The lead picture was edited by Canva.
Greetings to all! Today is a very hot weather. The sun was shining bright, and so painful when it touched our skin, while we were walking outside as we were going to the market to buy something to cook for dinner. We could feel the heat on our skin. We were both sweating and feeling tired. We looked at each other and said, “Let’s find something cold to eat.” We walked into a small local restaurant in Kajang town. It was busy and full of people. Many families, students, and couples were eating. The place it’s just a simple but full of life. The fans on the up wall near the ceiling were spinning slowly, trying to make the room cooler. We found an empty table and sat down. We looked at the menu. There were many local foods to choose from. But two things caught our attention: Ice Kacang and Asam Laksa Penang. We smiled because we both knew we were going to enjoy this meal. Soon, the Asam Laksa came first.
The bowl is full of thick white noodles, which is is big portion as normal. And the soup was a little bit dark brown, and the aroma was strongly sour, with a balance of spicy and fishy. It’s also added ingredients and toppings pieces of pineapple, red onions, cucumber, and fresh mint leaves on top. It looked very delicious. While looking, my mouth started to water. I took my first bite. I could say it “Wow! The soup was very nice to have it while still warm, had a lovely mix of sourness from the tamarind, a bit of spiciness from the chili, and there was a gentle sweetness to balance everything. The noodles were soft and thick white noodles, just the way I like them. And some ingredients on top, it’s crunchy toppings added a nice texture and a delicious smell that made the soup even more enjoyable. My husband that who teaches me all the good food in Malaysia, was also enjoying his bowl. We both said, “This is so good!” As we were eating, the waiter brought the Ice Kacang. We were so excited to see it. It looked amazing with all the mixed colors. It was a big bowl just nice for my husband and me to share, it is shaved ice shaped like a mountain.
On top of the ice were many colorful toppings, red beans, corn, green cendol, peanuts, red jelly, and sweet syrup. The syrup was pink, brown, and white. It looked like a rainbow dessert! We took our first spoonful of Ice Kacang. It was cold and sweet. It felt so nice in our mouth to the throat, especially after the hot laksa and the hot weather, it is really a comforting food. This cold dessert I can compare to halo-halo in the Philippines, but with different ingredients. The red beans were creamy, the jelly was bouncy, the corn gave a nice bite, and it was fun. My husband looked so serious, like a food expert. And of course, I took some pictures of us, so I can share this moment on my blog. We always do this kind of couple bonding little outing, only two of us with simple food to enjoy, so we can have a connection to each other.
We looked around the restaurant. And other customers are busy enjoying the food they had, talking, or looking at their phones. The noise of the crowd made the place feel alive and warm. After some time, our bowls were almost empty. We were full and very satisfied. The heat outside didn’t bother us anymore. This was a simple meal, but it brought us a lot of joy. Before we left, I looked at our table. It was a little messy, but it showed how much we enjoyed our food. As we walked out of the restaurant, some customers also waiting for an empty table. And we both felt happy. We didn’t just eat a meal, we made a memory as a couple. A memory of a hot day, a cold dessert, a spicy soup, and lots of smiles.
