Comfort Home Cooked

Its been a while since I cooked for A and myself so we went over to a local food produce shop to get some beef patties.  You know what that means right?  Burger time!

In truth I'd usually make patties from scratch for a healthier version but we were quite eager to try a specialty store-bought variant.  The patties were quite thick, measuring almost 1.5cm.  Took it home and marinated it with black pepper, which A is crazy about (anyone know if there are any side effects to consuming too much of this spice?)

Sauteed in virgin coconut oil

Searing 7-minutes for each side without pressing down on the patty to retain its juices.  Simultaneously sauteing baby tomatoes, frying chips and boiled baby carrots for A's sides, while mine was a combo of  long beans and caramelized onions.  A dropped by a newly opened deli, Irrawady Fine Foods and got a tzatziki sauce and some emmental cheese as toppings.

A's burger with black pepper sprinkled everywhere

   Its hard to find burger buns, let alone quality ones here in Penang.  Many supermarkets carry dinner rolls or the mass produced Gardenia brand and I was just happy to have found them after the fourth try.  As you can see, my dearest A refuses to eat without utensils be it burgers, pizzas, even french fries.  If there's no utensils? Try tissues!

Yours truly, with addition of honey baked ham

I enjoy home-cooked meals.  Usually it tastes better with the extra heart and effort put in, hopefully it was in A's opinion!  Oh well, the effort was definitely there :)

Sri Ananda Bahwan Indian treats

'A' and I are both huge fans of Indian cuisine.  The blend of their spices, richness of the curries, exotic taste that tantalizes one's palates gets us on a food rush.  Not to mention the various breads like Naans and Parathas (both flat breads though Naan is predominantly oven-baked while Parathas are pan-fried with stuffing) to go with all sorts of delectable curries.

Ceiling lantern

Hut seats

One of our regular haunt is Sri Ananda Bahwan at their Tanjung Bunga branch.  Truth be told, they do have their off days and partial inconsistencies, but we usually walk away with honestly great meals.
 

Palak Paneer RM8

One of their must-haves is the Palak Paneer (spinach and cottage cheese).  On every Indian adventure, an order of this vegetarian heaven is never missed and we rate Ananda's as one of the best.  Slathering generously on the naan bread, every bite of the thick rich creamy puree is an explosion of aroma and taste.  And the inevitable "mouthgasm".

Tandoori station

Take your pick

 I mentioned sometimes experiencing their shortcomings and its usually the tandoori's (kebabs) for me.  The variety is wide but there have been occasions whereby the meat was either baked too long, re-baked again and again or the dreaded left overs.  One can differentiate especially when stale, neither should be pushed out but probably the biggest culprit is it not being fresh.

Malai Chicken Kebab RM7

 The Malai Chicken could have been more moist but the marination of yogurt and spices did enough to bring out the flavors and compensate for overcooking of the poultry.

Aloo Goobi RM6

No complaints for the Aloo Goobi (potatoes, cauliflower and blend of spices).  Had all the right balance of flavor, aroma and spices.

Awesome bread

Pudina Roti RM3 for two pieces

All these great curry dishes were enjoyed with the accompaniment of Roti Pudina (mint-flavored flat bread) which came with 3 non-spicy side dips, one seen with chick peas.  The softness of the bread inside and light browning on the outside adds to the favorable scent of the mint leaves.  Home run.  My overall rating for Sri Ananda Bahwan is 4/5. Till the next visit!  Darn, I feel hungry now....


Sri Ananda Bahwan Restaurant
14 Tanjung Bunga,
11200 Penang



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