At the fish market in Beserah and Tanjung Api in Kuantan

Visiting the fish market (freshly caught ones) has always been exciting for me because of the surprises that one can find and also the fact that it is an indication of the state of health of our seas. Over the years that I've visited the fisherman markets in and around Kuantan, I have noticed a steady decline in the varieties offered as well as the number - the answer is always a familiar one: there isn't much in the sea these days...if we do not take initiatives to curb pollution and overfishing, this is hardly the beginning of more sad stories to come...

Back to more pleasant issues - another reason I visit these stalls is that their catch are wild fishes (meaning not reared with unknown feed) and the non homogenous sizes of the fish tell a lot...also, the taste is much firmer than your average bought over the counter supermarket fishes that usually have to go through numerous freezing and thawing...

 Venus clams

 Tenggiri (think is a species of large mackerel)

 Dory-like fishes (maybe a Talang)

Trigger fishes like these have a surprising texture almost like chicken (the Chinese call these sea chicken)

 Tiny Garoupas next a some medium-sized Red snappers

 crabs

 Kerisi

A medium-sized Garoupa

 Selar Kuning, a tiny fish good fried crispy and eaten with a chilli vinaigrette

 Tongkol, a local tuna used for the curry for Nasi Dagang, a speciality of the East Coast

 Pelaling

 Scat fishes, a common estuary species

 Impressive-sized Royal Snapper

Jenahak or Golden snapper

 A barrel of Tongkols

 A large Red Coral Cod, often prized by Chinese restaurants

a pair of delicately-colored Coral Cods, the most expensive offering of the day. Bought the larger one (around 1.4 kg). This fish has a very delicate and full flesh and best eaten simply steamed (recommended to take it to a good Chinese restaurant if you are not well-versed with the cooking method).

Very colourful Royal Snappers...

Seascapes of Kuantan - Cherating

Every year, or every now and then, Kuantan beckons with its sandy, sun-lit shores - especially during the months of April to July when the rains went away with the passing of the monsoon at the beginning of the year. For people like us who live in the interior, the sea is always an exotic landscape with its inhabitual salty offerings and of course, wide, wide vistas totally unobstructed by hills and trees (not that they're not pleasing - just different). I actually lived in this town (now city) back in the 80s and things were a lot different. For one, the roads were a lot easier to navigate without ending up in some neighbourhood totally unknown to me. I have yet to subscribe to any use of GPS and so the good ol' sense of direction is still put to use, albeit to relearn routes...

At least once a year, we make day trips to Kuantan just to catch a quick glimpse of the sea and to stock my freezer with freshly caught fishes (and spiny lobsters). This year, we were early but I reckon that the chanting of cicadas in my backyard (still a jungle) meant that the weather is clearing up and so it was...

Teluk Chempedak at Kuantan (Chempedak Bay)

I was pleasantly surprised by the cleanliness maintained by the city hall and despite being on a Saturday, the beach was largely empty...

The Turtle Sanctuary at Teluk Balai, Cherating

Juvenile turtles at the sanctuary

 Impressive beaches outside the sanctuary

 The beach beyond the signboard is 'claimed' by Club Med

Sungai Ular

Despite its raw charm, this stretch of beach is in bad need of a clean-up and a fine dose of civic classes for the public. What a sad relaxed attitude to what nature has offered...(trying my best not to include any debris, plastics, styrofoam lunch boxes and other rubbish that litter the whole place)

 still has charms that give it a postcard like allure...

a tiny island 

 balmy and inviting...

a dinghy abandonned on the beach...

typical salted fish shops' displays (hanging are dried cuttlefish and squids)

Tanjung Lumpur at Kuantan

 symbol of life on the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia - the fishing sampan

a boat returning from the day's catch - and soon us too after our 'catch' at the fisherman market in Beserah...

Dinner chez moi

It's been awhile since I last had anyone over for dinner, reasons for some serious cooking and so the eve of our 10th anniversary, I've invited my chef friends over to celebrate. I have actually decided on a rather simple menu after having discussed with my friends and so the starters would be prepared by my friends as they are the specialists in Chinese and I would take care of the rest...

The table set with my usual style...

 First course: braised abalone and fish maw in XO sauce. The abalone needs 2 day's preparation and if one is using dried abalone, it can take up to 4 day's braising. Ever wonder why your expensively bought abalone doesn't deliver even after a full day's cooking?

 Pan fried fresh foie gras with onion jam and balsamic reduction, served with seedless grapes.

 Braised boneless leg of lamb with herbs and chardonnay. The leg of lamb was marinated with freshly made herb paste of garlic, parsley and basil. Then, the seared leg of lamb is braised with the entire bottle of chardonnay, bay leaves, 2 heads of garlic and sea salt. Served with mash potatoes and the cooking jus. The pink topping is pickled radish.

Salad of 4 tomatoes with basil puree, sea salt and olive oil - plus a sprinkle of microgreens (italian parsley) and a cut of brie.

Dessert was a strawberry tart and infusion.