Malaka: Carrot Cake, Peranakans, Tuk Tuks

A few weeks ago I took a little road trip to Malacca Malaysia. It was organized by a woman in one of the Singapore wards. I was one of 4 Westerners on a big fancy bus. I bravely left Singapore and passed into Malaysia clutching my passport and green card. 

Singaporeans like to talk about how terrible and scary the Malaysians are but I felt safe the 

entire time I was in their country and I am looking forward to going back 

if only to get more carrot cake.

This is some fancy carrot cake. Not a single bit of cream cheese frosting. Carrot cake is made of turnip that has been ground and cooked to a jelly state - reminded me of smooth congealed cream of wheat. The texture is very smooth. They stir fry it up with lots of butter, garlic, mung bean sprouts, spicy peppers, and scrambled egg topped with fresh green onion. You can get a sweet sauce on it but I took mine without the sweet stuff.

WOW. I'm salivating just thinking about it.

It alone was worth the trip. I had some yesterday at the uber fancy Marina Bay Sands "hawker stand" (not really a hawker stand...too fancy and clean) and it was bland and boring. But the Malaysian carrot cake was delicious.

Six things I like about this picture: 

1. He loved his job and the huge line at his stand.

2. The fan on the chair: is it keeping him cool or advertising the garlicky sweet fragrance?

3. The pile of egg shells and overcooked turnip in the lower left hand, he would just fling those out of that huge wok.

4. How quickly he moved and kept that food moving across the hot wok. He cooked to order.

5. The brightly burning light bulbs, he started work when it was still dark

6. The ice cream cash box (the pink plate is just barely resting a lip on it) with ice cream at $17 a container, that is a little statement of prosperity.

After driving 4 hours we stopped for lunch at a Peranakan restaurant. I was feeling a little 

picky about what I wanted to eat.

Did you know that the shrimp/prawns here are served with all 

the legs and eyeballs and tail attached? They still taste good. 

In fact, they are delicious, once you get them cleaned up.

 Hmm. Feeling very very picky.

Please pass the rice.

Back on the bus to the Peranakan Museum. 

Peranakans are descendants of Chinese workers who migrated to the Straights of Malacca around 

the 14th century and married the Malaysian women and merged their two cultures. 

It is a unique and beautiful culture only found here. 

 The Baba-Nonya Heritage Museum was our destination.

Peranakan men are called Baba and the women are called Nonya. You will see signs advertising 

"Nonya Food Here". 

I have seen them in Singapore too. 

After the museum we had a few moments to shop and Danielle led us on a run to find the beautiful Peranakan pottery. I fell in love. I got 6 bright colorful little bowls. 

Come over and I will serve you food in them. 

This picture is currently my phone wallpaper:

 Brightly decorated tuk tuks drive you around town any time of day or night playing loud music. 

In Summary: I am glad I went. 

Most of my time was spent on the bus, and getting on and off the bus at tourist trap bus stops. But what I got to see of Malacca makes me want to go back for a couple of days and explore. Once we were in the historical part of the city you could get a real feel for the unique culture there and I want to feel it again.