Destinations: Eat Travel Write 8.0

Will Travel for Food

Text by HAIFA HASIM Images by KAMIL AZIM & HAIFA HASIM

Selangor State Economic Planning Unit (UPEN), in collaboration with Gaya Travel Magazine, organised The Eat.Travel.Write (ETW) programme for the eighth time to uncover more exciting flavours and enticing spots throughout Selangor with the theme “Will Travel for Food ETW8”. This time, UPEN and Gaya Travel Magazine brought a group of media representatives, bloggers and social media influencers to embark on a four-day and three-night culinary adventure around Hulu Langat district, located in south east Selangor bordering Kuala Lumpur and Negeri Sembilan.

During the entire media familiarisation trip, participants learned about and savoured unique Minang, Mandailing and Kerinci cuisines with the backdrop of Hulu Langat’s lush greenery and chilling river waters. We visited exciting tourism attractions and accumulated hands-on experience in preparing local dishes and delicacies that make the trip unforgettable! Here is a tummy-filling story of Eat.Travel.Write 8.0, a remarkably memorable and eye-opening culinary jaunt around Selangor that we hope you would follow soon…

EAT

Selera Anggerik D’Nanding Nasi Padang Masakan Minang

A variety of Minang dishes at Selera Anggerik D’Nanding.

Originated from the land of Minangkabau, the rich flavours and spices of Minang cuisine have always been my personal favourite! The dishes have won the hearts of foodies all over the world to the point that you can easily find Minang restaurant easily in Selangor. Since this humble restaurant by the roadside at 11 ¼ Mile is a family affair (previously managed by the parents and now continued by the son), it gives diners the chance to savour authentic home-cooked dishes such as Gulai Ayam (chicken cooked with coconut milk and mixture of spices), Daging Rendang (beef simmered with coconut milk and spices until dry) and more on daily basis from as early as 10:00 a.m. Other must try dishes are Ikan Pais (fish marinated in spices wrapped in banana leaf ) and Urat Keting (hock cooked with coconut milk and spices). Customers are advised to come before 1:00 p.m., as the dishes would have already been cleaned if you were to arrive later!

Operation hours: Daily | 10:00 a.m. until finish (Lunch only) T: +6 012 927 1797 (Fadly Anas)

Kuih Jongkong by Bulan Jongkong

Kuih Jongkong made by Puan Bulan Jongkong.

A Mandailing ethnic specialty, Kuih Jongkong is a sought-after traditional dessert during Ramadan (Muslim fasting month). It gets more interesting when you know that you can only find this sweet and wholesome dessert in Hulu Langat! During a personal kuih-making demonstration by Puan Bulan Jongkong on how to make the perfect Kuih Jongkong, I learned that this sweet dessert goes through a rather easy but intricate process in order to come up with the best! Start by mixing flour with pandan essence and water until it reaches the consistency of a thick paste. Then, take a spoonful and place it on a banana leaf before smothering it with coconut milk and palm sugar. Lastly, steam it for three to four minutes and voilà, the kuih is ready! But if prefer a little road trip, then drive up to Hulu Langat during Ramadan to get a taste of this yummy dessert first-hand!

T: +6 016 995 3979 (Bulan)

Teratak Dusun D’Lui

Gulai Lemak Umbut Pisang (middle) with other delectable Kerinci dishes at Teratak Dusun D’Lui.

Overlooking the calm waters of Sungai Lui, the ETW8 participants indulged in the traditional cuisine of the Kerinci community at Teratak Dusun D’Lui. This homestay cum multipurpose venue surprisingly serves up delectable Kerinci cuisine! The star of Kerinci cuisine is Gulai Lemak Umbut Pisang with Ayam Kampung, which is banana stem and chicken cooked with coconut milk. It’s spicy gravy and wellcooked tender chicken was delicious and when paired with steaming hot rice, it becomes even more satisfying! Other delicious dishes we tried include Sambal Tempoyak Ikan Bilis (anchovies cooked with fermented durian and chilies) and Sambal Belacan made from pickled mackerel and Palembang leaves.

T: +6 017 601 5574 (Rogayah)

Masakan Kampung Asli Ikan Sungai

True to its name, Masakan Kampung Asli (Ikan Sungai) serves up dishes based on river fish such as catfish caught within the rivers of Hulu Langat and cooked in authentic kampung style! Personally, I have always been a bit wary about eating river fish dishes due to its earthy smell if it is not carefully cooked, but those served at this restaurant are prepared well! We were spoiled for choice from the myriad of dishes that were accompanied by an assortment of sambal and ulam (traditional salad). Gulai Lemak Ikan Kelah (mahseer cooked with coconut milk and spices) is a must-have here because the moment it hits your tongue, you will know that the fish is fresh and well done! In short, this is the place to go when you’re in the mood for genuine kampung taste.

Operation hours: Daily | 11:00 a.m. till finish (Lunch only) T: +6 017 302 3938 (Yati)

Terra Pong Restaurant (www.terrapong.com.my)

Programme participants and guests of honour with The Honourable Datuk Abdul Rashid Asari, Chairman of Standing Committee on Culture and Tourism, Malay Civilisation and Heritage of Selangor during Eat.Travel.Write 8.0 opening dinner at Terra Pong Restaurant.

Pronounced as terapung, the restaurant’s name is a play on the Malay word that means ‘floating’. This captivating restaurant, considered as the largest floating Thai restaurant in Malaysia, literally looks like it is floating on top of a huge pond with the mountain range as the backdrop. I was charmed by the beauty of the restaurant that gives off a rustic feel with its wooden structure and surrounding calm waters. With an appetising Thai-inspired menu prepared by a Thai chef such as tom yam, sea bass cooked in three flavours, butter prawn, and stir-fried Chinese kale mixed with salted fish, the participants were extraordinarily well fed! The fragrant tom yam is definitely the most outstanding dish of all, which is a perfect combination of spicy and sour flavours with aroma that is sure to lure you to the dining table!

Operation hours: Daily | 12:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. T: +6 03 9021 3399

Madu Kelulut Kasih Asli (Facebook Kelulut Kasih)

Various selection of honey products at Kelulut Kasih.

Started with only 30 nests but now have grown to over 100 nests, the Kelulut Kasih stingless bee farm is making waves in the honey industry. Following an up close and personal tour of the farm together with the founder, Madam Faridah Khalid, the ETW participants were exposed to the process of extracting honey from kelulut (stingless bee). Different from the typical honey that is quintessentially sweet, the taste of honey from kelulut differs depending on the pollens they feed upon. According to Madam Faridah, the taste is heavily influenced by the flowers that the bees visited; for example, if the bees fed on mangosteen pollen, the honey produced will taste like mangosteen!

Operation hours: Saturday & Sunday | 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. T: +6 012 974 1379 / +6 019 964 4558 (Faridah)

Herb Camp Sungai Congkak (Facebook Kem Herba Sungai Chongkak)

The flower Baba Balun Nyonya or Hibiscus Mutabilis.

Herbs are useful for many purposes such as medicine and food but how much do we know about them? To learn more about herbs, the participants were introduced to a gem of a place in Hulu Langat called Herb Camp Sungai Congkak. The passionate brain behind the camp is Dr Mohd Noor, who lectures about the various types of herbs and fruits. The type I find most intriguing is Synsepalum dulcificum, simply called the Miracle Fruit, which makes any sour or tasteless fruit eaten afterwards turn sweet like honey! And yes, it was tested and proven by the ETW participants. Another plant that fascinated us is the beautiful flower called Bunga Baba Balun Nyonya, formally known as Hibiscus Mutabilis, which is white in the morning, then turns slightly pink at noon and completely becomes red by the evening!

T: +6 012 305 7161 / +6 012 902 5852 (Dr. Mohd Noor)

Galeri Tok Siak at Bazar Karat (Facebook Pedagang Pusaka Jawi)

Keris collection at Galeri Tok Siak.

Bazar Karat at Bangi Gateway Street Mall is a must-go for antique enthusiasts and we made our way to one of the stores, Galeri Tok Siak, a shop selling antique keris or traditional Malay dagger! A weapon that is synonymous to Malay culture, the keris is said to be made specifically for each individual, thus you can never find two keris the same! According to the owner whom we affectionately called Tok Siak, the design and make of a keris vary according to a person’s status, so if you feel like you have any old keris lying around at home, go have it examined because it might reveal that you are of royal descent! Moreover, do not mistake old keris as junks because they could fetch thousands of ringgit. It was an eye-opening experience to learn about keris because each keris is different, thus each has its own distinct story. T: +6 018 224 9077 (Tok Siak Arrembauwi)