My friend, Frat

One of the perks of food blogging is meeting new people, some of whom end up assuming different roles in my life. They come in all shapes and sizes, as is evident in my latest friend, Frat.  Frat Mustard.

Frat just dropped in for a quick chat.

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“Hello everyone!”

“Hiya Frat.  You’re a shy ‘un, aren’t ya?  I thought only food bloggers hated being in the limelight.   Why don’t you get out and let us see your face.”

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“Oh, alright.  I’ll just climb out of this glass now.”

“Nice biceps.”

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“Let’s cut to the chase, lady.”

“We’re obviously cutting other parts too, eh, Frat?   Sure you got your body parts intact?”

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“I came close to losing li’l Frat once. Boo_licious tried eating me, but I made a quick escape when the jug of beer got her attention instead.”

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frat

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“Problem is, it got mine too, so I plunged right in.”

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“And then, Fatboybakes lured me with fries.  Let me rephrase that.  Fatboybakes lured me with A fry.”

*growl*

“That wasn’t my stomach.” *eyes shifting*

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“You can’t possibly be hungry.   You just ate a plate of pasta 5 times your weight.”

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“That’s why I’m Fat.”

“You mean Frat.”

“Yeah, that’s what I said.  Lisa dahlink, light me a ciggie, babydoll?”

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“You know smoking’s bad for ya.”

“I do…I think about it all the time and just want to drown myself in some Bloody Mary.”

“It’s a virgin. A Virgin Mary.”

“Not once Frat gets into Mary.”

“Right.  Moving on…so what does Frat do when he’s not devirginising mocktails?”

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“Yoga.  It’s great for unkinking the muscles and spine.  Especially if you’re really kinky.”

“Ummm okay.”

“Did you just fart?  Something in the air smells spicy.”

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“Oh, that’d be my girlfriends, HP, Heinz and Tabasco.  Hello Spicy, Mustard’s here!”

*stuffing nostrils with tissue*

“What else do you do…other than yoga, I mean?”

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“I bungee jump.”

“Into food.”

“Yeah, better to dive into a shitload of food than a load of shit.”

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“Ever got stuck in a tight spot before?”

“Are we talking about Virgin Mary again?”

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“Ummmm…I think that’s all the time we have for you right now.”

“Don’t be a stranger!  When you’re in a pickle, think of Frat!”

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For more about Frat Mustard, check out his website HERE.  Frat Mustard is also the face for TheQguides, an online restaurant booking site.  I’ve signed up.  Have you?

Jassal Tandoori Restaurant, Brickfields

Jerry Maguire: We live in a cynical world, a cynical, cynical world, and we work in a business of tough competitors. I love you. You…..complete me.

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biryani rice

It was like my senses were awakened by the taste of ghee.   At first, the twitch of the nose at the buttery aroma.   Then the tongue, as I placed a spoonful of basmati rice caressed by masala and ghee.  Utter bliss.  It is gratifying to know that one of the commonest articles of Indian cuisine can also be one of the most satisfying.

Chicken or mutton cubes are marinated in a yoghurt base and cooked in biryani rice.  Cardamoms, cinnamon, cloves and nuts spice the rice further and choppped coriander leaves complete the dish.   The biryani at Jassal Tandoori Restaurant is probably the best biryani I’ve ever tasted.   The rice is fluffy and full of flavour, and the ghee makes the dish highly palatable on its own.

The tandoori platter containing a selection of tandoori chicken, fish tikka and kebab is highly addictive.   I reckon it’s due to the spices used and the fact that it is cooked in a special tandoori oven resulting in flavours that blend well into the meats.

The mutton vindaloo has a tangy masala base and is not as spicy as I expected.   I’m not sure of its authenticity as a Punjabi dish (doesn’t it have its roots in Goan/Portuguese cuisine?), but it does make a lovely complement to the biryani.  The mango lassi is rich and the sweet scent of mango is apparent, but it tasted a little powdery.   All my hopes were placed on the gulab jamun (only my most favourite indian dessert ever!), a milky confection soaked in sugary syrup, but I found the texture rather hard, possibly because it was kept in the fridge before serving.  Nevertheless, the flavour was lovely and I shall have to try it again when I am hit by a gulab jamun craving.   Those who don’t have an affinity for gulab can also check out the other sweet, milky offerings.

Love at first taste.  That’s what Jassal is to me.

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Dorothy: Shut up. Just shut up…..You had me at hello. You had me at hello.

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Tandoori platter – RM17

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Mutton Vindaloo – RM14.90

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Chicken Biryani (big) – RM11.90

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Gulab Jamun – RM4.80

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Sweet confections

Jassal Tandoori Restaurant
No 84, Jalan Tun Sambanthan
Brickfields, 52000 KL.

Tel: 03-22746801

www.jesalsweethouse.com

Open 11.00am to 11.00pm daily.

We’ll Always Have Our Durians

Durian

durian

durian

King of Fruits
King of Fruits

On Twitter today….

@llemongrass – Describe the durian in one word

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@fatboybakes – thornilicious (Hmmm…the fat boy’s answer is quite promising)
@lotsofcravings – gift (Short and profound)
@fatboybakes – pungogasmic (WHAT?? I take back what I said about Fatboybakes)
@hairyberry – (t)horny (Is Hairy lisping?)
@kyspeaks – stinkyslurpy (Sounds like something you can find in 7-11)
@yatze – smell-licious (Mmm…I can almost smell it now. Waitaminute, I think I can…my car still stinks of durian)
@boo_licious – Is the prize, one big musang king durian? (HARLOW, get with the program, girl)
@alilfatmonkey – pengsan (Translated: Faints. And I call him my BFF? Must rethink criteria for future BFFs)
@cumidanciki – malodourousthorn (Where’s my dictionary?)
@cumidanciki – fetorousthorn (Ciki’s been working very hard)
@cumidanciki – thorninmyside (Who? Fatboybakes?)

And on Facebook, a slew of comments thanks to KY‘s Retweeting of my Tweet….
Robb – heaven, Penny –EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE, Eduardo – Stinko!, Michael Y – Orgasmic, Michael F – busuk, Cindy – Thorny, Ivy – King!, Johnny – sluuuuuuuuurp!, Zoe – Yellowpoo

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So we don’t see eye-to-eye on the most delicious fruit in the world.   Only with the durian are such strong sentiments expressed.   It is okay to disagree, of course, as long as no wars are started.  Why bother?   The opposition would be shown no mercy as the pong brings them to their knees and the thorns spear them in a hundred places.

The pungent, custardy, exquisite golden-hued durian.  Available at all major and slip roads.   Best eaten with fingers while squatting by the side of the road.   No extra charge for fumes inhaled.  Licking highly recommended.

If you wish to be brothers, drop your weapons. ~Pope John Paul II. Ploop.

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@rizainuddin – heavenscent

Note: Thanks, Sunita and Danny for the ambrosial treat.