Boat Noodle for A Prosperous New Year at Empire Damansara

Good news for those who love boat noodles!   For this CNY, Boat Noodle Empire Damansara has introduced new dishes.

Boat Noodle @ Empire Damansara
Jalan PJU 8/8, Damansara Perdana, 47820 Petaling Jaya
Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/myboatnoodle/
Website www.boatnoodle.com.my

Prosperity Yum Boat Noodle

Chinese New Year is all about how to make the rest of the year Ong aka prosperous! So Dr Angel definitely has to check this out. 

This boat noodle brings lots of prosperity because it has really auspicious colors- red and orange. All from the sheer awesomeness of Tom Yum.

Meat wise, there are two choices. Topped it with crispy fried wonton skin.

Chicken-shredded chicken breast and chicken ball.

Beef- beef slices and beef ball.

As for the noodles, it's either Springy noodles or Glass noodles.

Dr Angel personally liked the springy noodles better because it absorbs the Tom Yum soup really well, making it harmonious and a great comfort food. The soup is a great combination of sourness, spiciness and sweetness. To me, the flavor is already quite a punch without the condiments.

But the traditional way of eating boat noodle requires the taste boosted by the condiments- fish sauce, chilli flakes, sugar, flavored oil. Not for the faint hearted.

The quantity consumed showed how good the noodles were :p

One of the highlights was their Thai Fried Chicken. We got generous portions of boneless chicken thighs well marinated and  lemongrass scented. Crunchy yet not oily. Bite sized yet full of flavors.

One should also try their Blue Butterfly drink. Served an attractive dark blue sweet with a serve of freshly pressed lime juice. Once combined, it turned into a lovely purple. Just like magic :) definitely a crowd pleaser.

Of course Boat Noodle also serves a variety of dishes. And a few popular Thai food to satisfy the cravings.

Our verdict 7.5/10! Boat noodle is a great choice if you like to try a bit of everything and to share because it's designed so. Great ambience and the staff is sensitive and always ready to serve. Price midrange.

Do check it out and drop me comments about your dining experience.

Love, Dr Angel 

Healthy delicious treat featuring KayLiz Granola

Granola brings a myriad of health benefits. It is versatile and can be taken as breakfast or healthy snacks. I have always been a fan of granola but it's not always that healthy because of the hidden sugar.

KayLiz Granola
Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/kaylizHQ/

Kayliz granola is full of healthy ingredients. The oats contain lots of fiber and iron. Oats have low glycemic index which prevent the 'sugar high' and post meal sleepiness. Read more about glycemic index here.

At the same time, the purple sweet potato contains anthocyanin which is high in vitamins, fibres and antioxidants. Chia seeds, on the other hand, is a power pack which also has anti-ageing and muscle strengthening properties. They also promote cardiovascular health.

If you are worried about high sugar level, Kayliz has it covered. Their granola is not produced with fructose, but it's made of honey. Honey has been used for ages to promote healing hence sterile honey is also used in dressing certain wounds/ulcers.

What does Kayliz oats taste like?

Besides the slightly rough texture of oats, it has a distinct taste of sweetness from the purple sweet potato and honey. The purple sweet potato puffs are crunchy. What I really like is that the granola doesn't get stuck in between the teeth.

So what did I eat the granola with?

Pour a cup of fresh milk and put in a few handfuls of Kayliz granola for a healthy breakfast.

Or have it on its own when I need a power snack after a busy day at work. Even when we are watching TV shows, my whole family also munch on it as a healthy alternative. It's also suitable for toddlers to eat.

I have also tried having it with homemade yoghurt. Read my previous post to find out how I make yoghurt. The sour taste of the yoghurt neutralises the slight sweetness of the granola. Combined with the lactobacillus bacteria, this combination is great to relieve constipation and promote a healthy digestive system.

Enjoy watching this short video about how versatile Kayliz granola can be consumed.

Instead of the usual dose of nasi lemak, roti canai and teh tarik, try taking granola instead and notice the difference in your energy levels! Eat clean and stop obesity.

Exotic dishes featuring Nineteen 61 Cafe Kuantan

Few knew there's a cafe in this quiet area of kuantan. It's owned by a young lady who loves all things simple yet elegant. But not showy. That's what the cafe is like-a hidden gem. It was a rainy Sunday and we were really after some hot comfort food.

Nineteen 61 Cafe
B-3 Lorong Seri Kuantan 25
Opens daily except Wednesdays 11am to 11pm
Phone +60169500250
Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Nineteen61Cafe/

We were greeted by a Christmas tree with a few festive looking logs.

Contrary to the appearance outside, it's actually very spacious inside with the seats upstairs dedicated for smokers.

Entree- cheesy waffle fries

Cute waffle shaped fries in a crisscrossed manner. Cripsy, full of flavor and very addictive. Dip it in the rich cheddar and mozzarella cheese sauce, it satisfies the cheese lover.

Main- Pumpkin rusti Benedict

Nineteen 61 Cafe serves all day breakfast. We always like to order egg Benedict because it's technically challenging to prepare. Two warm half poached eggs drizzled with golden hollandaise sauce (I wish there's more punch in the sauce though) and topped with alfalfa sprouts that added crunch and texture. Take this with the deep fried pumpkin rusti which balanced out the sourness. There's a generous side serving of stir fry mushroom as well.

Main- Soft shell crab burger with mango salsa

This is my first time having soft shell crab in a Kuantan cafe. And I would attest that it's extraordinary. Seasoned and crisped, the burger and crab went well with the mango salsa and mayonnaise. Loved how soft the bun was. The salad completed the dish well with the sourness of the balsamic vinegar.

Dessert- Fruity souffle pancake

As the signature of the cafe, one must try their souffle because it's a dessert made with skill and experience. Egg whites beaten to form stiff peaks added to the souffle mixture which was then oven baked. The souffle here has the perfect texture. Slightly caramelized outside and still runny inside. I would describe it as eating mousse as light as clouds. The perfect combination is to have this with the sweet strawberry sauce, whipped cream and the sour fresh strawberry/blueberry.

Beverages-

A cup of Creme bulee hot chocolate to warm the hands and hearts in this cold weather.

Matcha Affogato. A very dense matcha shot to go with a creamy scoop of vanilla icecream.

Watch my video about the cafe here.

Verdict- 7.5/10! this cafe offers unique menu. For those wanting something out of the ordinary, try it out. And souffle lovers should definitely check them out.

Heaven for Durian lovers at Karak Organic Durian Farm

It's the durian season again! Being huge durian lovers, Ryan and I visited Karak Organic Durian Farm together with 5 other friends.

Karak Organic Durian Farm
Sabai Estate, Karak
Owner Mr Ng Swee Pen
0127958899
karak.durian@gmail.com

Please call for booking at least a day in advance and to enquire regarding entrance fees.

This durian farm is owned by a retired couple. It's 11 acres big. Besides king of the fruits, the farm also produces bananas, papayas，ciku, rambutan and duku langsat. The wonderful collection of tropical fruits!

After parking our car at the entrance, Mr Ng chauffeured us into his farm which is part of the humongous 4000 acres estate. It was a rainy day unfortunately. But the ride was smooth in his 4WD about 5 to 10 minutes from the entrance.

Karak Organic Durian Farm didn't start up organic. After a depressing season of diseased trees, Mr and Mrs Ng decided to take up the challenge and started all over again by going all organic. They employed the power of a certain microbe to fight off the fungal infection successfully. For your information, organic farm owners have to be trained periodically and get certified.

This farm is therefore genuinely organic.

Farm visitors have the privilege to go on a fruit eating spree! All you can eat! It's already halfway through the season when we visited so we didn't have to chance to taste the coveted Musang King. But their D24 was already more than enough to satisfy the cravings!

Slightly bitter, organic D24 has a buttery and soft texture that's so rich and overwhelmed the senses with its unique aroma.

Since there's Musang King, there must be a Queen! The Queen is as powerful as the King. If their D24 is already awesomely delicious, the Queen is even more a winner.

Don't forget the juicy and sweet organic rambutan. Baby Bing had at least 5 of them in a row. But we couldn't convince him to have durian. Dang.

The proof that the durian here is organic- if there's no fruit flies, it's not organic and is filled with pesticides :( Now try to think back, how many times have you seen durian with fruit flies?

Don't worry, nothing goes to waste here. All the shells and seeds go back to the nature. Compost are made on site using layers of unwanted plant parts and organic soil. To avoid erosion, legumes were also planted as cover crops.

The serene view of durian forest. A ripe durian will fall with gravity and shouldn't be picked. So be very careful if you decide to stroll around the farm.

The seeds were being replanted. In average, it takes about 4 to 5 years before the trees will start to bear fruits.

Rows of papaya trees.

The farm is also surrounded by mountains. Therefore it's a chilly 20+ degrees Celsius in the evening.

One can also choose to buy fresh or frozen fruits from the farm directly. Some of the durian were made into durian cream to produce local delicacies such as durian based desserts and tempoyak (a local chilli paste with durian, famous for its use in cooking Patin fish).

Mr Ng was so generous and we must have ate at least 5kg of durian each! We even skipped dinner because we were just so full.

This is a chart of durian seasons. Remember this, durian lovers! Durian trees typically start to flower during the dry season. It then takes around 120 days to bear fruits.

Verdict- not only did we get to have organic durian, but we were also educated about organic durian farming. A very fruitful trip indeed.

Watch our farm visit on my YouTube channel. Please subscribe to my channel.

Homemade yoghurt with Easiyo

Chanced upon this yoghurt maker at Aeon Tebrau on one fine day. Ryan was so excited about it so we decided to give it a try. With the purchase of 5 Easiyo yoghurt sachets, we got the Easiyo yoghurt maker as a gift.

Our first yoghurt making experience was a huge success! This is the step by step instructions.

1. Chill about 1L of boiled water overnight in the refrigerator. Boil some water on the day you want to make the yoghurt.

2. Empty a sachet of Easiyo yoghurt powder into the yoghurt container.

3. Fill the container to half full using the chilled water.

4. Close the lid then shake the container vigorously to fully dissolve the powder.

5. Add chilled water 5mm till the top of the container.

6. Shake the container again to ensure an equal distribution of the mixture.

7. Fill the yoghurt maker with hot water until it just exceeds the upper level of the red tray.

8. Place the container in the yoghurt maker and make sure the hot water covers at least more than half of the container.

9. Close the lid of the yoghurt maker tightly and leave it under room conditions for 15 to 24 hours (up to 12 hours only in colder climates).

Tada! 1kg of thick and smooth yoghurt.

So do I need to start with a new pack of Easiyo powder when I want a new batch of yoghurt? Bear in mind it costs about RM25 each bag.

The answer is of course no! Yoghurt is a living culture of lactobacillus bacteria. In order to have more yoghurt, one needs to create the food and environment for the healthy bacteria to grow!

I substituted the Easiyo powder with 1 and a 1/2 cup full cream Fernleaf milk powder instead. The only trick is to use 2 to 3 tablespoonfuls of the old batch of yoghurt into the container as the starter (make sure it's less than a week old).

The result is equally successful!

I have also read that fresh milk can be used. In that case, the milk needs to be boiled and chilled overnight in the refrigerator before being mixed with the starter.

All the Easiyo yoghurt powder regardless of the flavor can be used as the starter. The next batch of yoghurt will just have a lighter taste.

I love my yoghurt eaten plain at times.

But I have also tried adding cransin nut trail mix purchased from Signature Market into the yoghurt to make it a healthy snack.

Yoghurt contains lots of probiotics that's great to build a healthy digestive system. With Easiyo, I know exactly what goes into my homemade yoghurt. Try making your own yoghurt today!

Thai Malaysian fusion cuisine featuring EATEA Kuantan

Craving for some sour and spicy food? Then you should definitely head to EATEA cafe. It has all it takes to a very appetizing and satisfying Thai Malaysian fusion meal.

P.s. even though EATEA has a Chinese name, its staff and chef are Muslim :)

EATEA cafe
B1679 Lorong Air Putih 2 kuantan
0122021994
Opens daily 11.30am to 10pm
Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/eatea.kuantan/

The comfortable indoor sitting area is air-conditioned. If you prefer to sit outside, it's equally spacious and cosy.

Tasteful decoration in the dining area.

A collection of antique artpieces.

A proud display of the signature dishes by EATEA at their counter.

Peet Saat mackerel

Mackerel pan fried then drizzled with an appetizing concoction of spicy and sour sauce, mixed with pineapple cubes, tomatoes, lady fingers and long beans. The fish was not 'fishy' at all! Being EATEA's signature dish, it's worthy of the title. The portion can easily feed 3 pax.

Gai Pad Krapow

Chicken breast cut into tiny cubes stir fried with basil, long beans, bird's eye chilli and long beans. Believe it or not, this was actually the most spicy dish of all, leaving a numb tongue behind :p Look can be deceiving.

Special of the day- Asam Pedas with meat ball.

This is our first time having meat in a spicy tamarind based soup. Conventionally, Asam Pedas is used to cook fish and other seafood. Interestingly, the beef balls went really well with the soup, tasting strikingly similar to Tom Yum.

Last but not least, a healthy combination of fresh vegetables stir fried to persevere the vitamins and great taste. Wong bok/Chinese cabbage, lady fingers, tomatoes, onions, carrots and long beans.

EATEA has an interesting range of mocktail on the menu. I lap (love?) u, I want u and I hate u. The last being a very daring combination which I didn't have the guts to try :p

I ordered 'I want u' instead. It's a combination of lemongrass stalk infused in soda water, Nata de coco, lychee, sour plum and mint. This resulted in a very refreshing beverage which was fizzy with a complex sweet/salty/minty flavor.

Triple juice. A child friendly combination of carrot, apple and orange juice freshly pressed when ordered. Baby Bing finished every single drop of this.

Three layered coffee for my coffee loving husband. A rich layer of local coffee on top and a layer of palm sugar syrup sandwiching evaporated milk. A treat of the day!

Verdict: A family friendly cafe. If you love sour and spicy food then this is a great place to make sure you will have an extra bowl of rice. Price is average. Will visit again when their new menu is out.