Wednesday 18 June 2014

Lim's secret is in the rojak sauce

Lim's secret is in the rojak sauce

STALLS which offer delectable food will always attract aficionados.

And that is why patrons throng Lim Cheng Yong's stall -- Gerai Yong -- in the Tepian Tebrau food court here.

Lim, 67, started his business in 1972 near the Lido Beach before moving to Tepian Tebrau where he sells a variety of dishes.

His signature dish is rojak with a special sauce and sambal.

Lim said the food court is a convenient location and comfortable for locals and tourists.

"It is just a simple and humble stall at the food court but it is well-known among the locals and tourists," he said.

Lim's cha kuih bakar and sotong kangkong are also in great demand.

Sotong kangkong, also known as jiu hoo eng chai in Hokkien, has cuttlefish, kangkong, and grounded peanuts topped with Lim's very own "sambal".

The dish can be made hot and spicy or less spicy according to taste.

The stall also serves kerang rebus, sotong kering, and tauhu bakar.

The stall was one of the earliest to open in the food court.

It is so popular that the mere mention of cha kuih bakar and sotong kangkong at Tepian Tebrau food court and his stall will immediately spring to mind among the locals.

Lim said that the recipes are his own creation, and are distinctly different from the other stall which sells the same type of dishes.

"For instance, the way I serve the tauhu bakar is unique. First, I will fry the tauhu, and then I put it on the grill to make it crunchy outside. Lastly, I add the rojak sauce and the other ingredients such as peanuts, bean sprouts, cucumber and sengkuang.

"Our char kuih bakar is unlike the regular version which is dried and fried. We grill ours first, then serve it with rojak sauce to give it a different flavour.

"Most of our customers prefer the cha kuih bakar, sotong kangkong and kerang rebus which they share with their friends and family in the daytime," he said.

His stall is also famous for its fresh kerang rebus which is ideal as a light snack at night.

"Our stall opens from 4.30pm to 10.30pm daily," said Lim who manages the stall with his two workers.

Rohayu Abdullah, a teacher from Seremban, said that she comes for the specialities.

Another patron, Mohd Syafiq Zainudin, said that the quality of Lim's dishes, especially the char kuih bakar has remained the same over the years.

The dishes range from RM6 to RM15 per plate.


The ‘sotong kangkong’ is a hot item

~News courtesy of New Straits Times~

Tuesday 3 June 2014

Makeover for Sungai Johor

Makeover for Sungai Johor

Upgrading works, which is part of the Kota Tinggi Transformation Plan, will start this year

Johor Corporation (JCorp) and the state government will jointly develop Sungai Johor into a prime eco-tourism destination in the state.

Kota Tinggi District Officer Mohd Osman Noorazam said the upgrading works of Sungai Johor, which is in the initial phase of the Kota Tinggi Transformation Plan, is expected to start this year.

"We have a budget of RM2.4 million to develop Sungai Johor, as well as for beautification efforts to upgrade the city's landscape which includes lighting up the area with more street lamps.

"Among the projects under the Kota Tinggi Transformation Plan is to develop fishing activity in Sungai Johor.

"Also included in the Kota Tinggi Transformation Plan is the development of the Kulim Eco Trail Retreat, an eco-tourism destination that can accommodate up to 200 visitors in Ladang Basir Ismail," he said.

The Kulim Eco Trail Retreat will be built by Kulim (Malaysia) Bhd, a subsidiary of JCorp.

Osman said this after the launch of the Kulim Eco Boat Fishing Challenge 2014, organised by Kulim (Malaysia) Berhad, at Sungai Johor in Ladang Basir Ismail in Nam Heng, Ulu Tiram, here on Friday.

JCorp president and chief executive officer Datuk Kamaruzzaman Abu Kassim, who was also present, said the event was aimed at giving domestic tourism, especially the eco-tourism industry, a boost.

Kamaruzzaman also said that JCorp, through Kulim, has several programmes that adopts the green initiative.

"We are embracing green technology in our development projects as we believe in environmental conservation.

"Sungai Johor can offer a host of activities, such as 'stand up paddling' as well as river cruising and kayaking."

Kamaruzzaman said apart from water sports, visitors can also take part in cycling and hiking Gunung Panti as well as visiting the villages in the vicinity.

The Sultan of Johor Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, who spent about half an hour there, added a royal presence to the event, which saw the participation of about 200 anglers and fishing enthusiasts.

The event, which featured about 100 fishing boats, offered prizes worth a total of RM20,000.


With a budget of RM2.4 million for its upgrade, Sungai Johor is set to become the natural choice for eco-tourism

~News courtesy of New Straits Times~

Get to know Johor

Get to know Johor

The Explore Johor Fest exhibition which will held for the first time, is scheduled to have a big impact on the various destinations in the state.

The inaugural event will take place from Friday to Sunday this year at the Senai International Airport here.

The event is aimed to provide the opportunity for visitors to know and appreciate Johor's natural beauty and locations such as beaches, islands, waterfalls and national parks.

It also acts as a guide to allow potential tourists to plan their stay in Johor at these exciting destinations according to their budgets.

Johor tourism, domestic trade and consumerism committee chairman Datuk Tee Siew Kiong said tourists to Johor can make smart choices based on the information and tips during the exhibition.

"At the same time, the exhibition also aims to educate potential tourists on what is on offer at tourist destinations such as lodging and food," he said recently.

Tee said the exhibition will be joined by several companies and 11 tourist clusters such as theme park operators, hotels, resorts and tourist destinations from the state.

"At the same time, visitors will also get to enjoy food and delicacies from the various districts in the state by chefs from several renowned hotels.

"In addition, there will also be cultural performances, local handicraft exhibitions, and also a lucky draw," he said.

The state government, together with the Iskandar Malaysia Public Transportation authority will provide free bus service to the public during the entire exhibition period.

In conjunction with the exhibition, the state government will also launch the Johor Tourism Master Plan by Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.


Johor tourism, domestic trade and consumerism committee chairman Datuk Tee Siew Kiong (third from right) at the Explore Johor Fest 2014 press conference.

~News courtesy of New Straits Times~