to give it that slight spring. One of the traditional methods still practised here to give the noodles a bouncy texture is to press the dough of egg, flour and water by sitting on a long bamboo log. Some refer to this variety of noodles as chok sing mee or bamboo noodles. Even if the noodles are top notch, a person's cooking skill can determine whether your bowl of noodles has a springy texture. Each master has their own techniques, but usually the noodles are first cooked in boiling water for a few seconds before they are ladled out and given a cold water bath to get rid of the alkaline taste. That method of rapidly changing temperatures firms up the strands giving them a springier texture. After they go through the cold water rinse, they are dipped into the hot water again to heat them up, drained and quickly tossed in the sauce. Next comes the sauce, an important element to give the noodles taste – a mix of dark soy sauce, soy sauce and oil. Each stall has its own concoction, and some even lace it with homemade stock to give the noodles a sweeter taste. A big stumbling block to getting the equation right for a plate of wantan mee is the toppings. Traditionally, the noodles are topped with wafer thin slices of char siew, the type that looks like fake dry tasteless meat tinged red with a hard texture and very little fat. It's not easy to get juicy charred char siew cut into chunky bites for you to enjoy. You're better off trying shops that specialise in char siew, who serve it with passable egg noodles. At some wantan mee places, even if their char siew is perfect with a juicy and charred texture, you find they cut it into paper-thin slices due to the current cost crunch. As an alternative, ask for other toppings for your noodles. Most stalls now offer items like curry chicken, braised chicken feet and shiitake mushrooms, Hakka char yoke and the list goes on. Even Hong Kong-styled noodles topped with the fragrant dried shrimp roe are making an appearance on our local shores. Next it's the wantans, those cloud-like dumplings. You'll want them to be filled with juicy pork and prawn mince. Some still put in the fragrant toasted dried sole powder or chor hau yee. Remember to pair your noodles with pickled green chillies that are more tangy rather than fiery for a perfect meal. Loong Sifu Bamboo Noodle House Restoran Good Friend Toong Kwoon Chye Stall opposite Restoran Langkapuri, Jalan Gelugor, Klang Restoran Jie Mee |
| Banana leaf rice… but really, it’s soul food! Posted: 20 Sep 2014 05:57 PM PDT
Jai describes this place as kai manam which literally means, "fragrant hands." In Tamil Nadu, that term kai manam is used to compliment cooks as it means that their knowledge, care and soul have been imparted into the taste of the food. This restaurant, housed in a pre-war shophouse, was started back in 1958 by Meiappan Periakaruppa, 80. In 1953, he came here from Tamil Nadu in search of a better life. Initially, he secured a job as a cattle hand in Kampung Pandan. He proudly relates to us in Malay that he was once looking after a herd of 300 cows.
Today, the place sits in the shadow of the busy dual carriageway that looms above it. Nevertheless the place draws in crowds of people who work and live around the area. Customers come from as far as Johor and Penang. One of their famous patrons is Tan Sri Ling Liong Sik, who prefers to sit in their air-conditioned section. We took Jai's advice and arrived just before 12.30pm. Even though the lunch is ready by 11.30am, it's best to eat a little later, as he claims the curries would have matured in flavours by then. We manage to beat the lunch crowd that starts to trickle in at 1pm onwards. The restaurant's regulars obviously know the right time to visit, as we bumped into a Malay couple who are long time patrons. Jamaludin Ahmad, 75 has been faithfully visiting this place every week for the past 15 years. The family friend is enamoured with their mutton curry. "I can eat 1 kilo of mutton curry in one sitting." "Take with your hands," Jamaludin advised us and we do just that, sitting down to our spread of rice and vegetables on the banana leaf. We get greedy with our selection of curries, as everything looks good. First to grab our attention is the crab curry — a whole crab doused in a mildly spicy curry with its cooked crab roe. Then it is the famed mutton curry with its fork tender meat and creamy curry.
Even the prawn sambal is delicious – small shelled prawns with a sweet tasting tomato and onion sauce. As the workers ladle the rice and vegetables on our banana leaves, we also get a dollop of chutney. The thick green paste is packed with mint or pudina flavour and great paired with the crispy pappadum.
If you approach the counter to pay, you'll notice packets of curry powders and pre-mixes from Sakthi Flour Mill that is owned by one of his sisters. It's the closest you'll get to recreating their delicious curries at home, especially if you're overseas. The selection of dishes changes daily to cater to their daily customers, but usually you get around 15-20 varieties. Sometimes, the selection also depends on what is fresh from the nearby market.
On Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, they serve biryani rice. For Fridays, you get a larger selection of vegetarian dishes, including payasam. The place is open from 7am to 5pm every day except Sundays when they close early at 2pm. In the morning, you get the usual breakfast fare like roti canai and thosai. Once lunch is over, they served cooked to order items like thosai and chapati. Just before you drive off, drop by the next-door Hainanese kopitiam and have a cup of local coffee. The smooth coffee will keep you awake for the journey home. If you are interested in this Secret Eat, let us do an exchange; your secret place for good food for this particular place. You can email me at khangyi@themalaymailonline with your secret spot together with the recommended dishes and I'll share with you this place. |
| Ronaldo’s hat-trick adds to Real’s 8-2 thrashing of Deportivo Posted: 20 Sep 2014 05:56 PM PDT
Real now trail second-placed Atletico Madrid by two points after the champions missed the chance to go top as they were held 2-2 at home by Celta Vigo. Ronaldo opened the scoring with a fantastic header from Alvaro Arbeloa's cross, but the Portuguese was upstaged by James Rodriguez and the Colombian doubled the visitors' advantage with a sumptuous left-footed effort that curled into the top corner. A goalkeeping howler from German Lux then allowed Ronaldo to fire into an empty net to make it 3-0 before the break, but Depor did manage to pull one back when Haris Medunjanin converted from the penalty spot after Sergio Ramos was adjudged to have handled. Gareth Bale struck twice in the final 25 minutes before Ronaldo rounded off his hat-trick to ensure Real bounced back in style after suffering consecutive defeats to Real Sociedad and Atletico Madrid in their last two league outings. Toche headed home a late consolation for the hosts, but Javier Hernandez rounded off a fine day for Real when he volleyed home his first two goals for the club since joining on loan from Manchester United. "The game was defined by the skill and quality we have up front and how clinical we were with the chances we had," said Real boss Carlo Ancelotti. "We showed the quality we have. We have a phenomenon in Ronaldo and we have other players with great quality. They combined very well together and that was the best thing we can take from the game." Depor's resistence was broken just before the half hour mark as Ronaldo leapt to meet Arbeloa's cross and directed a fine header into the far corner from 15 yards out. Karim Benzema then forced Lux into another smart save moments later, but there was nothing the Argentine 'keeper could do nine minutes before half-time when Rodriguez scored his first goal in La Liga with a curling effort that dipped in off the underside of the bar. Lux was badly at fault for Real's third goal, though, as he raced off his line to close down Benzema and despite bringing down the Frenchman, referee Pedro Jesus Perez Montero allowed play to continue so Ronaldo could double his tally for the afternoon by rolling the ball into an empty net. Deportivo were given a glimmer of hope at the start of the second-half as Ramos was harshly penalised for handball and Medunjanin sent Iker Casillas the wrong way from the penalty spot. However, Real put the game to bed 24 minutes from time when Marcelo played in Bale on the left side of the area and this time he finished via the far post to register his third goal of the season. Bale magic Bale produced another moment of quality to make it 5-1 as he flicked Isco's through ball over Lux with ease before Ronaldo collected Rodriguez's pass and powered the ball home with his left foot to complete his hat-trick 12 minutes from time. Deportivo snatched a consolation six minutes from time as Toche headed home, but Real fittingly had the final word as Hernandez made his case for a start at home to Elche in midweek. The Mexican international thumped a volley into the top corner two minutes from time before seeing his next effort loop of a stray Depor defender's leg and over the hapless Lux. It was a more frustrating night in the capital for Atletico as they were held for the second time in four games this season. The hosts were shocked 19 minutes in when Pablo Hernandez produced a moment of genius to backheel Carles Planas's cross past Miguel Angel Moya. Diego Simeone's men had to rely on their efficiency from set-pieces to dig themselves out of trouble as Miranda prodded home Koke's free-kick before Diego Godin powered home a header from Gabi's corner to lead before the break. However, Celta were level once more eight minutes into the second-half when Miranda was adjudged to have clipped Planas inside the area and Nolito slammed home the resulting spot-kick. Celta 'keeper Sergio Alvarez had to make a fine save to deny much-maligned Atletico striker Raul Jimenez, who also had a goal rightly ruled out for offside. And Atletico were foiled by the offside flag again in the last action of the game as Alessio Cerci was denied a fairytale ending to his home debut. "I think the team had enough chances to win the game comfortably," said Atletico captain Gabi. "We were found wanting with our finishing, but we need to keep working. We are annoyed because you can't let points slip away at home." — AFP |
| Thriller ‘Cape Fear’ actress Polly Bergen dead at 84 Posted: 20 Sep 2014 05:54 PM PDT
Bergen, who was honoured with Emmy and Tony Awards during her acting career, died at her home in Connecticut, spokeswoman Judy Katz said in a statement. "It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of legendary actress and long-time friend and client, Polly Bergen," the statement said. "She died peacefully at her home in Southbury, Connecticut this morning, surrounded by her family and close friends." In addition to her performance in "Cape Fear," which starred Mitchum as a rapist who wages a vendetta against a lawyer (Peck) and his wife (Bergen), the actress had roles in three Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis comedies in the 1950s. Her later acting career featured cameos in several hit television series, including "The Sopranos," where she played the mistress of Tony Soprano's father, as well as a recurring role in "Desperate Housewives." She also played the mother of female US President Mackenzie Allen (Geena Davis) in the 2006 show, "Commander in Chief." — AFP |
| In New Zealand, PM John Key sweeps to another victory Posted: 20 Sep 2014 05:50 PM PDT
The resounding win makes Key the first New Zealand leader able to govern in his own right since proportional voting was introduced in 1996 and means his centre-right National Party has increased its vote in all three elections he has contested. "I'm ecstatic, it's a great night," the 53-year-old former currency trader said after a result that confounded opinion poll predictions of a tight race. "It was a tough campaign but I think that people could see the country was on the right direction and they rewarded us. I'm just very grateful," he added. National won 61 of 121 parliamentary seats, up from 59 at the last election in 2011, while the main opposition Labour Party managed only 32, down two, after its worst performance since the 1920s. Labour leader David Cunliffe, facing questions over his future, said it was time to rebuild the centre-left party, not lay blame. "I'm certainly happy to take my share of blame for this result, but I'm getting consistent feedback from people that they want me to muscle up, to carry on and drive through the change that we need," he said. The Internet-Mana party, bankrolled by flamboyant tech mogul Kim Dotcom in a bid to oust Key, did not win a single seat after attracting only 1.26 per cent of the vote, with the German national blaming himself for the failure. "I'm sorry. I take full responsibility for this loss tonight because the brand Kim Dotcom was poison for what we were trying to achieve and that only became apparent to me in the last couple of weeks," he said. Support for the Greens slipped 1.1 per cent to 10.0 per cent, well short of the 15 per cent it was targeting while the populist New Zealand First Party (NZF) increased its number of seats from 7 to 11. NZF had been tipped as a potential kingmaker in a hung parliament but such was Key's dominance that he does not need to negotiate to retain power. British Prime Minister David Cameron, a fellow conservative, said on Twitter that had called Key to congratulate him "on a big election win on the back of a great economic plan". 'Dirty tricks' campaign Policies largely took a back seat in the campaign to allegations of government dirty tricks and smear campaigns, along with accusations Key's administration allowed mass spying on the population. The charges were sparked by the publication of the book "Dirty Politics", which cited hacked emails apparently showing that senior government officials conspired with a right-wing blogger to smear political opponents. Dotcom, who accuses Key of working with Washington to arrange his arrest on online piracy charges, also accused the prime minister of giving spy agencies a green light to snoop on New Zealanders. Key denied any wrongdoing and dismissed the allegations as a "distraction" that would be ignored by voters more interested in strong leadership and the economy. The National Party stuck to a strategy of emphasising New Zealand's economic growth while relying on the personal popularity of its charismatic leader, referring to itself as "Team Key". It paid off as Key's approval rating held steady, reaching close to 70 per cent in some polls, finally translating to victory on election day. Cunliffe said there would be continuing fallout from the claims aired during an election campaign that he described as extraordinary. "There's never been one like it. A campaign beset by dirty politics and sideshows involving potential abuses of power at the highest level that will take months to unravel," he said. "But New Zealanders have chosen to continue (with Key) and we respect their choice." — AFP |
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