Tea Time around Kuala Lumpur

7 inches chicken curry puff

One of my favourite time of the day is Tea time. It is supposed to be a relaxing time when the day work is done and we ponder on our day’s accomplishments (or failures). Life is like going on a fishing trip and sometimes we need an abstract form support from the universe. My brain neurons appreciate support from a yummy plate of heavenly prepared food. Beverage wise, Teh Tarik is my all time favourite winning hands down. As for a quick local snack, or kuih as we called them, must be curry puffs from simple potatoes fillings to various fillings such as chicken, meat and sardine. The main ingredients of the fillings must be potatoes and not sweet potatoes. Some of the vendors will use sweet potatoes and it will be too sweety and mashy.

The above is a RM2.00 chicken curry puff bought near Ijok, along the road to Kuala Selangor. The pastry is   perfectly thin and well stuffed. Generous chunks of well marinated chicken were tender, moist and well spiced sits evenly in the potatoes fillings. I had this delicious, mouth watering all to myself at an acquaintance house in Putra Heights, Subang Selangor. 

Kluang Station's mediocre cury puffs

More curry puffs, a decent bite size potatoes fillings curry puff at one of Malaysia famous Kopitiam, the KLUANG STATION Kopitiam. This Kopitiam originated from a coffee shop which were operating at a Railway (Train) Station in Kluang, Johor a southern state of Malaysia. For record, I have been to the humble coffee shop in Kluang where it brings back memories of the yesteryears. These curry puffs were too bland and may be due to the fact that they were from the frozen version and were not properly thawed.

Craven's mid night snacking

Another humble curry puffs, which were being heated up upon order. These were from Craven Restaurant, at Bukit Antarabangsa, Hulu Klang, Selangor. They were relatively tasty and at times too spicy for my taste bud. Some quality control measure is needed here. Snacking time with this curry puffs usually at about mid night on a Friday or Saturday night with HH while waiting for some extraterrestrial beings knocking on our soil.

Restaurant Haslam's cucur udang

Another local snack or kuih is the cucur udang (prawn fritters) made of mixture of flour some kucai leaves (chives) thinly sliced chilli and top it with a piece of prawn/shrimp. Deep fried for one to two minutes, and voila, you will have a piping hot prawn fritters, cut into four quadrant with a dash of chilli gravy. To counter the spiciness, make an order for coconut pan cake aka lempeng kelapa which is made from a mixture of flour and grated coconut and coarse sugar. The mixture is cooked lightly over hot plate about a minute or so.. This kuih is quite sweet and best to be eaten with with sugar free tea or coffee. However, I had them with my Teh Tarik. I had these really authentic local kuih at Haslam Restaurant, off Jalan Pahang, Kuala Lumpur with Id. This restaurant claimed to be serving authentic Malay dishes and delicacies. These cucur udang and lemping kelapa is only served from 2pm onwards. 

local pan cake- lempeng kelapa

These are some of the local kuih (snack) that I love to have with my Teh Tarik during tea time. The Ijok curry puff is a perfect 10 on Acepaizah's scale, and I am an authority (self proclaimed) on curry puffs! Kluang Station's curry puffs really run of the mill and from a frozen lot to boot. I had them with only one purpose, to taste and compare it with else where. Definitely below Acepaizah's average point.  Restaurant Haslam's Cucur udang were tasty and no cutting corners with the ingredients, and at 0.80 cents per piece it is worth it. (We were sitting in the air-conditioned section.)  The lempeng kelapa garned a perfect 10 for the best local authentic Malay delicacies! Crispy outside, tangy, chewy and moist inside with slightly banana aromatic fragrance.

tea time......

~Acepaizah~