Happy Deepavalli, folks! Enjoy the long weekend. If travelling, don’t drink and drive, but having coffee is fine to stay awake and alert! Mind the road rules and the traffic around you. If staying home, spread some of that Light that triumphs over evil to those around.

If no Light is coming your way, just go looking for some festive fun and food!

If you happen to be in USJ Subang Jaya this Sunday, and want a taste of good Indian food, make your way to Moorthy Matthias in USJ 4. The eatery is having its annual Deepavalli open house from 8am to around 1pm.

They will be serving the usual daily menu and their famous Kerala-style fried fish which is often a sellout. I go there often to buy their fried fish.

It tastes as good as what I used to have in the late 70’s when I was a rookie reporter with The Star which at that time was located in Brickfields. There was a kopitiam (coffeeshop) at a nearby block of shops where Matthias’ fried fish stall was located.

Matthias, who comes from Kerala, India, deep fried the fish there and then and served it piping hot, with a crispy spicy-tangy outside and a juicy tender inside. His fried fish was so well known, people from as far as Cheras were known to come to his stall for a rice lunch. He served other foods there as well but his fish was the star attraction.

After he passed on several decades later, his stall shut down because his children were not keen to continue the business. Later, however, one of Matthias’ former workers, Moorthy, opened an Indian restaurant in USJ 4 where he also served Matthias’ famous fried fish, and, hence, the name of his shop, Moorthy Matthias.

So, folks, head there this Sunday to enjoy a good Deepavalli meal in the company of other Indian food lovers! It’s expected to be crowded. According to Moorthy, the annual affair attracts around 2000 people!

Happy Deepavalli!