Archive for Ipoh
October 21, 2007 at 6:54 am · Filed under Ipoh, Malaysia, Architecture
Ipoh is surrounded by huge limestone karsts. Occasionally they have huge caverns that are so beautifully inspiring that they are turned into places of worship. The most famous one is Sam Po Tong Temple.
What you began to realise is that the site is not only what is underneath you, it is what’s in front of you, at the sides, and even on top of you. The chambers are filled with the smell of incense, and a light meditation chant sets the mood.
At the end, you crawl underneath a tunnel and appear in a bright chasm. Once your eyes adjust to the light, you find yourself surrounded by sheer cliffs with lush rainforest vegetation precariously hanging on all sides. And when you least expect it, a towering temple makes the space even grandier …
Here you can only hear water dripping from above. The light rays from the sky almost seem to sway (very gently) whenever clouds slowly pass by above.
October 19, 2007 at 1:14 am · Filed under Ipoh, Malaysia, Food
When I was very young, I remember rationing myself with Heong Peng (trans: Fragrant Pastry) because this yummy treat was only available whenever my auntie personally brought over a bag to Sabah.
It’s hard to describe what’s so great about it. Imagine a delicate bubble of crunchy matte flaky crust outside - which oozes a sweet, flavoursome chewy filling the moment you bite into one.
It’s only until recently that you can find them in supermarkets. I’ve tried one but, because they’re factory-made, I find the taste severely compromised.
So it’s with great pleasure that we got to visit the one last place (well, that I know of) where they still make it by hand. This family still operates from their semi detached home at No. 177, Persiaran Gunung Rapat 6, 31350 Ipoh.
The biscuits get their distinctive teardrop shape from being stuck to the side of the oven. Still “powered by” charcoal, the heat is still intense and I can feel it from a metre away.
Just to show how good the biscuits are, Julius in his wisdom did not take any closeup shots of this crazily addictive stuff before they were finished. Yummy!
October 19, 2007 at 1:09 am · Filed under Ipoh, Malaysia, Food
What you see below is the real Ipoh Ho Fun, from the soup to noodles to garnish.
Note how thick the stock is (not diluted “salty water” trying to pass off as soup), and together with the special silky bouncy noodles makes for a very appetizing meal. Definitely much better than anything in Singapore or Sydney.
Just to get into the mood for authenticity, we all ordered a cup of Ipoh White Coffee each. I heard it’s white because they fry the coffee powder with butter but I didn’t find the drink particularly oily.
October 16, 2007 at 12:44 pm · Filed under Ipoh, Malaysia, Food
Since it wasn’t holiday season and most young Ipoh girls are probably in school or working in KL, I couldn’t test the water theory.
BUT I must say that the water here is doing something magical to the chicken, bean sprouts and Ho Fun (trans: flat rice noodles).
Sidenote - Say hello to my auntie and uncle on the left.
Ipoh’s water is very hard, saturated with minerals after filtering through many layers of limestone. Boiling chickens in this water is apparently what gives them their super smooth and springy texture. I can personally vouch for the Ho Fun, they are exceptionally smooth and springy too.
Look closely at the size and shape of those super healthy Ipoh bean sprouts ! They’re like tiny white carrots !!!
October 15, 2007 at 7:47 pm · Filed under Ipoh, Malaysia
Ipoh’s old glorious colonial presence is undeniable but many say it’s past its time and turning into a retirement town. My auntie’s conversations seem to always describe shops closing down or moving away. Rather disconcerting.
This former tin-mining town is also commonly associated with beautiful girls with emphasis on their smooth and fair skin. The drinking water is cited as the reason, having filtered through the underground limestone strata. Ponder that next time you see Michelle Yeoh on the big screen.
As for the beautiful chickens?
Wait for the next post. 
