10th April
This is part 2 of investigate Penang food. Click here for the first part. Today, we will investigate about Mee Goreng, Nasi Kandar, Wan Tan Mee and Cendol.
5) MEE GORENG:
This is an Indian style fried noodles and is predominantly served by the Indian Muslim community. Though it looks like a simple and ordinary dish of fried noodles, but when sets it apart from an ordinary fried noodles dish is the way the noodles are prepared. The secret is to first blanch the yellow noodles and the bean sprouts before beginning the frying process. The fire used to heat the wok medium strong so as not to give a burnt aroma to the noodles. Some claim that the wok must be continuously turned clockwise or anti-clockwise on the stove to achieve an even fry. The ingredients consists of spicy stewed cuttlefish, diced boiled potatoes, fried soy bean cake cubes, freshly cut green and red chilies and puffy flour-fritters. Flavourful gravy made from chili and tomato puree is added into the mix to make the noodles slightly moist. Some may fry it with an egg, but this is optional. This dish is garnished with chopped lettuce and sprinkled with finely ground peanuts. Another version of this dish is where the noodles are drenched in the gravy instead of frying them. This dish is called "Mee Rebus" and the same ingredients are used to garnish the noodles. Both the dishes are served with a piece lime, which is squeezed on the noodles to enhance the whole dish with a tinge of sourness. Price for both the dishes vary from RM 3.50 to RM 4.00. The noodles can also be substituted with rice vermicelli or flay base rice noodle called "Koay Teow". This is a halal dish.
6) NASI KANDAR:
This is an original Penang dish sold by the Indian Muslim community. In this dish, one can taste the full richness of spices used to cook the different curries. The spice and herbs are mixed together in a perfect combination that brings out the aroma of each dish. Ordering this dish is simple. Just choose the curry dish that you prefer and the vendor will lay them on top of your serving of plain rice. Then a mixture of small scoops of various gravies is added to the rice, giving the dish a tantalizing burst of flavours. The curries served at these Nasi Kandar restaurants most often are chicken, fish, prawn, squid and beef, with the occasional crab and fish roe, as well as the popular non-spicy lamb kurma. There are also deep fried chicken and fish all of which are marinated with spices. The vegetable dishes served are usually long beans or cabbage fried in turmeric. Prices vary depending on the choice of curry dish ordered. The average price of a Nasi Kandar dish with a chicken drumstick, curry and plain rice is around RM 5.00. This is a halal dish.
7) WAN TAN MEE:
As the name suggest, this is a noodle dish served with meat dumplings wrapped in wanton skin. It can be served either dry or wet clear soup. The basic ingredients for the noodles are eggs and rice flour and the thickness would be similar to a shoe string. The importance is to achieve a soft but springy texture when biting into the noodle. The dumpling is usually made from a mixture of minced pork and prawns, spiced with pepper and salt, wrapped in the wanton skin. The dry form is served with tossed with just the right amount of thick soy sauce, light soy sauce and lard oil. Both versions are served with slices of succulent barbequed meat, shredded chicken and few strands of leafy vegetables. A bowl of soup with the plump dumpling accompanies the dry version whereas the dumpling will be place in the bowl itself for the wet version, it is best eaten with slices of pickle green chilies soaked in light soy sauce. A bowl would cost RM 3.00 to RM 3.50 and is non-halal. This is a whole some and hearty dish which is usually neither oily or not spicy.
8) CENDOL:
This is another popular dessert among the locals as well as tourist. Besides the thick and sweetened red bean, the other important ingredients is the soft, green, starchy noodle (called the "Cendol") which is about two centimetres in length. It is made from starch and the green colouring comes from the juice of pandan leaves. The syrup is made from coconut milk and is sweetened with palm sugar (called Gula Melaka) which has a distinctive palm bunch of pandan leaves is added to the syrup to further enhance the aromatic flavour. A bowl is first filled with finely shaved ice, red beans and the syrup. Finally, the cendol is scooped into it. This dessert, with the rich vovonut milk and strong aromatic palm sugar, is truly refreshing and leaves the mouth a flavourful aroma. A bowl costs RM 1.50.
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This is the second part of Penang food. Next part, is the third part, and also the last part, will investigate ICE KACANG, FRIED OYSTER, ROTI CANAI and SEAFOOD. So, wait for me for the next post and I will take you to investigate the last four famous Penang food.
Bye!!!
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