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Malaysia

Interview with an international chef

I was invited to attend the Malaysian Food Festival which is being held in Mumbai. So when I went there yesterday, I was welcomed by the very warm & courteous staff of India Jones, Hotel Trident to a corner table near a French window.

After the regular customaries, the Malay Chef Kamarudin Bin Dali was informed and he came to my table to greet me. We exchanged greetings and he asked me what I wanted to order from the menu, so that he could start preparing it for me. He also gave me his business card and left for the kitchen.

“A recipe has no soul. You, as the cook, must bring soul to the recipe.” -Thomas Keller

I wanted to speak to the person who puts soul in those dishes. I put in request to the staff asking if it would be possible. The Chef was kind enough to oblige me for a few minutes from his busy schedule.

Here is a short interview with him. I can actually call it a chit chat.

malaysian chef @lemonicks.com

The Chef Kamarudin Bin Dali, along

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Looking back at 2012

Looking back at 2012

Another year has passed and it’s time to look back and take stock, time to update the set of to-dos, time to see how was the year 2012 for me in terms of travel and otherwise.

As I always say, I count my memories, not the places and I am happy that my travel memories are far more & better than the destinations. Some road trips, some train journeys and a few flights took me places almost every month. I made some new friends, consolidated my bond with old ones.
I also moved to a new place.

Apsara dance @lemonicks.com

This was also the year when

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Mask from Malacca

Before we even realize, it’s another month and time for another souvenir from my treasure box ! 😀

If you were to see souvenirs at my place, you’d find different cultures from different countries, showcased around in abundance, collected over past many many years. They vary in size, shape, color and texture. They speak of different stories and histories. And sometimes they remind me of the moment when they were bought !

For this month, what better than to show you something from Malaysia since I am sitting here in this country.

mask from malacca @lemonicks.com

A wooden mask with two birds on forehead.

When I was in

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Culinary delights of streets – Malaysia

One interesting way to explore any country is through its food. After indulging in top 5 foods of Malaysia, let’s talk about more food. 😀
This time street food of Malaysia. If you are visiting Malaysia, you simply can not ignore street food and it can very well be counted in your things to do in Malaysia.
I am a big fan of street food and that is what I like more. There is some kind of assurance when we see piping hot food being prepared in front of us. It also gives us an opportunity to see how it is made and to interact with the person preparing and selling it.

Here are five of my favourites again.
Ikan Bakar:

ikan bakar @lemonicks.com

That’s how Ikan Bakar is made.

It is an

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5 Things to do in Putra Jaya

When I made my first visit to Malaysia, I had thought Kuala Lumpur was the capital of Malaysia. Only on reaching I realized that the capital had moved to a planned city called Putrajaya. Conceptually much like Canberra in Australia or even Washington DC.
The whole city has been built from scratch and is often called an intelligent city and sometimes the Garden City. PutraJaya, the Sanskrit words meaning the Son or Prince in Malay, has world class infrastructure with capacity to house, school and care for everyone who works or lives here.

Of course, the area was not a barren land converted into a digital metropolis. There was a village called Prang Besar in the Selangor state, from which the current federal territory has been carved out.

putra jaya at night @lemonicks.com

Prime minister’s office

So what to

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5 Tallest buildings of Malaysia

On an impulse, I wanted to see if I had visited all the 5 tallest buildings in Malaysia, especially after having gone there so many times. So I started to research about the same.
I thought at least a couple of structures outside of Kuala Lumpur which I’ve visited would make the list and more specifically thought the Communication tower in Alor Setar and Menara Komtar in Penang. I was surprised to find both had not made the list of top 5 !
The list is as follows.

1. Petronas tower (Suria Tower) one and two, height – 452 Metres. People generally consider that Rank one and two goes to these 2 towers. Ok. Strictly speaking that may be so. But in my list, they are both rank 1. Every time I go to Kuala Lumpur I manage to catch a glimpse of these imposing and glittering towers. Definitely worth a visit.
one of the 5 tallest buildings of Malaysia-petronas @lemonicks.com/

Up, up & up…..

2. KL Tower,

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Top 10 holiday destinations in Asia

Asia is one of the most popular tourist destinations throughout the world – and for very good reason. Offering travellers diverse cultures and awe-inspiring natural beauty, it is often hard to resist the temptation of holidaying in Asia. Holidaymakers will have the luxury of deciding whether they laze on the beach all day or trek some of the most famous landmarks around the globe. For some inspiring ideas for planning your next escape, check out our favourite holiday destinations in Asia.

Ubud, Bali – Experience the luxury of private villas, set amidst the lush Balinese rainforest, in the arts and music hub of this beautiful island. Browse the local markets to find hand crafted jewellery and traditional Balinese pieces.
Phuket, Thailand – The party capital of Thailand, Phuket never fails to attract a crowd. Affordable accommodation and cheap nightclubs make this destination a backpackers dream.

phuket party @lemonicks.com

Phuket : Party anytime, anywhere !

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