There is rarely a day that goes by that I don’t wistfully dream of a piping hot bowl of Tom Yung Goong in front of me, a Som Tum setting my mouth afire, or a green curry wafting up my nostrils.
Malaysian Kitchen
For me, food cannot get more flavorful than what comes out from the Asian continent . Not only is it fresh and delicious, but it is incredibly good for you.
It is not just Thai food that floats my tasting boat, but those exotic spicy dishes from China and South East Asia. And although I have not been to India, I can still savour their fiery curries in almost any country I go to.
Craig and I had never eaten Malaysian food before and were excited to meet up with a group of amazing bloggers last night to experience the culinary diversity of this Asian country.
Malaysian Kitchen bloggers
I was a little concerned driving down to Sydney to the Kaki Lima Restaurant that I was not going to be able to eat any food because of the extreme nausea I was suffering from. Apparently morning sickness can come back in your last trimester of pregnancy.
Bubs must have known a delicious banquet was about to be put in front of mine and her face so she straightened right up after a honey lemon drink, just in time for first course.
Curry Puffs
Curry puffs are usually something I order from our local Thai restaurant. I never thought I’d say this, but I think I prefer the Malaysian ones. They were a bit softer and more delicate in flavor.
As for the Satay Tofu dish, the satay sauce draped over the tofu was perfectly sweet and nutty.
Satay Tofu for us vegos
I was expecting a small bowl of soup next, but instead was greeted with this huge bowl of Seafood Laksa which was delicious and may just drag me away from my traditional Thai green curry.
It was perfectly spiced with the right amount of creamy coconut flavour and I loved the texture of the different noodles.
Yum! Seafood laksa
I was glad for a short break after the Laksa to give me some time to find room in my baby-squashed tummy for our smorgasbord of main courses. Great conversation filled the void while we waited for a taste of heaven sent.
Heaven Tree is an unusual Malay vegetable, that looks a little like seaweed but is actually a Chinese broccoli. We all felt like Master Chefs in describing its crunchy texture and fine nutty balance!
Heaven Tree
Pasembur was described as an Indian salad and I was a little unsure whether I would like it, but after one taste I was hooked. It had to be one of my favorite dishes of the evening.
It is a mix of fried potatoes, bean curd, coconut and prawn fritter, boiled eggs and cucumber topped with a tangy peanut sauce.
I found room in my tummy for a couple of extra spoonfuls of this.
Pasembur- my favourite
Assam Pedas Fish with Okra is a dish cooked in a spicy tamarind sauce and reminded me a little of Tom Yung Goong, one of my favorite hot and sour Thai dishes.
It was fresh and light on the palette.
Assam Pedas fish with Okra
I have never been one for Asian desserts. I always find them far too sweet or just strange in taste. I usually stick with fruit to finish off a meal in Asia.
I did, however, really enjoy the Black Sticky Rice we had that was covered in coconut milk. The small bowl was just the right amount before the slightly salty flavor became a bit too overbearing.
It reminded me of days as a child when my Nana would cook creamed rice pudding or custard as a dessert.
The final dish for the night was when I put down my spoon and said enough. It just wasn’t for me.
It was shaved ice with a combination of flavors that were just too sweet and unusual. Apparently Rosewater Syrup was one of the strong flavors in there.
I think my Asian palatte is far more suited to entrees and mains then desserts.
Not my thing
My first experience of eating Malaysian food further emphasized to me that Asian food is the best in the world. I always find eating Asian food to be more of a journey and an experience.
It is food that is so full of flavor and goodness that you can’t help but savior and delight in every single bite. Any other eating experience for me is more of a case of just filling the tank up with fuel.
And when I was driving home on the freeway in torrential rain, barely able to see three feet in front of me, and with crazy truck drivers whizzing by, all I could think about was how light and healthy I felt, even after eating all that food.
If I had done the same with Western food I probably would have been slumped over the wheel, bloated and struggling to stay awake.
I cannot wait to try some more Malaysian dishes.
Kaki Lima Malaysian Restaurant
228-230 Anzac Pde, Kensington Sydney
(02) 96626868
Open Tues- Sun (11:30-3, 5- 10pm, 5:30-9:30 Sun)
Do you like Malaysian food? What do you recommend we try next?
(bare in mind we are pescatarians – that is no meat, but we do eat seafood)
We dined as a guest of Malaysia Kitchen. All opinions are of course my own.
