Duck Tales

After spending hours walking around Kuala Lumpur's Chintown during Chinese New Year, I ended up tired, hungry and craving for nourishment. Looking for something different after two days of Kaya Toast, Rendang and Laksa, I was immediately drawn to the aptly named Roast Duck and Chicken Rice Food Stall at the corner of Han Lakir and Sultan Street.



The duck served here is prepared using a method know in Cantonese cuisine as Siu Mei--an open fire or wood oven rotisserie roasting style that results in a unique barbecue-flavored meat enhanced by a thick sweet sauce. The variety that uses duck meat is called Siu Ngaap, or Cantonese Roast Duck. It's the humbler counterpart of the famous Peking Duck, which was a staple at imperial courts since the Ming Dynasty. Cantonese Roast Duck, and other Siu Mei meats, are commonly found in sidewalk shops around East and Southeast Asia, and typically eaten as take-out food. Here at Roast Duck and Chicken Rice Food Stall, it's chopped, handled with bare hands, placed over a plate of rice, and consumed in such a spartan setting that I had to take some Yakult for good measure. Nevertheless, it turned out to be among the best meals during that trip.

Summer Winds

I welcomed summer by heading off to Boracay last weekend to cover the 4th leg of the Kiteboard Tour Asia competition. It was my first time to take shots, or even watch, kiteboard riders in action. It was quite an effort to stay focused on the shoot while I was awed by the stunts performed during the freestyle category. Of course, being in Boracay at the start of summer, it was also tempting to just turn the trip into a holiday.



Check my report on Demotix