JJCM in KT #10 - We Ate Dog Shit Instead.

After that heavy breakfast and no duck shit, we got ready to leave the hotel to make our way back home. This is the front approach to the hotel. No, you are not expected to walk on water though it looked like it.

Phua asked “Are you ready to try ‘kao sai’ (hokkien dialect – dog shit) now?”

“What!?”

The local Chinese affectionately called ‘Keropok Lekor’ or also known as Terengganu sausage ‘kao sai’ or dog shit. It did not need a lot imagination to know the reason why looking at the above picture. It was meant to be playful for the Chinese ate this Malay food with as much relish. It made the food ‘colorful’ and we had fun kidding each other about eating dog shit. Malaysians do have a warp sense of humor and it did not destroy our appetite in any way. Don't let their looks fool you, they are great tasting.

It is eaten with the local chilly which is sweeter than hot. Though keropok lekor is sold throughout Malaysia, Terengganu is famous their quality. That is because with a thriving fishing community, the keropok here contains higher amount of fish paste and thus can be deemed more ‘genuine’. The fishy taste is much stronger. Also they used sago instead of wheat flour as the binder. Thus, this version is much darker in appearance than the West Malaysian version.

Minced fish meat usually from ‘Ikan Parang’ and ‘Ikan Kembong’ are stirred with sago flour, water and salt to a soft dough. Terengganu keropok lekor are very rich containing than 50% fish meat.

These are rolled with sago flour into long hot dog shape and directly into a large boiling cauldron. Notice the dough mass in the green pail waiting to be rolled.

The dough will sink to the bottom. When they float, they are ready to be fish out, cooled and consumed. The boiled version is best kept for less than a day before consumption and is also fishier in taste. But they can be taken home and further cooked with other ingredients or refrigerated and fried when needed.

Or you can buy the fried version. However, this is best consumed fresh. If you refry it to heat it up again, it is too hard and leathery. I asked this Pak Cik (uncle) to smile for the camera. He smiled with a few teeth missing and said “I could give you a really handsome smile when young but now I am old”. He then gamely closed his mouth and smiled for the camera. The people from the East are very friendly and contrary to the myth, hard-working. This is the second day of their new year and he said “Well, what use is it for me whiling away my time at home?”

This Pak Cik’s shop also sell Keropok Kering (Sliced Keropok). These are much larger diameter keropok and sliced thinly. These sliced pieces are then sun-dried making them shelf stable. You will have to fried them when you want to eat and they will puff up nicely for a great snack.

We had our dog shit and enjoyed it. We bade farewell to the Pak Cik and continued our journey home.

To be continued...