Archive for the ‘Indian’ Category
Penang Food Trail – Surprising finds along the streets
Vadai
Our hosts bought us some Indian Vadai for us. These Vadai aren’t bought from a proper dining place, rather it was sold by an elderly Indian lady who sets up her temporary makeshift stall at private estates. We had 2 different kinds of Vadai, 1 being more spicy than the other. The Indian spices and condiments tasted pretty good, plus the spicy kick, my first Vadai experience was pretty commendable.
Anba Coconut Trading
The weather at Penang can get really hot at times. Under the scorching and burning sun, we dropped by Anba Coconut Trading at Aboo Sitee Lane (off Burma Road) for some fresh, unpretentious coconut water. The stall owner armed with a curved knife, picks up a coconut from his cage and makes 3 cuts at 3 sections of the coconut. Each coconut was pretty heavy and overflowing with coconut water. It was a good way to hydrate yourself in such hot weather. But the water was really alot, and hence we highly recommend that 2-3 girls share each coconut. After finishing the drink, the owner would then cut a much bigger hole in the coconut, and using part of the husk, we can then scrape off the coconut flesh hidden inside.
Deep Fried 年糕 with Yam/Sweet Potato
You can find many makeshift food stalls along the streets of Penang. And honestly, the food gotten from such stalls are of pretty good standards. We bought some deep fried 年糕 from one such stall. Each piece of 年糕 was sandwiched between 2 layers of yam or sweet potato. We could not choose between sweet potato and yam, it depends on your luck. Regardless of that, we enjoyed this sinful and unhealthy snack. In Singapore, it is quite common to see fried 年糕 at households, especially during Chinese New Year. But fried 年糕 with yam/sweet potato, it is our first time trying that.
Joez Coconut
Coconut Jelly
Joez Coconut – The Coconuting from Penang. Its star product is the Penang Coconut Jelly which is made from pasteurized fresh coconut juice extracted from young fruits and passed through a “secret” process that turns the liquid into silky smooth jelly. The coconut jelly was indeed quite unique and refreshing. The jelly wasn’t as tough as agar agar. It was on the slightly soft side and it simply slid down our throats without much chewing. A definite thirst quencher on a sunny hot day.
Vansh – Authenically Indian, Excitingly Modern
Vansh - Surprisingly Indian
Vansh – Surprisingly Indian. It is part of the award winning Rang Mahal group. In the recent weeks, we have been craving quite a bit for Indian food, especially the spicy dishes. It was New Year’s eve when we made our way to Vansh. We were given al fresco seats as the indoor restaurant was fully reserved. We had a rather good view for the stadium waterfront, that is, before it started to turn dark and we could barely see anything since the outdoor areas weren’t well-lit.
We ordered the Garlic Naan, Chicken Vindaloo and the Vegetable Sizzling Platter.
Garlic Naan
We have tried Garlic Naan from another restaurant where the entire Naan was laced with garlic pieces. That made the entire naan oily and overpowering with the taste of garlic. On the other hand, Vansh’s Garlic Naan was not too overwhelming. There were faint traces of garlic, and when paired with the Chicken Vindaloo, the garlic taste gave an extra spicy kick to the vindaloo. The Naan was also fluffy and not too oily. Definitely one of the better Naans we have tried.
Vegetable Sizzling Platter
The Vegetable Sizzling Platter consisted of tandoori mushrooms, rajma appetizer and paneer (cheese) tikka. Indian cuisine is typically strong in flavour, and this is not an exception. The mushrooms were very fresh and juicy. This dish was served piping hot, but wasn’t all that spicy. The cheese was curd like, with a texture similar to tofu.
Chicken Vindaloo
We asked the waiter for a recommendation for the most spicy dish in Vansh, and he recommended the Chicken Vindaloo. And it definitely lived up to our expectations. Throughout the meal, we were sneezing and sniffing, and downing glasses of ice water. The chicken pieces were tender, well marinated and rich in flavour. When we took the first bite, we were a little disappointed as the curry did not seem that spicy. But as we chewed on the chicken and allowed the taste to settle in, the spicy kick slowly emerged. This dish of Chicken Vindaloo had a very strong after taste spiciness. The spiciness didn’t come out on the first bite, rather it gradually encompassed our entire taste buds. Complemented with the Garlic Naan, the spiciness of the entire meal was brought to a higher level. It was the kind of spiciness that would make you tear, but did not numb your taste buds. In addition, although the serving bowl of the Chicken Vindaloo appeared pretty small, the number of chicken pieces inside was considerable.
This meal at Vansh was very fulfilling and satisfied our Indian food craving. We will definitely be back for more.
Vansh
2 Stadium Walk, Stadium Waterfront
Singapore Indoor Stadium #01-04
Ph.Ds of FOOD 