We couldn't get enough of these calamansi, we squeezed them as condiment on spicy dishes or drank them as a refreshing tart drink served crushed in a tall glass with ice, a preserved sour plum and sugar to taste.
The choice of fresh greens at Section 17 market was truly inspirational, we've simply got to try and grow a wider variety of green leafiness. The market is open mornings Tues - Sun.
Old cucumber and chayote - good for soups
Perhaps we ought to try growing and pickling our own mustard greens since we like to eat them so much.
We indulged in a selection of Nyonya kuih.
The oval shaped kuih placed on a piece of banana leaf is an Ang Ku. It is moulded in the shape of a turtle to bring longevity, and is usually coloured red or orange to bring prosperity and good fortune.
At this time of year, Chinese New Year, they are placed on altars as offerings. It is believed the chewy sweet kuih will leave a sweet taste in the deities' mouths and they will bless the New Year with prosperity. The kuih is made of a sweetened mung bean paste centre, wrapped in chewy, sticky glutinous rice flour skin. This kuih was particularly good, the skin thin and not too tough, the paste smooth and soft.
It being Chinese New Year we indulged in nian gao a sticky glutinous rice cake. We think the only ones worth eating are those wrapped in banana leaf because it imparts a subtle flavour.
We ate the nian gao fresh, straight out of the skin, dipped in coarse grated fresh coconut. The cake hardens as it ages when it can be pan-fried coated in egg and flour, for an extra treat it can be sandwiched between slices of purple yam before being coated and pan-fried.
A favourite tropical fruit snack, green guava sprinkled with crushed preserved sour plum.
... and the nutty, caramel flavour of chiku (sapodilla).
This putu mayam, coconut milk rice noodles daubed with gula melaka (coconut palm sugar) became our favourite breakfast.
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