Trully Johor

While we were in Switzerland last couple of weeks, we managed to spoke to the Ambassador (who happens to be a childhood and a family friend of my mum), and he invited us to his charming, elequent home in Bern, 1.5 hours drive from Zurich. I really ought to write something about this humble, warm man, as he captured our hearts with his voice and later when we met him with his heart. i will write about him and our trip to switzerland in my other blog soon.

Well anyway, we arrived at his home, 1 hour late, after stopping over at Lindt the cocolatier factory. His housekeeper greeted us with umbrellas as it was raining and welcomed us. he specifically asked his cook to make lodeh, being a johorian himself. and it was one hell of a dish cooked by the 23 year old cook!! we havent had lodeh for a very long time. back in malaysia, it was my family signature dish prepared during Eid, alongside, rendang daging , fried chicken, kuah kacang (peanut sauce), and sambal kelapa (coconut sambal). and let me tell you - what a day, to be enjoying this delicacy, on a rainy day!



It was superb! and not to mention the humble host too! we didnt quite get enough of it and so we asked dad and mum if they could kindly do their famous lodeh!

To those who are not familiar with it, you might ask what lodeh is. lodeh is most popular in the southern state of malaysia, Johor and parts of indonesia. it is something like a vegetable stew, where the method is actually stewing the veges in coconut gravy. usually, south east asian cooking is seldom vegetarian but this dish is an exception.



At the verge of a boil, carrots, string beans and cabbage (in that order, since carrots take a notoriously long time to cook) are plonked into the fragrant curry thickened with coconut milk to make the broth translucent. it should then simmer until the vegetables starts to lose their crunch.

Fried tofu squares, tempe (fermented soy bean) , softened su-un (glass noodles) and soaked dried tofu skins are added towards the end. We malays add our nasi impit (pressed cooked rice) which is then being cut into small squares to the stew.

I'm not sure everyone has patience for this, thus that was why i asked mum and dad to do it for us!

Thank you Dato for a lovely metting at your humble home, and compliments to the chef. thank you mum and dad for a wicked meal!!