Nasi Arab or Mandi Rice, a popular dish among Malays #TheGoodStuff

By Mihar Dias (C) Copyright February 2023

Recently social media is all abuzz about a picture of Anwar Ibrahim seen enjoying a hearty meal of Nasi Arab served in a big platter. The picture is reportedly from 2019 long before he became PMX. Some made snide remarks about the event even to the point of being "slanderous". 

But the food looks great. Don't you think?

Let's talk about the food then. Forget about the political innuendos made out of someone just having a simple pleasure in life, like eating a hearty meal as a guest of a close relative of famous Islamic scholar like Sheikh Dr Yusof Al-Qardawi in Doha. Let's not make a big fuss over a simple meal of lamb and rice in a huge serving dish that's commonly used to serve mandi rice in the Middle East.

Everyone in the entourage looks like they were enjoying the meal that is also loved by many Malays in Malaysia, which eventually led to the mushrooming of many Arab restaurants in Kuala Lumpur and elsewhere in the country.

Most common area for these kind of culinary delights in KL is on Jalan Bukit Bintang which was renamed by taxi drivers during the heyday of the invasion of tourists from the Middle East, as Arab Street.

Incidentally there is also a fantastic restaurant that belongs to a friend, which serves mandi rice called Sahara Tent on Lorong Nipah, not far from Hock Choon off Jalan Ampang. 

Sahara Tent itself started at Bukit Bintang before its relocation to Jalan Ampang, which is now expanded to include a shishak lounge that stays open into the wee hours of the night at weekends. 

The mandi rice of either lamb or chicken is just superb. Go try it and you'll love it.

You too could have a photo like Anwar Ibrahim had with his friends enjoying the dish at Sahara Tent, right here in Malaysia. There's no need to travel all the way to Doha just for mandi rice! In case you want to have mandi rice in the comfort of your own home, call Ala Salleh owner of Sahara Tent, he delivers. For those in Shah Alam, Sahara Tent has a branch there too. Google for details.

Ala reminds Muslims planning to have mandi rice for this coming Ramadan to book early. That's the busiest month for Sahara Tent and other Arab restaurant in town.

Meanwhile, you enjoy your mandi rice and leave Anwar Ibrahim alone to enjoy his wherever it may be. Mandi rice is mandi rice it does not matter where you have it as long as you enjoy it.

Sahara Tent

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