All I Wanted for Dinner Tonight Was...

A plate of hot-off-the-wok Penang Char Kuey Teow (fried flat noodles) with shrimp and cockles/bloody clams (circled), with a cup of Kopi-O (dark coffee). For readers who are not familiar with Malaysian street food, Char Kuey Teow is one of the most popular street food in Malaysia. It's also a much-recommended dish at Malaysian restaurants in the United States. To read more about the origin of this dish, please click here... If you wanted to learn more about the fabulous street food offered in Malaysia and their recipes, please check out my following posts: An Insider's Guide to Penang Hawker Food Penang Char Hor Fun Penang Hokkien Mee 1 and 2. Photoblog: Introducing Penang Hawkers Now what is that one food that you constantly miss from your hometown? Continue Reading "All I Wanted for Dinner Tonight Was..."

Recipe: Penang Char Hor Fun (炒河粉)

There is a saying or myth in Penang about Char Hor Fun (炒河粉)--one that is only Penang's I am sure--if you are a bachelor and would like to win the heart of your girlfriend, you would seek out the best Char Hor Fun in town and make sure you take your girlfriend there, if possible, frequently. And if you wanted to win the hearts of your future parents-in-laws, you would be smart enough to "ta pau" (take out) for them, too. When I was little, my sisters' boyfriends (now my brothers-in-law) would religiously pack Char Hor Fun for my parents. Being the youngest in the family, my parents would share the "bribe" with me, and that was how I started my love affair with this delicacy. Char Hor Fun is traditionally Chinese, but there are many variations to this ubiquitous dish. When I was attending college in Kuala Lumpur (KL), I found out that the dish is called "Wat Tan Hor" there. The concept of the dish is the same, but it has a slightly different presentation and eggs are used in the gravy, hence the words "wat tan" which literally means "smooth eggs" in Cantonese... In Thai cuisine, there is a similar dish called Rad Na and I believe Vietnamese have their own adaptation. The ingredients and toppings might be different but they are all delicious. Call me biased, but the best ones in my opinion is still Penang Char Hor Fun. If you are a bachelor, perhaps you might want to try my recipe and make this dish for your girlfriend. And while you are at it, make some extras for your future parents-in-law, too. Recipe: Penang Char Hor Fun (炒河粉) Serves 3-4 people Ingredients: 1/2 pack hor fun or flat rice noodles (32 oz pack) 1/2 pack vermicelli (14 oz pack) 3 tablespoons oil 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon kecap manis Toppings: 12 shrimp (peeled and deveined) 12 thin pieces of pork meat 12 bay scallops 12 thin pieces of fish cake 1/2 can chicken broth (14 oz can) 5 stalks chinese mustard green/choy sum (cut into 2-inch length) 1 1/4 cup water 3 cloves garlic (minced) Starch: 2 tablespoons corn flour 1/4 cup water Seasoning: 2 tablespoons oyster sauce 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce 1/8 teaspoon fish sauce 1/2 teaspoon sugar 2 dashes white pepper powder Salt to taste Method: Soak the vermicelli in warm water for 15 minutes or until soft. Drain the water and set aside. Break the flat rice noodles off by peeling the layers. Set aside. Heat up a wok and add 1 1/2 tablespoon of cooking oil. Toss in the vermicelli and do a quick stir. Add 1/2 tablespoon of soy souce and 1/2 tablespoon of kecap manis and continue to stir the vermicelli until the soy sauce and kecap manis are well blended with the vermicelli. Continue to stir until the vermicelli are lightly burned or charred. Dish up and set aside. Repeat the same for the flat rice noodles. Dish up and set aside. Add some oil in a wok and stir-fry the minced garlic until fragrant. Add in the pork, shrimp, bay scallops, fish cake and do a quick stir. Add the chicken broth and 1 1/4 cup of water immediately. Add in all the seasoning and bring it to boil. Add in the starch mixture to thicken the gravy. Add in the mustard green, do a quick stir and turn off the heat. On a plate, place the fried vermicelli and flat rice noodles equally. Pour the gravy and toppings on the noodles and vermicelli. Serve hot. Continue Reading "Recipe: Penang Char Hor Fun (炒河粉)"

Recipe: Penang Hokkien Mee (Prawn Mee / Har Meen / Mee Yoke / 福建虾面)

This divine bowl of Penang Hokkien Mee (Prawn Noodle) took me months of hard work and patience. I mean months, not days, and certainly not hours. To concoct a pot of pure shrimpy stock that is signature to this Penang hawker food dish, one has to have heaps of shrimp heads. Yes, I am talking about a ziploc bag (a BIG one!) full of shrimp heads. While I eat shrimp all the time, it's a completely different matter when it comes to saving up their heads. It's impossible to get good Hokkien Mee here in the US, so for the past few months, I bought only head-on shrimps. Patiently and religiously I saved up their heads so I could make this at home... This past weekend, the ziploc bag was finally so full that I could no longer zip it up. I quickly rushed out to the nearest Asian supermarket and got myself all the other ingredients--pork ribs, bean sprouts, noodles, etc.--and started cooking this famous hawker delicacy. The end result was a pot full of real prawny stock that was as close as what you get in Penang. It was really satisfying slurping up the soup and had unlimited topping of pork ribs that fell off the bones! Mmmm... While Hokkien Mee is made famous by Penang hawkers, it originated from the Fujian province in China, and hence the name "Hokkien" (which means Fujian in its dialect) and "Mee" (meaning noodle). When I was in Xiamen in early 2006, I did validate this fact. I found Hokkien Mee (福建虾面) in coffee shops there. While the taste is almost the same, the one I had in Xiamen paled in comparison. The Malaysian version is considerably enhanced with better flavors, ingredients, and toppings. Penang Hokkien Mee, the only hawker food dish that I seriously can't do without. Do you want to have a bowl? ;) PS: Elsewhere in Malaysia, Penang Hokkien Mee is called Har Meen (Cantonese dialect for Prawn Mee), Heh Mee (Hokkien dialect) or Mee Yoke. In KL, Hokkien Mee is a stir-fried noodle dish steeped in dark soy sauce with pork and serve with chili lime paste. Click here for Eating Asia's KL Hokkien Mee. Recipe: Penang Hokkien Mee (Prawn Noodle / Har Meen / Mee Yoke / 福建虾面) Stock ingredients: 1 ziploc bag of shrimp heads and shells (I used Ziplock Easy Zipper Bag) 15 cups of water (reduced to about 12-13 cups of water after hours of boiling and simmering) 2-3 pieces of rock sugar (about the size of a small ping pong ball) or to taste 1.5 lbs of pork ribs (cut into pieces) Salt to taste (or fish sauce to taste if you want stronger flavor) Chili Paste: 30 dried chilies (deseeded and soaked to soften) 10 shallots (peeled) 5 cloves garlic (peeled) 2 tablespoons of water 6 tablespoons of cooking oil 1 pound of yellow noodles (scalded) 1 pack of rice vermicelli (scalded) Some kangkong or water convolvulus (scalded) Some bean sprouts (scalded) Toppings: 1/2 pound of lean pork meat (boiled and sliced thinly) 1/2 pound shrimp (shelled and deveined) 6 hard-boiled eggs (shelled and quartered) Some fried shallot crisps (store-bought) Blend the chili paste ingredients with a mini food processor until finely ground and well blended. Heat up the wok and add cooking oil. Stir fry the chili paste for 5 minutes. Dish up and set aside. On the same wok (unwashed), add in a little oil and cook the shrimp topping. Add in a little chili paste, sugar, and salt. Pan-fried the shrimp until they are slightly burned. Dish up, let cool and sliced them into halves. Method: Add 15 cups of water into a pot and bring it to bowl. Add in all the shrimp heads and shell and simmer on low heat for about 2 hours or longer until the stock becomes cloudy and tastes really prawny. Strain the stock through sieve and transfer the stock into another pot. Discard the prawn heads and shells. Scoop up and discard the orange "foam" forming at the top of the stock. Bring the stock to boil again and add in half of the chili paste. You can add more chili paste if you like it spicier. Add in the pork ribs and continue to boil in low heat for another 1-1.5 hour until the pork ribs are thoroughly cooked. Add rock sugar and salt/fish sauce to taste. To serve, place a portion of yellow noodles, rice vermicelli, water convolvulus and bean sprouts in a bowl. Ladle hot stock over. If desired, add a few pieces of pork ribs. Top with meat slices, sliced shrimp, egg quarters, and sprinkle with shallot crisps. Serve immediately with more chili paste to taste. Cook's notes: Traditionally, the shrimp heads and shells are stir-fried with oil until aromatic before adding them into the boiling water. I tried this step before and found that my "cheated" method works equally well. The hawkers in Penang also blended the shrimp heads and shells after they are briefly boiled to extract all the flavors from the shell. Again, I tried this step before and found that my method works as well if you have plenty of shrimp heads and shells. Continue Reading "Recipe: Penang Hokkien Mee (Prawn Mee / Har Meen / Mee Yoke / 福建虾面)"

Photoblog: Random Eats

Here are some random food pictures snapped in the last 36 hours... Vegetarian Bak Kut Teh with beancurd sticks, mushrooms and fried tofu. Surprisingly light and delicious. Yau Char Kwai, perfect for that bowl of steaming Bak Kut Teh. My beloved Shanghai Xiao Long Bao at my favorite Shanghainese restaurant Shanghai's Ding in Queensbay, Penang. Juicylicious. Little glutinuous rice balls coated with ground peanut and sugar; a dessert I can't do without whenever I am home. I can never get tired of these little cups filled with shredded jicama and other yummy bits. A Penang Nyonya specialty. My recipe is here. A rempah (spice) hard-tailed mackerel found at a rice stall. My mother made killer rempah fish--another Penang Nyonya specialty. Stir-fried noodles with oysters. Yum. Dried cuttlefish are flattened, grilled over charcoal fire, and serve with a special chili sauce. A great afternoon snack. Malay Laksa found at Tanjung Bungah's roadside stall. I love the hard-boiled egg, which is inherently absent from Chinese laksa. Goodbye Malaysia...next stop is Beijing for a week before returning to the OC (Irvine, Orange County). Continue Reading "Photoblog: Random Eats"

Seafood Fest – Bukit Tambun, Penang

Bukit Tambun--a quaint and small fishing village about 30-45 minutes across from Penang Island--is a seafood lover paradise. While Penang is blessed with a wide array of great seafood eateries, many Penangites often drive across the Penang Bridge to look for the best, freshest, and cheapest offerings. The answer is simple: sitting by a kuala (the river mouth where it meets the sea), Bukit Tambun is blessed with countless seafood restaurants dotting its main street and these restaurants offer loads of fresh bounties of the sea. While I have tried out quite a few seafood restaurants at Bukit Tambun, my favorite is Gee Seng Seafood Restaurant at the end of the main strip. There are a few reasons I love it: 1) It’s one of the two restaurants floating on the river at Bukit Tambun, 2) There are many varieties to choose from, 3) The price is darn cheap, and 4) Last but not least, the taste of the seafood dishes are always heavenly. I went there with my best friend and my niece tonight and here are the pictures of our catch. A plateful of fresh scallops on the half shell; steamed with only soy sauce, garlic, bird’s eye chilies and shredded garlic, these sweeties are just RM11.00 or US$3.00. Now, I can’t even buy fake scallops with that money in the States! Tom Yam Stingray. Rasa Malaysia certified jilatable (lickylicious). It was so good I almost ate the soft bones of the stingray wings. Sour, spicy, and downright addictive, this is not the typical Tom Yam. A must have. These somewhat scary looking sea creatures are called Mantis Prawns. They are not the best looking seafood around and look like centipedes, but the flesh is sweet with a great texture. Above is the picture of the mantis prawn after you peel off the shell. In Penang, the best Hokkien Mee vendor tops his divine prawn noodles soup with these killer mantis prawns. Nestum Prawns. The crunchy bits (Nestum corn meal) were a tad too sweet and the aromatic curry leaves were missing in action. However, it was still a great dish considering the price was just RM14.00 or US$4.00. As a die-hard clam lover, I had to have my clam-du-jour. Stir-fried clams “kam heong” (savory and aromatic) style was a mere RM7.00 or US2.00. Can you say “bargain?” Baked mud crabs. This was the only dish that was disappointing; not that the chef didn’t know how to bake them, but they were too small for my taste. I love my crabs big, fat, and fleshy. To wrap up the meal, I ordered some chicken satays from the hawker beside the restaurant. Perfectly charred and juicy with a tint of turmeric and lemongrass, they had me wanting for more. Total damage of the meal (fresh coconut drinks and rice included) was only RM95.20 or US$27.00 for 3 people. With all these seafood sitting happy in my stomach, I think I will have a good night of sleep tonight. Restaurant Makanan Laut Gee Seng/Gee Seng Seafood Restaurant 860 Bagan Bukit Tambun 14110 Simpang Ampat Penang Tel: 04-588-7220 Click here to view my photo album of Bukit Tambun. I love Bukit Tambun as it has a lot of character and very original. Wait no more, hop on a plane, car, train, or bus and visit Penang now; as much to offer and yet so cheap. Continue Reading "Seafood Fest – Bukit Tambun, Penang"

The Tallest Roti in The World: Roti Tissue

We Malaysians are obsessed with getting into the Guinness Book of World Records--the world's tallest building (now the second tallest), the tallest tower in the world, the oldest rain forest, the biggest flower, the highest flag pole, the longest mall. The list just goes on and on. So what about breaking a few cooking records, say like creating the tallest roti in the world? We've got that covered. Aptly named Roti Tissue, this roti was light, thin, super crispy, and coated with generous amount of margarine, honey, condensed milk, and grounded peanut. Being as thin as a piece of tissue paper, unfortunately, this roti tower was also too fragile: it practically "collapsed" and cracked into pieces as soon as you started to eat it. My verdict? Well, for presentation, I'd give it a thumb up. But for taste, let's just say that I would prefer the world's best tasting Roti Canai over this larger-than-life Roti Tissue anytime. Don't get me wrong, I was floored by the creativity and the roti maker's skills (I giggled non-stop while watching the preparation), but eating is pure indulgence to the taste buds and palate, it's not a spectator sport. So there. Kayu Restaurant 216 Penang Road 10000 Penang Open 24 hours Continue Reading "The Tallest Roti in The World: Roti Tissue"

An Insider's Guide to Penang Hawker Food

Being born and raised in Penang, I am practically a living and walking food guide when it comes to eating Penang Hawker Food. As requested by many readers, I have finally put together this comprehensive food guide to give you the insider's tips about where, what, and who of the best of the best in Penang hawker food. * To view the picture of the food, please click on the title. Assam Laksa Noodles in tangy and sour fish broth served with fresh vegetables such as mint leaves, onions, cucumber, lettuce, pineapple, red chili, and bunga kantan (torch ginger bud). A spoonful of Hae Ko (a dark and thick prawn paste) brings out the essence of this ever popular Nyonya creation. Rasa Malaysia recommends: Laksa Air Itam Jalan Pasar (beside the Air Itam market) Air Itam, 11500 Penang This is the most famous Laksa stall in Penang. Managed by a father-son team: Ang Kak Seong and Ang Kar Foo, this Laksa is a must try! Kek Seng Coffee Shop 382-384 Jalan Penang 10000 Penang Hokkien Mee / Prawn Noodles A popular noodle soup with spicy broth made from prawn shells and heads. Served with slices of hard-boiled eggs, shredded prawns, water convolvulus, pork, crispy fried shallots and a spoonful of chili paste. Rasa Malaysia recommends: Super Cafe, Rangoon Road (Morning) Coffee Shop at the corner of Macalister Road and Rangoon Road (Morning) Curry Mee Yellow noodles and vermicelli infused in rich and spicy coconut curry and with cubes of pig’s blood, cockles, fried tofu puffs, cuttlefish, and shrimps as toppings. Penang Curry Mee is unlike Curry Mee / Curry Laksa served elsewhere in Malaysia; the broth is usually lighter as less coconut milk is used. Rasa Malaysia recommends: 55 Lorong Seratus Tahun 10400 Penang Morning only Char Koay Teow Char Koay Teow / Char Kway Teow is basically fried flat rice noodles with prawns, cockles, egg, bean sprouts, Chinese chives, and chili paste. Sometimes, slices of Chinese sausage are added. The best Char Koay Teow is usually fried with pork lard, which gives that extra aroma to the dish. Rasa Malaysia recommends: Loh Eng Hoo Coffee Shop 84 Lorong Selamat 10400 Penang. There are two stalls outside of the coffee shop. Go for the one with a lot of customers. Afternoon. Kedai Kopi Lam Leng 185 Macalister Road 10400 Penang 8:30 am – 12:30 pm 1:30 pm – 4:30 pm Rojak Rojak is a Penang-style salad. Ingredients such as cucumber, jicama, pineapples, jambu (water apple), bean curd pieces, and cuttlefish are tossed with Hae Ko (prawn paste), chili, roasted belacan and topped with ground peanuts. Rasa Malaysia recommends: Loh Eng Hoo Coffee Shop 84 Lorong Selamat 10400 Penang. 11:30 am to 6:30 pm Majestic Rojak New World Café 10 Swatow Lane 11 am to 6 pm Jiu Hu Eng Chai (Cuttlefish Salad with Water Convolvulus) Another salad where blanched cuttlefish and water convolvulus are tossed with prawn paste, chili, sweet sauce, and topped with sesame seeds and grounded peanuts. This dish is very delightful. A must try. Rasa Malaysia recommends: Gurney Drive Hawker Center 6 pm to midnight New Lane Hawker Juction Sin Yin Nam Coffee Shop 43 & 45, Macalister Road 10400 Penang Popiah Filled with jacama (yambean), diced beancurb, and crab meat wrapped in fresh spring roll skin, Popiah is juicy and delicious. The best Popiah can be found at Padang Brown Hawker Center. Insider tip: order the deluxe Popiah with real crab meat instead of the regular popiah with artificial crab meat. Rasa Malaysia recommends: Lot 17 Padang Brown Hawker Center The junction of Perak Road & Anson Road, 10400 Penang Business Hours: 2 – 6:30 pm New Lane Hawker Juction Macalister Road 10400 Penang Grilled Stingray (Ikan Panggang) One must not miss Grilled Stingray when you are in Malaysia. In Penang, Ikan Panggang / Ikan Bakar can be found at Chinese Kopi Tiam or Malay hawker joints. Other than Stingrays, there are other fish and seafood to choose from, for example: clams, squids, and other shellfish. Rasa Malaysia recommends: New Lane Hawker Juction Macalister Road 10400 Penang Business hour: 6 pm to midnight Oh Chien (Fried Oyster Omelette) Originated in the Fujian region in China, Oh Chien is fried omelette with fresh oysters, with starch mixed into the eggs. The key to this dish is Wok Hei (breath of wok) as well as the generous use of fresh and succulent oysters. Rasa Malaysia recommends: Seng Thor Coffee Shop 160 Carnavon Street Open 1 pm - 6 pm Chicken Rice Chicken Rice is a very popular dish in Malaysia because it’s filling, delicious, and cheap. Other than steamed and fried / roasted chicken, you can also order barbequed pork, char siew, gizzards, innards, and other side dishes to go with the chicken rice. Rasa Malaysia recommends: Goh Thow Chick Famous Hainan Chicken Rice 338A Chulia Street 10200 Penang Otak-Otak Otak-otak is a Nyonya specialty. Wrapped in a banana leaf, Otak-Otak is basically spicy fish custard made of fresh fish fillets, eggs, and daun kadok (wild pepper leaves). Penang Otak-Otak is usually steamed while in Melaka and southern states, they are grilled. Both are equally delectable and it’s great as a snack. Rasa Malaysia recommends: New World Café (Siin Se Kai) 10 Swatow Lane Penang Insider tip: Even though the coffee shops opens from 10 am to 6 pm, go there early as their Otak-Otak are usually sold out after lunch hours. Loh Bak Loh Bak or meat rolls are wrapped in beancurd skin and deep fried to perfection. At Loh Bak stalls, you can also order prawn fritters (Heh Chee), fried bean curds, and other side dishes such as octopus, century eggs, etc. Loh Bak are usually served with two dipping sauces in Penang: chili sauce and a starchy sauce flavored with five-spice powder and eggs. Penangites usually order a combo plate of Loh Bak, prawn fritters, and fried beancurb. Rasa Malaysia recommends: Café Kheng Pin 80 Penang Road Opens 7 am to 3 pm. Closed on Monday. Padang Brown Hawker Center The junction of Perak Road & Anson Road 10400 Penang Business Hours: 2 – 6:30 pm Hawker Center at Batu Lanchang afternoon market Opens from 3 –6:30 pm. Stall at Taman Free School Hawker Center Opens from 3 – 6 New Lane Hawker Juction Macalister Road 10400 Penang Business hour: 6 pm to midnight Chee Cheong Fun Chee Cheong Fun is steamed rice rolls with oil, sweet sauce, and Heh Koe (prawn paste sauce) and topped with toasted sesame seeds, and fried shallots and chili sauce (if desired). Penang Chee Cheong Fun is very different from those served elsewhere in Malaysia. This is one of the must try hawker food in Penang. Rasa Malaysia recommends: New Lane Hawker Juction Macalister Road 10400 Penang Business hour: 6 pm to midnight Loh Eng Hoo Coffee Shop 84 Lorong Selamat 10400 Penang. 11:30 am to 6:30 pm Cheh Hu Cheh Hu or Chinese-style rojak is a healthy serving of bean sprouts, julienned cucumber, jicama (yambean), prawn fritters, beancurd, sliced jellyfish in a sweet potato sauce. This is one of my favorite afternoon snacks. Rasa Malaysia recommends: Padang Brown Hawker Center The junction of Perak Road & Anson Road, 10400 Penang Business Hours: 2 – 6:30 pm Hawker Center at Batu Lanchang afternoon market Taman Free School Hawker Center Muar Chee Muar Chee is a light snack consists of glutinous rice balls coated with grounded peanuts and sugar. As simple as it might sound to you, these little rice balls are very tasty. I crave for them every so often. Rasa Malaysia recommends: Muar Chee stalls at Gurney Drive Hawker Center Lok Lok Lok Lok or fresh food in skewers with a pot of hot boiling water is fun to eat. There are two kinds of Lok Lok: sit-down Lok Lok where there is a table for patrons and stand-up Lok Lok where there is no seating. I personally like sit-down version because it’s just fun sitting down with a bunch of your friends or family members and have a communal dining experience. Rasa Malaysia recommends: Padang Brown Hawker Center The junction of Perak Road & Anson Road, 10400 Penang Business Hours: 2 – 6:30 pm There are two stalls to choose from. Both are great, but with slightly different selections of food. Pulau Tikus Evening Market Pulau Tikus, Penang Business Hours: 6 pm – Midnight Apong Balik Apong Balik is a kind of Malaysian pancake filled with sliced bananas. Click on the link above and check out the picture; need I say more? Rasa Malaysia recommends: New Lane Hawker Juction Macalister Road 10400 Penang Business hour: 6 pm to midnight Apong Guan Macalister Road Right beside Union Primary School Roti Canai Roti Canai is one of the best creations by Mamak (Indian-Muslim). This fluffy, crispy, and flaky bread is cooked on a flat iron skillet with lots of oil. Roti Canai is best when served with curries (choices include but not limited to chicken, beef, lamb, fish, or vegetarian). Rasa Malaysia recommends: Kayu Nasi Kandar 216 Penang Road 10000 Penang Open 24 hours If you like your Roti Canai buttery, order Roti Bom or Roti Planta. If you like them with fillings, do try out Murtabak (filled with onions and beef) or Roti Pisang (filled with sliced bananas). Nasi Kandar Nasi Kandar is very popular in Penang. Operated by Mamak (Indian-Muslim), Nasi Kandar stalls or restaurants serve meals of steamed rice with a variety of curries, fried food, and other side dishes. I like eating my Nasi Kandar with a side order of Roti Canai, Papadam, and a glass of cold ice Syrup (a drink with pink syrup). Rasa Malaysia recommends: Kayu Nasi Kandar 216 Penang Road 10000 Penang Open 24 hours Restaurant Tajuddin Hussein in Little India 49 Queen Street, 10200 Penang Tel: (6)04-2625367 Cendol Cendol consists of pandan-flavored noodles, shaved ice, red beans in coconut milk and palm sugar syrup. Cendol is a popular dessert. Some tourists and visitors come to Penang just to try this out! Rasa Malaysia recommends: Teowchew Cendol Outside of Joo Hooi Café 475 Jalan Penang 10000 Penang Business Hours: 10 am – 7:30 pm Loh Eng Hoo Coffee Shop 84 Lorong Selamat 10400 Penang. Business Hours: 11:30 am - 6:30 pm Ice Kacang Shaved ice with red beans, sweet corns, grass jelly, atap chee (the flesh from young seeds of a mangrove plant called Nypa Frutican) and jello. Sweet syrup and evaporated milk are generously drizzled over the shaved ice. This dessert is a great after a hot day in the sun. Loh Eng Hoo Coffee Shop 84 Lorong Selamat10400 Penang Business Hours: 11:30 am - 6:30 pm Kek Seng Coffee Shop 382-384 Jalan Penang 10000 Penang Business Hours: 8 am - 5 pm 10 Swatow Lane 10050 Penang Business Hours: 12 pm - 8 pm Nyonya Kuih Nyonya Kuih are little cakes created by the Peranakans. They are colorful, delicate, and full of flavor and are best as a light breakfast or an afternoon snack. Rasa Malaysia recommends: Padang Brown Hawker Center The junction of Perak Road & Anson Road, 10400 Penang Business Hours: 2 – 6:30 pm The Nyonya Kuih Stall at Pulau Tikus Market Jalan Pasar 10350 Penang Business Hours: 7:30 am – 11:30 am Tee Nya Kuih Tee Nya Kuih are rice cakes with brown sugar / palm sugar syrup. This Chinese delicacy is getting harder and harder to find these days. A must try. Pandan flavor is also available. Swatow Lane Hawker Joint 10 Swatow Lane 10050 Penang Lat Chee (Roasted Chesnuts) Roasted chesnuts were my childhood favorite. They are sweet and addictive and I would always steal them from my late grandmother (it was her favorite too). Once you start eating them, you just can’t stop. Chowrasta Market Lower Penang Road There are two stalls in front Chowrasta Market. Both are equally good. INSIDER TIPS: If you are a tourist and have only a few days in Penang, here are a few places that you have to go: Swatow Lane Hawker Joint Things to eat: Assam Laksa, Ice Kacang, Tee Nya Kuih, Mee Goreng, Rojak, Curry Mee, etc. Simply try anything that looks interesting to you. They are all good. Afternoon only. Lorong Selamat Hawker Joint Char Kuay Teow, Chee Cheong Fun, Rojak, Java Mee, Ice Kacang, Cendol, Oh Chien. Afternoon only. New Lane Hawker Joint There are 3 coffee shops around New Lane and many hawker stalls outside of these coffee shops. Try Ju Hu Eng Chai, grilled fish, clams, Kuay Teow Th'ng, Yong Tow Foo, Chee Cheong Fun, Hokkien Mee, Curry Mee, etc. You can't go wrong here. Evening only. Gurney Drive Hawker Center Try small snacks like Satay (order from Malay stalls), Indian Pasembor, Muar Chee, grilled cuttlefish, etc. Evening only. Padang Brown Hawker Center Try the Lok Lok, Nyonya Kuih, Cheh Hu, Lok Lok, and Popiah. While you are in Penang, don’t forget to try out fresh fruit juice in Kopi Tiam (coffee shops) or hawker centers. Starfruit juice is my favorite. You can also get fresh coconut juice. Have fun and eat well in Penang! P.S.: Phew, this is the looooooooongest post EVER!!! Continue Reading "An Insider's Guide to Penang Hawker Food"

Photo Blog: Penang Hawker Food - Part II

Austin from Real Thai and Marc from Mental Masala are both heading out to Penang soon so I've decided to write this follow up post to Photo Blog: Penang Hawker Food to help them eat well in Penang. Start drooling now...here comes more food pictures! Popiah from Padang Brown Hawker Center. Filled with jacama (yambean), diced beancurb, crab meat and wrapped in fresh spring roll skin, Padang Brown Popiah is the BEST Popiah in Penang. Curry-flavored clams from New Lane Hawker Joint. Char Siew or Chinese barbecued pork. Char Siew is usually served with rice and can be found at Chicken Rice stalls. Loh Bak. These pork rolls are wrapped in beancurd skin and deep fried to perfection. Taiwan has a similar dish called Chicken Rolls. Curry Mee. Muar Chee or Glutinous Rice Balls coated with ground peanuts and sugar. I simply love these! Real Roti Canai; not the frozen ones I get here in the States. Nasi Lemak with Sambal Ikan Bilis (anchovies) and a sliced of hard-boiled egg. Grilled Chicken Wings. Penang Sar Ho Fun. A Cantonese-style fried noodle dish. Penang Ice Kacang. Ju Hu Eng Chai or Cuttlefish Salad. Delicious! Cheh Hu or Chinese-style Rojak. It's very tasty and best as an afternoon snack. Cendol. A must try dessert. Wonton Mee. Yong Tow Food. Various kinds of fish balls / stuffed fish paste served in a savory broth. Fish balls in Malaysia are fresh, succulent, and bouncy. And they are not all as there are a lot more to savor in Penang. In my honest opinion, not many places tops Penang when it comes to food. Penang is simply the best place for street food and Time Asia thinks so too. My previous posts about Penang, its foods, and its hawkers: - Photo Blog: Penang Hawker Food - Eating Penang: A Quick Snapshot - Eating Penang: Nyonya Kuih - Photo Essay: Introducing Penang Hawkers Continue Reading "Photo Blog: Penang Hawker Food - Part II"

Shanghai Ding Dumpling House Queensbay, Penang / 上海鼎

One lazy afternoon during my recent visit to Penang I was driving along the coastal highway in Bayan Baru and found a Shanghainese gem in Bayan Bay (where the new Queensbay Mall is). Shanghai Ding is a new Shanghainese restaurant recently opened in Penang. You know me, I just can't pass up the opportunity to try a new restaurant. And their food certainly did not disappoint. As Penang is no Shanghai, I was very impressed by the quality of food there. This is their flagship specialty: Crab Meat Xiao Long Bao / 蟹肉小笼包. Trust me, I am not a novice in this delicacy and have had the best in Shanghai, Taipei, and Hong Kong. Theirs are as authentic and as delicious as you can get. The skin is thin and the dumplings were filled with hot and juicy broth. The traditional Shanghai Xiao Long Bao / 上海小笼包 (with just pork meat) were equally good. A must try! I couldn't keep my mind off these precious buns when I saw them on their menu. Called Pokey Mouse / 奶皇刺猥, these little porcupine buns are filled with sweet custard. I loved the "popping" texture of the bun as they are sparsely coated with poppy seeds. This is pan-fried Shanghainese Bun / 上海菜肉包, steamed to perfection and then pan-fried, the contrasting texture of steamed softness and pan-fried crispiness works very well with the light filling of vegetable and meat. I am a huge fan when it comes to red bean paste, interestingly their red bean paste bun / 南乳豆沙饼 is like nothing I have had before. With a tint of red fermented bean curb cheese (南乳), these buns are both tender and aromatic in a very pleasing way. I had two desserts: Ginger-flavored Rice Balls with Black Sesame/ 姜茶汤圆 and Durian Pancake / 榴莲煎糕. Unfortunately, my pictures didn't turn out right to do them justice. Both were equally delectable especially the Durian Pancake (with real Durian inside!). Other specialties of Shanghai Ding: Shanghainese La Mian / 上海拉面 Sweet Yam Bun - 香芋包 Deep-Fried Mango and Cheese. Char Siew Pastry / 叉烧酥. Pineapple Buns - 菠蘿包. Shanghai Ding / 上海鼎 Blk H, 4G, Persiaran Bayan Indah, Bayan Bay, 11900 Penang Tel: 04-644-1644 Business Hours: Monday - Sunday 8:00 am - 10:00 pm Note: Below is their Chinese tagline, which is very poetic and well-written. It basically outlines the basic steps to eating Shanghai Xiao Long Bao. 慢慢移, 轻轻提, 先开窗, 后吮汤, 馅儿滑, 肉更香, 别把嘴儿烫, 莫让包儿凉. Continue Reading "Shanghai Ding Dumpling House Queensbay, Penang / 上海鼎"

Photo Essay: Introducing Penang Hawkers

To many people in the West, the notion of hawkers, roadside stalls, and kopi tiams (coffee shops) is as blurry as a smoked mir