Horse Urine and Cooking Classes

Today was cooking class day! People who know me know that I love to cook, so when we booked this trip it was the first thing that I researched and then inquired about. At the time Pearly did not have a class scheduled on this day and she asked me if I minded paying for 2 people instead of one if no one else signed up. I had asked A, but he said he didn’t want to plan anything that far ahead. So I agreed to pay for two, however, when S found out about it she was really excited and soon all three of us were enrolled. 

We were picked up first thing by a driver and taken to the market. She gave a tour and a taste of the market which was really cool. Giving us Malaysian facts about the food. We heard about key ginger, beetle nut (from the Island of Penang, kaffir lime (the fruit and the leaves) plus the 7 colors of flowers, ginger flower, banana root for prostate, and burdock root (which has been used for a variety of diseases including: digestive issues, diabetes, and even HIV).

We learned that there were seven varieties of bananas. Pearly told us the red ones were a waste of time to eat. She then started speaking to us about several varieties of prepared eggs. Salted duck eggs take 3 weeks to prepare and are made by soaking the eggs and brine or packing each egg in damp, salted charcoal. There are also “century old” eggs. They take several weeks to several months and are said to be made by using horse urine. I looked it up and there are varying opinions as to whether that is true or not. Pearly told us people use them for hormone replacement therapy and advised us to “stick to soya bean milk”.  We moved on through the market as she pointed around and said, “Anything with four legs except table and chair, they eat.” 

During the tour we had a variety of market snacks, and it was already a lot of food. 

Our market tour was over and we went to her house and outdoor kitchen. We started in her front yard which was also her spice garden. We tried a blue flower and she pointed out sand ginger. We then cooked three dishes with Pearly. I had picked the menu, so I was really excited about it. 

I will let the food speak mostly for itself. It was delicious: Otak Otak, fish curry and cashew prawns. 

I bought both of her cookbooks in the end. 

After the cooking class we went the old city and did a walking tour.  We toured a Clan house, Khoo Kongsi.

The Chinese population grew in Penang in the middle of the 19th century because they were attempting to escape poverty and famine. There are 5 major houses. They were started to provide a since of community, help integrate newcomers, find clan members employment, and act as “embassies”.  

Penang is known for its street art which started in 2010. In 2012 they commissioned Ernest Zacharevic, a Lithuanian, to do a series that combined painting with steel sculpture. 

After finishing the walking tour Abel was asked to take photos from some random people

and  

a brief run in with ants, we took an uber to Batu Ferringhi another part of the island to tour the night market and eat. We bought souvenirs, some of which would make it home with us (oops). The food was good, but after the Char Kway Teow from the day before and the cooking class it was a tough competition.

If you would like to book a cooking class with Pearly: 

https://penanghomecookingschool.com/