Thursday, January 22, 2015

Oily Greens

These days, I am having difficulty deciding what to eat for lunch during working days since I don't want to venture too far from the office due to the heat and dust so I just walk over to the nearest eatery and see what I can takeaway to eat in the comfort of my seat facing my PC monitor for a eat-and-work session.

I ended up with this - 3 types of vegetable dishes from the mamak (is this word an offensive word? Google says Mamak means Indian Muslim) shop next to my office for MYR4.50 and there is a bit of rice underneath the greens. A bit oily but taste better than Cantonese style stir-fried vegetables due to the spices like tumeric and mustard seeds used in the cooking.

My constant companion container already has some other food (from home for tea) in it so I ended up using the o-so-evil non recyclable polystyrene container, sorry folks.

38 comments:

  1. So nice of you to use your own container. If only more people are like you. Once in a while I enjoy mamak food too but my hubby doesnt fancy lah :(

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  2. Good grief! Glittering! Not crazy about how the mamaks do their vegetables. They still use those polystyrene containers there? It's banned here - no more.

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    1. So what do they use? Those containers made from paper/cardboard?

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  3. I'd like a big serving of veggies for lunch, minus the oil I guess. At least you're aware of the 'evil' in styrofoam (many are not) and usually bring your own container.

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    1. I think many are aware of it too but just could not take the extra effort to bring their own containers.

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  4. I do eat mamak curries once in a while. But not so with the vegetables, because they are usually overcooked.

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    1. Yes, overcooked and soft, very easy to chew.

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  5. It is an offensive word if you mention it as the race of a certain ex PM when commenting on political issues on social media, but if you use it at the mamak eateries, it is not. They call themselves mamak too lah, when they take orders from you..

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    1. Really the eateries call themselves that also?

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    2. Not the eateries, the people who work there. Mamak is a legitimate name for Indian-Muslims, until social media decided to hijack it and use it to describe politicians in a racist manner. That's why mee mamak is legitimate dish and not a derogatory name for a dish.

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  6. I also sometimes tapao back to the office if the others are not driving out.. Usually it would be chap farn or fried rice.. There's a mamak here too, so sometimes it would be nasi kandar with mutton, fried chicken and hati, haha..

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    1. Nasi kandar with mutton, fried chicken and hati - so much meat - must be very expensive!

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  7. So much vege, very healthy, but usually I take two vege and one meat/fish, hehe!!

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    1. Do you eat this type of food?

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    2. Yah! Some times, my mom will cook it frequently anyway, so I'll eat it all the time!!!

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    3. Your mom knows how to cook food mamak style!? Wow! I am impressed!

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  8. i once used to bring my own "tupperware" to go tabao food from the kopitiams opposite my working place, but this didn't last long because i find it a little "troublesome" having to wash it myself every time.. okay, i know i know, i am actually lazy but blame something else!!! hahahahaha..

    just out of topic, what is the best way to wash plastic containers but you won't feel like it's still oily even after wash??

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    1. SK and Mun, let me kaypoh a bit, OK? It is best to use stainless steel containers as plastic can be toxic when the food is hot and oily. Plastic also more difficult to wash as the oily residue tend to stick to it.

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    2. Ok, please comment away. Yes, my container is made from food grade stainless steel.

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    3. SK, plastic containers must buy those BPA free ones and wash them with hot hot water to get rid of the oil.

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  9. I'd bring my own Tupperware whenever I can too but it's not always convenient to do so. I wish that they would ban polystyrene boxes here.

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  10. beans & green leafy yummmmzzz! but i seldom tapau from mamak stall coz like u mentioned, they are oily and most of the time i found them overcooked (till turns yellow). I still prefer chinese veggie dish.

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    1. Most of the time chinese veggie dishes are also very oily, hehehe, but that is to be expected for chap fan stalls.

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  11. I still prefer to cook my own greens..

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    1. Since you cook almost all your meals, of course!

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  12. I love vegetables from the mamak shop as it is tasty though they usually overcook it. I also use my own container but sometimes I don't.

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  13. They always have the same type of vegetables and fried chickens. This must be the signature Mamak Recipes. I normally would put lots of their sambal belacan over their vegetables to taste less oily.

    We all knew about Tun M's family background but I was more surprised to see Siti Nurhaliza's name too. Read here >> http://malayindians.blogspot.com/2008/03/indian-muslims-in-malaysia-ancestry-and.html

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  14. I like eating in front of the computer too. But will avoid if there are people around and they're not eating, coz the food smell would be quite offensive. (Well other people doing that disturbs me and I'd wish they'd hurry up and finish!)

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    1. Everyone has gone out for lunch at that time. Only me there. :(

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    2. It is ok. I don't like to go out in the hot weather.

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  15. I dont usually order vegetables from mamak stall because I find them overcooked or too oily. Just meat and curries for me when go to mamak.

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    1. But their vegetables taste nicer than chinese oyster sauce or soy sauce veges.

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