Excuse Me

Kuching Sunday market on Saturday

The most amazing aspect of this market was the freshness. The cow had been slaughtered that morning, with no refrigeration available, it had no problems selling.

They would only slaughter what they needed to sell that day.

It is a great example of supply and demand, everything is sold completely fresh, and at it's prime.

You Tube, we made it!

After months of travelling and recording data, we have finally downloaded some shorts to utube. If green olives cured in a sweet brine and coated with sugary, chilli syrup raise some interest in you, keep an eye out for our food adventures.

We have four videos broadcasting at the moment and are planning on downloading more. We encourage you to make comments on our videos and watch for home cooking demonstrations being broadcast from our kitchen in Vientiane.
To see our videos search; www.youtube.com/LooseAppetiteMovemen

Our features are;

Flies Off My Sweet,Sweeties!

Sago Worm

Food Glourious Food

2am Starving in KL.

Moon The Night, Mekong Restaurant

Off the beaten tourist track, the beer is cheaper, the crowd is friendlier and the menu even larger. Moon The Night is local restaurant positioned over the Mekong, keep following Thanon Fa Ngum, along the river, and wind thru the neighborhood until you come to the sign.

We tried the sour fried sausage accompanied by the usual garlic, ginger and mint.
It was the burned dried cattle skins that took the prize however. At first they seemed fatty and chewy, a real workout for ones jaw. An acquired taste!

After a couple I worked out the technique of nibbling the delicious crunchy outer layer. The intense BBQ flavour of the hide was perfectly matched to beer.

Other delights on the menu included:

Red eel curry
Minced ostrich meat
Spicy frog soup
Appendix salad in chilli sauce
Fried kaffir lime leaf with sauce
Dipped jellyfish
BBQ beef offal

What a way to spend Sunday afternoon!
This large restaurant was full of locals eating and drinking. We sat on the balcony and watched the silky Mekong rush by as fishermen pulled in their hauls.

Wat,Wat,Wat!

What is there to see and do in Vientiane? Take a tuk-tuk or hire a bike for 14 000 kip a day ($1.80 Aus) and get around to a couple of the historical temples. This should keep you busy for a couple of hours…

WAT SI SAKET
A mystical temple housing thousands of small Buddha images (6840). Seated and standing Buddha’s of varying size and materials (wood, stone, silver and bronze) rest on shelves, most of them are sculpted in the characteristic Laos style.
Damaged images from days of war are also housed here; some have or are being restored.
Around the grounds you will find many coconut, banana and mango trees.

WAT SI MUANG
Is the site of the cities pillar and considered the home of the guardian spirit. Worth a look at the ‘jataka’, figures associated with stories of Buddha’s past.

Get blessed for your travels by a monk for a small donation. He showers you with holy water while chanting, he then ties coloured woven string around your wrist to warn off bad spirits. The tie must remain on your wrist a minimum of 3 days, for best results most people wait until the string falls off of its own accord.

WAT ONG TEL MAHAWIHAN
One of the most important in Laos originally built in the mid 16th century.
A school for visiting monks from all over Laos to study Dhamma (Buddha’s teachings).
The temple houses a large 16th century bronze Buddha weighing several tones. There is also a wooden façade over the front terrace that is considered a masterpiece of Laos carving.

WAT SOK PA LUANG
Famous for herbal saunas. “You are not supposed to wash away built up perspiration for 2 to 3 hours after a sauna. This supposedly allows the herbs to soak into your pores.

PHA THAT LUANG
(Great Stupa)
The most important monument in Laos. A symbol of both Buddhist religion and Laos sovereignty.
“Legend has it that Askoken missionaries from India erected the stupa to enclose a piece of breastbone of Buddha as early as the 3rd century BC.”
The top of the stupa resembles an elongated lotus bud and is said to symbolize the growth of a lotus from a seed in a muddy bottom to a bloom over the lakes surface. A metaphor for human advancement from ignorance to enlightenment in Buddhism.

Asian Vanilla Bean

Pandanas is used extensively in Thai, Malay, Chinese and Indian cooking to lightly flavour rice and desserts. It is described as a long, strong leaf with the ability to release chemicals into surrounding absorbents during the cooking process. Many European chefs have compared the use and strength of pandanas to that of the vanilla bean.

BAI TOEY HOM; Pandanas, is found throughout Asia and Hawaii; it grows in the form of a leaf from the pandanas palm tree. It has many uses, not only does it flavour dishes it is commonly used as a protective layer in the BBQing of fish and chicken and can be used to house goods sold on street corners throughout Asia.

As Asian flavours are becoming more and more common in western countries so to are the ingredients once regarded almost impossible to find. These days’ pandanas leaves can be found in any good Asian shop, kept in the freezer section for longer life.

Sesame Pandanas Jelly
Sold all around town, the pandanas jelly houses a stringy fresh coconut paste. The jelly is set firm and the pandanas flavour is subtle. The toasted sesame breaks the sweetness and offers an earthy savory balance.
A bag of fresh pastries containing 2 coffee perfiteroles, 2 chinese red bean pastries and 2 pandanas jellies costs 10 000 kip ($1.25 Aus). They blend perfectly with a strong Laos style coffee.


Pan Fatt Kou (Steamed pandan cake; Chinese recipe)

Ingredients (A):
150g water lily flour
30g rice flour
2 tsp baking powder
150g castor sugar

Mix (B): 200ml santan (coconut milk)
Quarter tsp pandan essence

Method: Prepare a steamer, bring to boil. Arrange Chinese tea cups and steam well.

Mix ingredients (A) in a mixing bowl.
Add in (B) gradually and use a hand whisk to mix.
Sieve the batter.
Pour into the hot tea cups and steam over rapid boiling water for 25 minutes

Squid & Doc Kae Salad (Yum Budsaba)

Pieces of white squid and Doc Kae (a tree flower) make up this typical Northern Thai spicy salad. This meal is fantastic for a light meal on a hot summer's day. Wash down with a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.

Squid & Doc Kae Salad (Yum Budsaba)

Ingredients

• Spices
• 1/2 x Lettuce
• 2 x Tomato
• 500g Squid Pieces
• Peanut Oil
• 2 x Chilli

Procedure

1. Cook Squid in Chillii & Oil
2. Toss Salad
3. Mix Squid & Salad

Serves 3~4. Wash down with a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.