Souvenirs are gifts from places you have been. I am one of those people who, when they travel, the first thing that come to mind is buying something for families and friends. Something for a remembrance of the trip you had the luck to take. During my short visit to Kuantan, I did find lots of souvenirs and bought some of them for my beloved family. The must-buy items in the Kuantan souvenir range are Keropok Lekor and Batiks, items that in Malaysia are mostly found in the east coast. You sure know what batiks are, but, do you know Keropok Lekor? Let me tell you: Keropok Lekor is the famous Malaysian fish crackers, a popular snack that usually can be found in Terengganu. Lekor in Terengganu language means roll, and people sometimes call it fish sausage. Keropok Lekor is made out of fish pounded into a paste together with vegetables, sago flour and seasoned with salt and sugar. These ingredients are mixed and then fried. There are two types of Keropok Lekor: Lekor Goreng and Lekor Keping.  Lekor Goreng is shaped into sausage-size and is quite chewy, while Lekor Keping is shaped into slices and has a crispier texture, since it is dried under the hot sun. These snacks are often eaten together with a chilly sauce. Pahang is the place where Keropok Lekor is made, so I took the opportunity and bought two big packets of these delicacies to bring back home. I chose the Lekor Keping since it is the one that can keep longer. It is also the most expensive of the two: while Lekor Goreng, which I bought to be eaten during the journey (and it was sooooo nice and yummy), cost me RM 3 only, for the Lekor Keping I spent RM 13 – though the price depends on the ingredients used. Keropok Lekor stalls can be found along the way from Balok to Cherating. As I continued my journey, I did not miss the opportunity to stop at the Natural Batik Village to buy a batik cloth for my family. Natural Batik Village is located at Balok, Pahang, 14.5 Kilometres away from Kuantan city. Let me share with you a little about the history of Batiks. Batik describes a technique of wax-resist dyeing applied to a whole cloth. A tradition of making batik is found in various Asian countries, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, India, Sri Lanka, and Philippines, though the batik of Indonesia is the most well-known. Batiks are both art and craft and are well known due to their creative motion and designs. When we talk about Batiks in Malaysia, Terengganu and the Malaysian east coast including Pahang are the places to be. At the Natural Batik Village there are plenty of things to see and do, apart from buying Batiks and related products like htas, coasters, t-shirts, sarongs, scarfs, hats, handbags and more. There are skilled workers and a spokesperson who will explain the process of Batik-making. For more information about Natural Batik Village, click on http://naturalbatik.com.my Hope you have enjoyed this article about Keropok Lekor and Batiks. Needless to say, my family loved the presents!

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