MALAY FOOD

Variety is the spice in Malay food. The traditional culinary style has been greatly influenced by the long-ago traders from neighboring countries, such as Indonesia, India, the Middle East, and China. Malay food is often described as spicy and flavorful as it utilizes a melting pot of spices and herbs.

Malay cooking incorporates ingredients such as lemon grass, pandan (screwpine) leaves, and kaffir lime leaves. Fresh herbs, such as daun kemangi (a type of basil), daun kesum (polygonum or laksa leaf), nutmeg, kunyit (turmeric) and bunga kantan (wild ginger buds) are often used. Traditional spices such as cumin and coriander are used in conjunction with Indian and Chinese spices such as pepper, cardamom, star anise and fenugreek. Seasonings play an important role in Malay cooking as they often enhance the food taste and flavors. Many of the seasonings are not dried spices but are fresh ingredients such as fresh turmeric, galangal, fresh chili paste, onions, and garlic. A combination of fresh seasonings and dried spices are normally pounded together to make a fine paste and cooked in oil. Fresh coconut milk is often added.

Rice is the staple diet in any Malay meal. It is often served for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and supper too. Most meals are eaten by using your fingers, and eating utensils are kept to a minimum. All dishes are served at the same time, accompanied by a refreshing drink. Fish is popular in Malay cooking, as with other seafood such as shrimps and cuttlefish. Beef and mutton are very popular choices but never pork as it is against their religious beliefs to eat pork. The other popular white meat is chicken.

One of the most unique Malay dishes is the "roti jala" (lacy pancakes), which sometimes replaces the staple rice. Roti jala is an ideal accompaniment to any dish with lots of rich gravy and is often served during special occasions. It is made from a mixture of plain flour and eggs, with a pinch of turmeric powder and butter. Desserts are a must for any Malay meal. Easily available at most local restaurants and roadside stalls, Malay desserts are invariably very sweet and include ingredients such as coconut milk, palm sugar, and flour.

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INTERESTING PLACES OF KEDAH

LANGKAWI
Kedah’s economic trump card is Langkawi Island. Langkawi draws tourists all across the world each year that come to enjoy its beaches, shopping and sights during the holiday season.


ALOR STAR
The best place to start exploring Kedah's cultural heritage is in its capital of Alor Setar, with its many handsome old buildings like the Balai Besar, Balai Seni Negeri, Masjid Zahir, Courthouse and General Post Office, all of which define the atmosphere of colonial rule.

PEDU LAKE
This lake was created by making a dam out of a water catchment area deep in the jungles of Kedah to supply paddy farmers with water. Now the lake also doubles up as a peaceful retreat, famous for its ‘tualang’ trees and honey from bees.

SUNGAI SEDIM
Sungai Sedim is a fast-flowing river that contains a 17 km stretch for white-water rafting. Access is through Kampung Lindungan Raja in the Kulim district, roughly a 2-hour drive from Alor Setar. You can also kayak or trek in the jungles here.

BUKIT HIJAU
Situated in the heart of the Gunung Inas Virgin Forest Reserve in Baling, the Bukit Hijau recreational forest has an incredible variety of flora and fauna. Many people come here to swim in its streams fed by a seven-tiered waterfall famous for its pure, crystal-clear waters.

BUJANG VALLEY
Bujang Valley is located near the town of Sungai Petani and was the scene of a once thriving Hindu-Buddhist civilization dating to the 5th Century. Over 50 archaeological sites have been discovered here containing the ruins of Hindu and Buddhist temples. The Lembah Bujang Archaeological Museum was built here to display some of the findings, including pottery shards, ceramics and stone carvings. Indian tridents and gemstones from the Middle East are also displayed.

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TRADITIONAL GAMES OF MALAYSIA

Wau (Kite Flying)
See the dazzling display of kites gliding and swooping across the azure sky! Once played by farmers on leveled ground after post-harvesting season, it now attracts people from all walks of life. Over the years, kite festivals have encouraged creativity in kite-making, thus resulting in kites that are designed in the shape of a fish, cat, caterpillar, and bird. But the Kelantanese wau-bulan (moon-kite) still remains as popular as it was years ago.

Sepak Raga Bulat (Rattan Ball Game)
Once a game of village youths, sepak raga bulat has become a popular sport among the young urban males. Players standing in a circle keep a rattan ball aloft with any part of their body except their hands. The ball is kept in constant motion without hands touching it.

Gasing (Giant Top Spinning)
Giant top spinning is no child’s game! Each gasing or top weighs approximately 5kg. It calls for strength, coordination, and skill. The gasing, if expertly hurled, can spin for as long as 2 hours. Top spinning competitions are an annual feature in the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia especially Kelantan and Terengganu.

Congkak (Board Game)
Congkak is a game of wit played by womenfolk in ancient times that required no more than holes in the earth and tamarind seeds. Today, it has been refined to a board game. It consists of a wooden board with two rows of five, seven, or nine holes and two large holes at both ends called “home”. Congkak, played with shells, pebbles or tamarind seeds, requires two players.

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2012 SYNOPSIS

Disaster movie maven Roland Emmerich (Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow) crafts this apocalyptic sci-fi thriller following the prophecy stated by the ancient Mayan calendar, which says that the world will come to an end on December 21, 2012. When a global cataclysm thrusts the world into chaos, divorced writer and father Jackson Curtis (John Cusack) joins the race to ensure that humankind is not completely wiped out. Chiwetel Ejiofor, Danny Glover, Amanda Peet, Thandie Newton, and Oliver Platt round out the cast of this end-of-the-world thriller co-scripted by the director and his 10,000 B.C. writer/composer, Harald Kloser. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

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