Fit Pantry at the 626 Night Market 2013

626 Night Market - Booth D15

August 3-4, 2013 | Sat 4p - 1a, Sun 4p - 11p 

Santa Anita Park (Santa Anita Race Track front lawn, Arcadia)

I am venturing out of my comfort zone! On August 3-4, 2013 I will be participating as one of the food vendors in the 626 Night Market - a large Asian Food Fair hold annually in the Summer in Arcadia. Large, as in 50,000 visitors coming to the last night market in July 7-8, 2013!!

The food I will be serving are steamed fish balls and coconut drinks - the Tasty Fish Balls and Coconut Chiller.

... ... ... What? Are you expecting Thai Curry Quinoa or Tofu Salad? :)

I will be selling one of the Indonesian snack/comfort food - a healthier kind, steamed fish cake called Siomay Bandung. It is actually a mixture of fish paste with some ground chicken and tapioca starch. Back in Indonesia, we LOVE our snacks so we eat smaller meals throughout the day. The Siomay Bandung is one of the most popular snacks in the afternoon.

While it is healthier than most of the snacks that are deep fried, breaded, floured, or slathered with sauce and marination, the Siomay Bandung is still an indulgence, depending on how much peanut sauce and sweet soy sauce you topped it with.

The original shape of the Siomay Bandung is definitely not a ball. Each siomay usually is large enough to be quartered or cut into at least 2 smaller bite size pieces. However, I decided to break away from the traditional and from the boundary of "ethnicity" and introduce this dish to everyone - Asian and non Asian.

And that's how the "balls" came about. By reshaping the actual food and renaming it, I'm resetting people's preconception of the traditional dish. Also not to make it be confused with the Chinese Siumay typically served at dim sum. Even when the ingredients has ground meat (chicken), it is mainly made out of fish paste so I decided to call it "Fish Balls".

So how is it healthy again?

It is steamed not fried. It is not breaded, not floured. 

It is rich in protein. I use no MSG. 

The Coconut Chiller is definitely an indulgence. However you want to cut it slice it dice it see it, it is a sweet dessert, albeit a refreshing one. It contains real coconut shavings and cocopandan syrup - a pandan infused coconut flavored syrup, which is very popular in Indonesia. Cocopandan has a light fragrance that would remind you of a tropical island, beach, and well, coconut :)

So, there you have it. My first participation at a food fair for the masses. Be there and enjoy the food. Like what I always say, workout hard, eat hearty. Live life and enjoy it to the fullest.