Wordless Wednesday - Dragon fruit buds

First Commenter

The perfect bite: Cempedak fritters

I've alway loved cempedak fritters and allow me to share with you a little tea time indulgence we’ve had yesterday, of which I can’t stop thinking about at this very moment. A stroll around any markets or pasar malam here will have you drawn towards the vast array of these aromatic fruits. With its pungent aroma, my knees got all wobbly and I couldn't resist buying them. Having them deep fried is simply delicious as the crispiness of the fritters are plain enticing to the taste-buds! As tempting as it may sound, it is one of the tropical fruits that is available once a year when it is in season.

Incase you are wondering, the scientific name is artocarpus integer but I find it hard to pronounce and it just sounds a bit weird to me. Cempedak looks similar to the jackfruit in appearance except that it is much smaller in size but it is definitely huge in comparison to other fruits. It is also sweet, sticky and when the fruit is ripe, it emits a strong, unique aroma that fills the environment, similar to the durians. If you like durians, it's no big deal for you to conquer the cempedak too.


The outer husk will turn light green when the fruit is ripe with dark brown spots appearing on the entire flattened studs. It also appears to be slightly sticky when you touch it due to the secretion of white latex through the husk.

As the fruit secretes sticky latex, it is best to apply a liberal coating of clean oil on your knife before and after cutting open the cempedak. The husk is thick, yet soft, so it is easy to cut it length-wise into half.

There are about 50 to 60 pulps which can be eaten raw and they are fragrant, sweet, yellowish-orange flesh which encases each brown seed inside.

Here's my version of quick and easy to prepare snack. The combination of flour, a tablespoon of rice flour, a dash of salt, sugar and ENO impart a delicate sweet, rich and delightful flavour. When the batter is set, deep fried until golden brown. Remove the fritters from the wok and set aside for at least 15 mins.

The delish fritters are always a hit in the household and voila, the whole plate was emptied within secs by the hungry kids. It's easy enough to prepare and perfect to snack on in front of the TV with a cup of flavourful tea. They are a popular choice amongst those who love crispy batter with that wonderful crunchy texture as you savour every bite.

The hard seeds are edible too when boiled or roasted but we don't eat them

So what are you people waiting for, savour these fruits which is in season now and have fun.

First Commenter - Ladyviral

Durians, anyone?

It's that time of the year again when durian or commonly known as 'The King of Fruits' stalls crowded the roadsides, all packed with mountains of durians. Yup, it’s durian frenzy here in Penang/Kedah and there are plenty of durian stalls selling this thorny fruit at every corner of the streets. Although I'm afraid of piling on the calories but when it comes to durians, I throw caution to the wind. Needless to say, I was looking forward to savour a good feast of this fabulous tasting fruits.

While some people consider the smell of durian as notoriously stinky and repulsive, I find this thorny fruit sinfully aromatic. Some can be dry, others creamy, like ice cream or chocolate in taste. I personally like smaller durians with bittersweet taste and the slightly fermented aroma of liquor to it. These are all good durians that should be highly appreciated to its fullest. Infact, the taste and quality of durians really differ depending on the origin and the degree of ripeness. The best place to get good durians is still Balik Pulau, Penang. I find durians from Thailand which are much bigger in size to be less desirable in terms of taste, smell and especially texture.

It was also interesting to note that there are many unique nicknames for different version of durian fruits that reflects its characteristics or even named after Jackie Chan's wife. As much as I love durians, it's difficult to be able to differentiate or remember the taste of one from the other. I couldn't even recall the name of my favourite.

These are some selection of branded durians. Prices are between RM12-13 per kilo in my neighbourhood. I normally spend about RM100-200 for these exotic spicky fruits every year.

Each species has a distinct taste and odour. For every pause for the next variety, it is best to rinse your mouth with plain water so that you can exquisitely acquire the exact taste for each cultivar and not having your taste buds to dance with undiscovered delight. My hubby loves the ones with golden or orange flesh which are popular in demand and secures the highest price, especially if it is accompanied with a great taste.

A small seed with milky, heavenly texture

A taste that's out of this world

Can you spot the worm hole on the husk? Now, don't be turned off by the sight of worm holes. It is a good indication that these durians are grown in pesticide- free environment.

As durians have warming properties, it's quite a common practise to pour water into the husk of the fruit after the pulp has been consumed and drink it.

An alternative method is to eat the durian in accompaniment with mangosteens, which is considered to have cooling properties.

It looks like unpeel cloves of garlic and whitish creamy against the fruit's purple backdrop. Incase you are wondering, the season for durians is typically from June to August, which coincides with mangosteens too.

Love it or loathe it, durians will stand out like no other fruit. For durian lovers, happy durian hunting! :D

First Commenter - Mei Teng

Farm Tour

For our recent holiday, I booked an apartment for one night at Tringkap, Cameron Highlands (CH) through our good old friend Andrew. The apartment has three bedrooms and is well furnished with ceramic flooring, a fully fitted kitchen complete with dishwasher, fridge-freezer and all basic utensils. The dining hall is equipped with a TV as well as a very comfortable three seater sofa and a two seater.

A visit to CH seemed like the perfect kick off to our family getaway. I was more than thrilled when Andrew graciously invited us to visit his fruits and vegetable farms at Tringkap. So, with no time to lose, we all piled into his vegetable truck and trundled up the hill. It was a rough ride through the curving, narrow and undulating roads that passed through the farms which has resulted an epic pain in the butt for all of us.

Anyway, it was a rewarding experience having to see the vast expanse of vegetable farms with a stunning landscape. Incase you are wondering, many such farms across CH welcome visits from tourists everywhere. Those farmers that welcome visitors will normally advertise, either in the local media, or through adverts in local shops. In this case, I happened to be visiting my friend Andrew last weekend and stopped in to meet his family and toured his farm. They are leasing around 20 acres of some of the most stunning farm land in Tringkap. They have lush green meadows, big trees, a small creek and a pond, a few barns and a pretty farm house.

Suffice to say, the farm visit was quite an eye-opener and definitely worth visiting. Before we leave the place, Andrew generously offered us an abundance of free fresh produce from his farm. I just want to thank him again for his kind generosity and hospitality throughout our entire stay in Tringkap.

Here are some snapshots for your viewing pleasure.

it was incredible seeing rows and rows of vegetables as far as the eye can see.

Vegetable farms are located throughout the highlands and you will see numerous farms all the way from here to Tringkap and beyond.

Everywhere I turned, I noticed varieties of green or something just as satisfying to the eye. I just couldn't resist taking pictures. They are so eye catching.
Most farmers will either walk up the hill (they can really walk), driving old Land Rovers or taking bike rides as means of transportation to their respective farms.

we went for a stroll within the farm. The main fruit and vegetable crops grown in the farm include mustard green, cabbages, maizes, butternut pumpkin, green peas, oranges, french beans, tomatoes and some herb plants.

butternut pumpkin

a corn field

unriped tomatoes

machinery used in farming. the field was rather thick mud, making it difficult to walk

a small creek

orange tree

This is Andrew's adorable daughter, Kim. Now, do you have any idea what she's pointing at?

Look, it is an icky, sticky, creepy crawlie. You should have seen me screamed inside. Ewwwwww

my little princess with Kim and her brother, Ken sitting in the vege truck

First Commenter

Dragon Fruits - The Fruit of Health

I first tasted dragon fruit during my trip to Hong Kong some years ago and they just blew me away. These fruits have a sweet, juicy pulp and a delicate aroma with a unique flavor that's like a cross between kiwi and pear. I've also discovered that dragon fruits, the fruit of several cactus species, are rich in antioxidant, dietary fiber, calcium and potassium.

During that time, dragon fruits were not popular in Malaysia. These days, it is no longer uncommon to find such fruits here and in fact, they are organically grown here to meet the needs of local demand. As far as I know, that there a few varieties of these fruits but I personally have only come across two kinds, the red kind like the one I'm holding, and the white flesh. The differences in taste is subtle but I personally find that the red flesh tastes better.

They’re easy to prepare and actually kind of fun to eat. So how do you enjoy dragon fruits? I usually slice it into half and scoop out the flesh with a spoon. You will discover a sweet creamy flesh with crunchy seeds like kiwi. I eat dragon fruits very often here. They can be quite pricey though. Dragon Fruit tastes so much better if it is chilled. It is extremely succulent and juicy, you should try one, its full of natural richness. I like the crunchiness when I bite on the sesame kind of black colored seeds.

Alternatively, you can cut into cubes or bite sizes. My kids enjoyed showing their ‘bloody’ teeth to me whenever they eat them. :)


A word of caution. The red coloured juice can easily stain clothing so do be careful when cutting into it. Eating too much of this fruit may also result in reddish colored urine and faeces.