Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/782193
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 5 FEBRUARY 2016 42 Penang, Malaysia MARC CASOLANI PENANG – a small island, even though it is three times the size of Malta, off the western shores of peninsular Malaysia is renowned throughout southeast Asia for its food culture. Three ethnicities thrive here and you can try out the variety of Chinese, Malay and In- dian food found in the many mar- kets, food courts and restaurants across the island. Penang is a destination your taste buds would pick if they had a choice, mostly for the variety of cuisines available in such a small stretch. Such is the way in Penang that cuisines are mixed even in a single meal. Penang goes back a long way in history and you will see this in the colonial architecture. This place is full of culture and it goes with- out saying that it is busy through- out the whole year, though some weeks make a visit to the island an overwhelming experience as a re- sult of religious festivals and both Chinese and international New Year's celebrations. The people of Penang take great pride in the culinary arts and tra- ditional cooking methods, making a walk along the roads lined with food stalls a tasty adventure. Be sure to pack a good appetite and an open mind! Long roads of food stalls can be found in many places around George Town, the capital of the island, and can take long mornings, afternoons or evenings to explore, so leave plenty of time to discover new cooking methods and become familiar with the in- gredients they use as well as sam- pling what's on offer, after all, how else will you know if you want to try these out at home? Just walking past the stalls builds your appetite as aromas of Chi- nese, Malay and Indian food wafts through the streets. Though some smells are more appealing than others, most of them create a Pa- volv's dog kind of reaction, insti- gating instant salviation as your digestive system prepares for the meal ahead. While I was there, I often stopped to ask what was in the delightful dishes they were cook- ing (the signs were all in Chinese so visuals with a little verbal aid was going to have to do!) One Chi- nese lady goes as far as pointing to some delicious pastries and says "meat", then points to another one and says "chicken" and another and says "fish" and another and says "vegetable". A few stalls down the line I realise that this is the only English vocabulary most stall owners pocess, so I took to watch- ing them prepare the food so that I could at least recognise some of the ingredients they were using. I started out trying a chicken pastry, calamari on a stick and a ball of flaked fish. After a little bit more of a wan- der, I moved to the fruit stall and decided on a smoothie of fresh dragon fruit, banana and pineap- ple all blended into an energising smoothie. As a rule, they will add a sweet sugar syrup to the smoothie so unless you are looking for a sugar rush, ask them to hold back on the syrup. I then found a table by the side of the road, made my- self comfortable and sipped on my smoothie whilst taking in the life and culture – food and otherwise – of the Malaysians doing business and eating their fill. Not very long after it was time for a main course, so I headed to a Chinese stall and thought I'd brave it this time and tried a kebab of chicken hearts and some fresh gar- lic naan bread with four different Travel Penang - An island of flavours