THE HIDDEN

Some say satay has Turkish roots due to its similarities to shish kebab but some say it began with Chinese immigrants selling it on the streets. Whatever its origins, satay is almost synonymous with Malay cuisine. Satay is usually marinated beef, chicken or mutton in slightly larger than bite size pieces skewered on thin bamboo sticks, then barbequed over a charcoal flame. The hawker flips it every now, basting it with oil and fanning the flame to ensure even cooking. It is accompanied with a slightly spicy-sweet peanut sauce, One can continously-eat the satay, and before realising it, will have eaten a fair ten to twenty sticks. Almost every culture in this world has some sort of meat on a stick in their cuisine repertoire. We have Yakitori from the Japanese, Mititei from the Romans, Espetada from the Portuguese, Frigarui from the Romans, and the more common one which is Kebab from the Turkish, Iranian, Pakistani, Indian and Africans while another infamous one is satay from the Malays...

LANCHANG (Pahang): Visitors to the National Elephant Conservation Centre in Kuala Gandah near here will find better facilities once upgrading works on the premises is completed. In the queue: Visitors waiting for their turns to ride an elephant. Elephant expo: A visitor taking a close look at a replica of elephant bones. Easy does it: A visitor mounting an elephant in the river while others wait for their turns. The centre’s deputy chief Ahmad Kamsul Alias said the project cost about RM3mil. “Work started late last year and is expected to be completed by the middle of next year. “There will be a new tourist information centre complete with an auditorium for 120 people and a mini museum. “Other facilities include a food court and ample parking space,” he told The Star in an interview. Ahmad Kamsul said the elephant activities area had been shifted to a bigger site. He said that visitors could enjoy elephant rides as well as feeding and bathing with the elephants in a more conducive envi...