I have always seen these clams at markets. Recently I was at Gambier street I saw it again and decided to take some pictures and did some asking around.
Lokan clams can be found buried in the stiff mud of the landward fringe of mangroves. Since the outskirt of Kuching is covered with mangroves it’s no wonder that lokan clams are every where.
The trader here do sell the clam as a whole or he scooped out the flesh to sell in little plastic bags. As I understand you can half the clams, pour coconut juice on top and just barbeque them. Or one of my cousin’s recipes is half the clams, steam them with chilli padi, ginger, Chinese wine and a dash of light soy sauce. Never over-cook the clams, it’ll taste like rubber!
I can’t wait to try out both recipes!!
I have people asking and even local friends who don’t know how to use a pair of chopsticks. Learning to use the chopsticks is essential especially if you want to eat kolomee, laksa, kampua, mee sua, etc etc 
There are lots of way to hold the chopsticks – I have seen people hold it like a pen too. No matter which way you hold your chopsticks the main thing is to hold up your food into your mouth. Anyway, here’s ‘101 how to use chopsticks’ for the beginners.
1. Chopsticks are usually held at mid-length with the right/left hand. Place one chopstick between the thumb and the index finger, and press the tip of the middle finger against it. This chopstick will remain in place.
2 Position the second chopstick between the thumb and the tip of the middle finger, and support the upper half with the index finger.
3. When picking up food, control the upper chopstick with the index and the middle finger.
Extracts from “Origins of Chinese Food Culture” by ASIAPAC Culture
Okay, next who’s going to show me how to do the ‘finger link’in good’?
We saw this particular bird nest fern at the entrance of Sarawak Cultural Village. It was huge!
The genus name is asplenium (Spleenwort) nidus. ‘Spleen’ refers to the medicinal properties the plant is supposed to have. ‘Nidus’ means ‘a nest’.
The leathery, pale green, wavy-edged fronds of this fern are borne in a tight rosette at the rhizome, forming a bowl-shaped clump with a fibrous center, which many resembles a bird’s nest. As the fronds age, they have a prominent blackish midrib. It is propagated by division or by spores. The plants should be kept moist at all times.
Usage and potential
Food: The Bird’s Nest Fern is non-poisonous and is occasionally eaten by aboriginal tribe in Malaysia.
Medicine: The Malay used a decoction of the leaves to ease labour pains in childbirth and also to obtain a lotion to treat fever.
Other uses: The fern is now commonly grown for garden landscaping, either placed in trees as naturally found or on the ground as a garden plant. The plant is also used in flower arrangements with the whole plant or cut leaves used to enhance the arrangement.
Extracts from Lee-Khoo, Guan Fong National Library Board Singapore 2004
The correct answer to “Guess what this is…” came from Ms Cynthia!! HURRAY!!
Yes the picture was showing rokok apong in bundles that sell for RM0.50/bundle. Locally it is known as rokok apong. Rokok = cigarettes, apong = some kind of palm leaf – don’t know which exactly, different folks telling me different version. Wherever it comes from, it is a leaf that has been dried and rolled up. From everything I was told this stuff is potent. I knew an old lady, we called ‘ah ma’ who smoked this all her life. Hey it’s filter less… the real McCoy.
It was one of those few occasions that I was a passenger that I managed to capture scenes from around Kuching. This time we were passing by Jalan Song.
Houses here are big and fancy from single storey to two and a half storey lined along this road.
Then there is the high-rise condominium you can see as you passed by the Friendship Park.
Jalan Song Commercial Centre is now one of the busiest eating places in town. There are at least three big coffee shops and a few more restaurants all within the commercial square. It’s a food paradise indeed!
Jalan Song, Jalan Song – makes you feel like singing sometimes lalalala…..
