Special Foods

Hokkien Mee

Just like char kuay teow, Hokkien mee comes in different versions in this country. The Penang version is soup-based and watery, as opposed to the Kuala Lumpur version which is fried in dark soy sauce and quite sticky. The soup is probably the most important part of the dish. Made from fragrant stock consisting of shrimp paste and dried prawns which are then brought to the boil with a bit of lard for texture, it gives the dish its intoxicating aroma. It is then served in a bowl with noodles, together with prawns, fish cakes, leafy greens, pork ribs, squids, vegetables, crisp deep-fried shallots, spring onions, fresh lime, chillies, light soy sauce and a bit of sambal on the side. This dish can also be found in hawker centres along the main streets.

Penang Nyonya Kuih

 

Dubbed ‘The Pearl of the Orient’ by foreign traders back in the olden days, Penang is well-known for its abundance of superb, authentic hawkers’ delights which the locals claim can’t be duplicated elsewhere. In Penang, hawker food is as delicious as – if not more than - the finest gourmet experience in any city. It is also very popular. Many Malaysians hold Penang as the top foodies’ destination in the region, not because of some fancy restaurants but rather for the humble eateries and stalls that line the streets.
Since Penang is synonymous with good food (eating also seems to be Penangites’ favourite pastime), there are many places where one can find a good concentration of hawker stalls and restaurants on the island, especially in Georgetown. The island is famous for their Nyonya-inspired flavours. Malacca may be more famous for their Nyonya culture, but in terms of cooking, it is the Penang Nyonya flavours that capture the hearts (and stomachs) of many.
Amongst Penang’s most popular culinary delights are Penang Char Kuay Teow, Assam Laksa, Tar Sau Peah, Rojak Pasembur, Nasi Kandar and Hokkien Mee

Penang Nasi Kandar

  

Penang Nasi Kandar a popular rice meal of Indian Muslim origin. It is one of the most famous hawker food of Penang, and is one that all races can enjoy, as it is sold by Muslims.

The nasi kandar got its name from the rod that was once used to shoulder the food from place to place. In the old days, itinerant nasi kandar vendors would carry the rice and various dishes suspended from either ends of a pole to their customers. This portable style of selling nasi kandar has entirely disappeared, and the dish retains nothing from the old days but its name. Today nasi kandar stalls are more likely to be stationed on a permanent site, either in a coffee shop or, in its most recent incarnation, 24-hour Nasi Kandar Shops.