A sea so bold
Awash foamy angst
Loss and hope
Intermingled
Thy name will last
posted from Bloggeroid
Thursday, 26 September 2013
Langkawi Chronicles: Beronok Breakfast
Game on!
On a whim, I decided it would be fun to sample the local delicacy 'Beronok' as fresh as it could be had, raw.
Woke up, got ready and drove to the wet market and snatched a small bag for 3 Ringgit. Thought that it was ridiculously cheap, but my colleagues who are locals thought that it was a tad expensive (Really?). I got a total of 27 sausages for it, which works out to 11.11 sens a Beronok.
Got to the kitchen, unloaded the pack and boom!
They are said to be a similar life-form to the Sea Cucumber, and yes, just as ugly! To prepare it for consumption, you slit the belly open and rinse out all the gungy bits and mud (scraping it with a knife works well).
Rinse the whole thing under running water and toss it in a colander. Try not to leave it in liquids as it will quickly lose moisture by leaching its own juices. Slice the thing up into thin rings (for older, firmer specimens) or fingers (for younger, tender specimens) and use it as needed.
Generally locals do not have it cooked in any way due to massive shrinkage brought about by moisture loss, so it is eaten raw, or tossed as an ingredient in a Kerabu or Urap.
I have had Beronok (Kerabu style) and Sea Cucumber (Stewed with Shrooms, Chinese Style) in the past, but never raw like this, so it was a little weird, being watched by 2 Beronok-eating colleagues, as I took a big bite out of another one I cut into 2.
(o_O) ......... Eewwwww.
Perhaps having it Sashimi style would be wonderful.
To be fair, I guess, I was a tad put off by the ugly appearance of the creature itself and the fact that it was still alive after I slit open the belly! Despite the interesting looking innards. there was no off odours at all, which was a relief, just a faint murky seawater/squid like aroma.
Biting into it was the biggest joy and surprise, it was at once briny fresh and clean tasting. Its texture squarely between the resisting crunch of jelly fish and the density of Ika (cuttlefish) Sashimi. In fact the flavour too, is closest to Ika, complete with the slightly gelatinous finish.
So,the next time you come to Langkawi, give Beronok a try. Cultural experience and all that!
On a whim, I decided it would be fun to sample the local delicacy 'Beronok' as fresh as it could be had, raw.
Woke up, got ready and drove to the wet market and snatched a small bag for 3 Ringgit. Thought that it was ridiculously cheap, but my colleagues who are locals thought that it was a tad expensive (Really?). I got a total of 27 sausages for it, which works out to 11.11 sens a Beronok.
Got to the kitchen, unloaded the pack and boom!
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| Barrel-o-Beronoks! |
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| This thing is edible? Really? Errr... Okay. |
 |
| The Beronok is a bottom feeder ingesting bits of food found in the sandy/muddy seabed, so yeah, slimy gross insides. |
Generally locals do not have it cooked in any way due to massive shrinkage brought about by moisture loss, so it is eaten raw, or tossed as an ingredient in a Kerabu or Urap.
I have had Beronok (Kerabu style) and Sea Cucumber (Stewed with Shrooms, Chinese Style) in the past, but never raw like this, so it was a little weird, being watched by 2 Beronok-eating colleagues, as I took a big bite out of another one I cut into 2.
(o_O) ......... Eewwwww.
Perhaps having it Sashimi style would be wonderful.
 |
| A dash of Kikkoman soy sauce and Wasabi. |
 |
| Beautiful briny bites! |
Biting into it was the biggest joy and surprise, it was at once briny fresh and clean tasting. Its texture squarely between the resisting crunch of jelly fish and the density of Ika (cuttlefish) Sashimi. In fact the flavour too, is closest to Ika, complete with the slightly gelatinous finish.
So,the next time you come to Langkawi, give Beronok a try. Cultural experience and all that!
Tuesday, 24 September 2013
Kids @ Work!
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| Who, me? |
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| Whats dat there? |
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| Is dat a yummy? |
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| I wuv you! |
Boy and Girl are growing up fast. My own 2 little terrors!
Monday, 23 September 2013
Blogging On The Go
Just downloaded a new Blogger.com compatible App.
Let's see what it can and cannot do.
Let's see what it can and cannot do.
posted from Bloggeroid
Getting My Goat!
Saw a few pictures posted on FB today.
They were of the staffers in my former workplace enjoying some hot beverages and what appears to be Lasagna. My eyes were immediately drawn to the fact that they were eating and drinking right in the open in what should be the guest dining area.
The FB timestamp suggested that the post was put up at about 5 AM. Sure, they could have done so when the place had closed for the day (a very short window, but yes, still quite plausible). But there they were, happy grins and posing for the camera, possibly in full view of customers.
That really got my goat!
F&B staffers should not have been allowed to consume food and beverages in guest areas. Full stop.
Shit like this was unheard of during my time there. I was a difficult person to please, and I refused to let up the high ideals I hold that was taught to me.
Apparently, it would seem that since the start of the new vendor operations, fewer and fewer people cared about keeping high standards. Fewer still are those who monitor service operations.
It breaks my heart. I alert this to a few of my former colleagues and they related that this indeed was the result of reduced monitoring on the contractor's part.
I don't know why I care so much about it but I am not going to take it lying down.
They were of the staffers in my former workplace enjoying some hot beverages and what appears to be Lasagna. My eyes were immediately drawn to the fact that they were eating and drinking right in the open in what should be the guest dining area.
The FB timestamp suggested that the post was put up at about 5 AM. Sure, they could have done so when the place had closed for the day (a very short window, but yes, still quite plausible). But there they were, happy grins and posing for the camera, possibly in full view of customers.
That really got my goat!
F&B staffers should not have been allowed to consume food and beverages in guest areas. Full stop.
Shit like this was unheard of during my time there. I was a difficult person to please, and I refused to let up the high ideals I hold that was taught to me.
Apparently, it would seem that since the start of the new vendor operations, fewer and fewer people cared about keeping high standards. Fewer still are those who monitor service operations.
It breaks my heart. I alert this to a few of my former colleagues and they related that this indeed was the result of reduced monitoring on the contractor's part.
I don't know why I care so much about it but I am not going to take it lying down.
Saturday, 21 September 2013
The Sun Never Says
 | ||||||
| Even after all this time The sun never says to the earth, |
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| "You owe me" |
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| Look what happens with a love like that |
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| It lights the whole sky. |
A translated excerpt from the one of the many tributes towards divine love by Hafiz, a fourteenth century Sufi poet.
Sunday, 8 September 2013
Langkawi Chronicles: Regression.
Been here a while now. Been patient for a long while now.
Yet some have opted to equate kindness with me being a pushover. I told myself before I did this Langkawi gig to not be the mean professional bastard I was while in KLIA.
Heck, the first week I was here, someone contacted my wonderful assistant asking whether En Razee 'Garang tak?", and the answer was no.
But after so many months of trying to inculcate good habits and behaviour amongst some of my staff, and to always 'Do it right the first time', the nice way is not going to quite work. So, the next logical step is to crack the whip.
Coaching and counselling can only work to an extent.
Whip it is then.
Yet some have opted to equate kindness with me being a pushover. I told myself before I did this Langkawi gig to not be the mean professional bastard I was while in KLIA.
Heck, the first week I was here, someone contacted my wonderful assistant asking whether En Razee 'Garang tak?", and the answer was no.
But after so many months of trying to inculcate good habits and behaviour amongst some of my staff, and to always 'Do it right the first time', the nice way is not going to quite work. So, the next logical step is to crack the whip.
Coaching and counselling can only work to an extent.
Whip it is then.
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| Get your sorry asses back to work! |
Saturday, 7 September 2013
Friday, 6 September 2013
Langkawi Chronicles: Bone Tired
Gaaaahhhhh!
Just in the start of the second group booking at the resort I am with and I can feel my bones creaking and my muscles turning to jelly.
Used to be able to withstand long and punishing workloads better. Back then 36 hour days I can shrug off like a pesky fly. Nowadays, barely 3 days straight of 14 hour days I can feel the ache in my bones.
Perhaps I am not eating well enough, or exercising, but I do supplement my diet with energy boosting vitamins and drinks loads of water to keep me hydrated.
God, just Thirty-plus years old and I can feel that the world is catching up with me.
Interestingly, I don't really feel off when I am busy doing the work, or when I am 'werking it' with my guests, who I adore (yes, even the difficult ones! heck, they are yet another customer to satisfy), or when I am in knee deep in some group based duty.
The creaks and numbing aches only come at home after I have unwound and cleaned up before I go to bed. I guess I am still loving what I do and really concentrate on doing the job right.
I have a new ritual now, aside from what I have learned to do since I was a kid. I now visualize a happy next day, with my team and I surmounting challenges. Helps me focus and slowly unwind.
Being young at heart is a good defense. Of course loads of YouTube cat videos also do no harm!
Just in the start of the second group booking at the resort I am with and I can feel my bones creaking and my muscles turning to jelly.
Used to be able to withstand long and punishing workloads better. Back then 36 hour days I can shrug off like a pesky fly. Nowadays, barely 3 days straight of 14 hour days I can feel the ache in my bones.
Perhaps I am not eating well enough, or exercising, but I do supplement my diet with energy boosting vitamins and drinks loads of water to keep me hydrated.
God, just Thirty-plus years old and I can feel that the world is catching up with me.
Interestingly, I don't really feel off when I am busy doing the work, or when I am 'werking it' with my guests, who I adore (yes, even the difficult ones! heck, they are yet another customer to satisfy), or when I am in knee deep in some group based duty.
The creaks and numbing aches only come at home after I have unwound and cleaned up before I go to bed. I guess I am still loving what I do and really concentrate on doing the job right.
I have a new ritual now, aside from what I have learned to do since I was a kid. I now visualize a happy next day, with my team and I surmounting challenges. Helps me focus and slowly unwind.
Being young at heart is a good defense. Of course loads of YouTube cat videos also do no harm!
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| New mantra! |
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