‘Kuih Bakul’ Fritters | Eve of Departure

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No matter how well I plan in advance, the last two days before taking off for a trip is always one big stressful rush. Especially if the trip lasts about five weeks. Bills to be paid, banking, shopping for gifts, wrapping up work at the studio and managing client schedule changes all seem to happen at the final moments.

Vanity consumes me as well because I will surely schedule my hair appointment just before I take off. 6 weeks is the longest I can go in-between hair cuts. And with my hairdresser having one of the busiest schedules around, its always a situation of now or never.

The day began with cleaning the studio (yes, I am the owner, teacher and also cleaner) just as the sun rose. After teaching a session, I headed off to town with J, a chummy childhood friend who’s back from Melbourne. After my haircut and his IT shopping at Low Yat Plaza, I took him a coffeeshop opposite the plaza for Hakka noodles and one of the best iced-coffee served in town with the beans roasted right there in-the-house.

On the way to and out of the bank, we drove through the Masjid India area and Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman. As we passed the legendary Coliseum Cafe, J remembered he had not made his annual visit to have their fried ikan kurau. Stalled in front traffic lights, the twin buildings of Hilton and Le Meridien uprightly stared back at me from afar. Both of us had been trampling town through old favourites like Sungei Wang earlier and it got us in the mood to savour our home city.

I quickly exclaimed, “Let’s go have my all-time favourite goreng pisang (banana fritters)!”

“But I’m nursing a sore throat from daily supper of Maggi goreng…”

“C’mon, take care of that throat when you get back. Just drink more beer . Let’s go!”

Twenty minutes later heading out of Brickfields from Mr Chiam’s stall of deep fried heaven, J bit into his piece of goreng pisang and remained silent throughout until it finally disappeared while I drove. Finally he said, “You are so right, it’s very crispy. This is just what I need, a real slice of home.”

I saved my two pieces of kuih bakul fritters till I was home.

Isn’t it funny that on the eve of leaving the country, you suddenly feel such fondness for the familiarity of home?

*Mr Chiam’s stall is located in front of a coffeeshop, opposite YMCA in Brickfields. Some people claim he sells THE goreng pisang in town and I do not wish to dispute that.