Penang: A Foodie Paradise
In Malaysia every meal feels like a party in your mouth. The cuisine here is a fusion of rich flavours derived from the country's major ethnic groups—Malay, Chinese and Indian— and Thai, Indonesian, Dutch, Portuguese and British influences. So, of course foodwise, our eyes were definitely way bigger than our stomachs during our recent trip to Penang.
Mouthwatering aromas beckon everywhere you go in Georgetown (Penang). There are several restaurants and canteens that serve food 24/7. Food carts and trucks, hawker stalls, night markets, food courts, family-owned restaurants that have been around for eons—a gourmand’s options are endless here. Plus, food in Penang is extremely budget-friendly compared to other tourist hotspots (such as Kuala Lumpur and Langkawi) in Malaysia. One can easily eat 3 sumptuous meals a day here for under $10AUD (drinks not included).
The pics and the list below will attest to a sincere attempt to sample as many local delicacies as possible during our week on Penang Island.
Planning a trip to Penang? Give these delectable dishes a go:
Like rice? Try these:
Nasi Kandar: One of Penang’s most-loved dishes, Nasi Kandar is made up of steamed rice accompanied by a variety of meat curries and vegetables. In Malay, Nasi means rice and Kandar refers to traditional bamboo pole baskets. It is said that back in the day food vendors sold rice and curries from these portable baskets (attached to poles and carried on their backs). These days there are plenty of stalls and restaurants on the streets of Georgetown to satisfy Nasi Kandar cravings.
Our favourites: Line Clear Nasi Kandar on Jalan Penang and Hameediyah Restaurant on Lebuh Campbell in Georgetown.
Nasi Lemak: Kapil and I love this dish so much we can eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner (and we have done just that, once, for 3 days straight in Kuala Lumpur...but that's a story for another time). Nasi Lemak is considered the national dish of Malaysia. Coconut milk and pandan leaf are used to make the rice fragrant in this dish. It is always served with a spicy sauce (sambal), and usually includes garnishes such as fresh cucumber slices, small fried anchovies (ikan bilis), roasted peanuts, and hard-boiled or fried egg. Nasi Lemak makes a more substantial meal when served with an additional protein dish such as fried chicken (ayam goreng), cuttlefish in chilli (sambal sotong), small fried fish, cockles, beef rendang or chicken rendang.
Nasi Ulam: This aromatic dish is a mix of steamed rice with an assortment of many herbs such as wild betel leaf, polygonum leaf or Vietnamese mint leaf, turmeric leaf, torch ginger flower, kaffir lime leaf, mint, etc.
We first tried this dish and also Rempah Udang (see pics and description in snack section below) at Moh Teng Pheow Nyonya Koay. This restaurant was recommended by the lovely host of our homestay in Georgetown and we are so glad we went looking for it—it is tucked away on Lorong Mesjid in Georgetown. The food here is divine and the interiors of the restaurant got Kapil and me reminiscing about summer visits to our ancestral homes in India.
For oodles of noodles, try these:
Wan Tan Mee: There are two versions of this Hakka and Cantonese treat. The dry version consists of noodles served with oyster sauce and soy sauce, green leafy vegetables, barbecued pork (char siu) and shrimp dumplings. The other version has all the same ingredients in a steaming hot broth. We loved the dry version!
Char Koay Teow: A dish of flat rice noodles stir fried with bean sprouts, eggs, shrimp, chives and Chinese dried sausage (lap cheong) At the New Lane Night Market, we watched a hawker crank out plate after plate of this crowd favourite. This particular stall had the longest line and the smokey Char Koay Teow was worth the wait (as was the shot Kapil got of the hawker at work).
Assam Laksa: Arguably, the most famous hawker food in Penang, this bowl of noodles in a hot and tangy fish broth is a taste explosion. The dish is made up of thick rice vermicelli with flaked fish meat, garnished with mint, sliced onions, cucumber, red chillies, lettuce, pineapple and the bud of torch ginger flower (bunga kantan) in a spicy, sour fish broth that contains hot tamarind and prawn paste.
Want a quick snack or something to share? Try these:
Popiah: A popular healthy snack. This is a fresh (not fried) spring roll. The outer skin is a thin crepe made of wheat flour. A blend of sauces—soy sauce, shrimp paste, hot chilli sauce, sweat bean sauce and hoisin sauce—is applied to the inside of this crepe before it is packed with a filling of finely grated carrots, lettuce leaves, steamed or stir-fried turnips, French beans, fried shallots and shredded omelet.
Fried Oyster: Also known as Oh Cien, this is another of Penang’s hawker stall staples. It is a delicious omelet made of a mixture of eggs, rice flour batter, chives, and fresh, succulent oysters. It is served with chilli sauce.
Rempah Udang: These steamed or grilled banana leaf wrapped little parcels of deliciousness are made with glutinous rice and spicy dried shrimp sambal (hay bee hiam).
Belachan Fried Chicken: Fried chicken Penang style…need we say more?
Drinks & Desserts:
Teh Tarik: Considered Malaysia’s national drink. The name literally means “pulled tea” referring to the pouring process of pulling the tea during preparation. It is a hot milk tea made from black tea and condensed or evaporated milk.
Penang White Coffee: Penang style instant coffee.
Honey & Pandan Drink: We had a deliciously cool and refreshing honey and pandan drink at Moh Teng Pheow Nyonya Koay on a super hot afternoon.
Coconut Water: Young green coconuts are available everywhere in Penang. The health benefits from drinking the clear liquid inside these coconuts warrant a separate post. Have a coconut water for a quick burst of electrolytes to take you through a hot and sultry day.
Cendol: This bowl of green jelly (rice flour) noodles, red kidney beans immersed in shaved ice and drizzled with copious amounts of coconut milk and palm sugar is a delightful dessert (or snack) on a hot day.
The temptation to overindulge in great food in Penang is very very real. Knowing our wallets would be more forgiving of our gluttony than our waistlines, we made up for all the eating with a lot of walking around the island.
