Eat-plan Penang: List of must-try dishes | Lifestyle.INQ

OCTOBER 27, 2022

Penang, Malaysia
BITE-SIZE Peranakan appetizers

Eating street food is an adventure that makes travel exciting, because it provides a genuine glimpse of the city or country you are visiting. Gelato, pho and som tam (green papaya salad) are really best savored in Italy, Vietnam and Thailand, respectively.

Local travelers know that the palm-sized, orange-colored empanada of Batac in Ilocos Norte is different from the small, fritter-like ones sold in Vigan, Ilocos Sur. Both, however, are deliciously addicting.

On a recent trip to Penang, Malaysia, sponsored by Air Asia (www.airasia.com), we ate our way through the city, squeezing in visits to some of its picturesque tourist spots.

Two of the more remarkable ones are the Penang Peranakan Mansion at 29 Lebuh Gereja, and the Khoo Kongsi clan house, both in George Town.

Housed in one of Penang’s heritage mansions, the Peranakan Mansion recreates a typical 19th century Baba (an honorific for locally born or Straits Chinese men) home with over 1,000 pieces of antiques and collectibles.

There are colorful English tiles, Scottish ironworks, art and furniture from Europe, and Chinese carved wooden panels. A separate air-conditioned room boasts a dazzling range of gold jewelry, accessories and an actual opium bed.

The Khoo Kongsi clan house was completed around 1906, but the clan’s lineage can be traced back 650 years. The temple, also owned by the clan, features fine Chinese architecture and craftsmanship.

Main draw

Food was the main draw of the trip, however, as the group, composed mainly of food bloggers, instantly uploaded plates of steaming char koay teow and teh tarik on their websites and on social media.

Penang, one of the 13 states of Malaysia, was the first British outpost in Southeast Asia founded in 1786 by Captain Francis Light.

Vestiges of its colonial past can be seen in the stately, centuries-old structures found in its capital, George Town. On July 7, 2008, George Town was included on Unesco’s World Heritage List.

Penang’s population of over 1.5 million consists mainly of Malays, Chinese and Indians. Thais, Burmese, Eurasians, Japanese and Koreans round things out, resulting in a melting pot of cultures.

All types of cuisines are represented, but for authentic Penang fare, there are numerous hawker centers around George Town to choose from.

Eats on the go

Here’s a handy list of dishes to sample if you’re planning a trip to Penang:

* Char koay teow is stir-fried flat noodles with shrimp, cockles, eggs, bean sprouts, chives and lap cheong (Chinese dried sausage). The dish has a smoky flavor, as it is quickly fried in a Chinese wok over very high heat.

* Nasi kandar is one of Penang’s signature dishes made with mildly-flavored steamed rice with a variety of curry-based meat dishes and vegetables. In Malay, nasi means rice, while kandar is the traditional bamboo pole basket used to deliver food.

* Fried oysters are commonly found in many Chinese restaurants. In Penang, cooks combine egg, rice flour batter, chives and starch for that extra gooey texture. The mixture is fried on a flat griddle and served with a chili sauce and a dip made of mashed garlic with a garnish of coriander or parsley.

* Penang Assam laksa is thick rice vermicelli topped with finely sliced onions, cucumber, red chilies, lettuce, pineapple, mint and torch ginger (bunga kantan). The soup is made heartier with hot tamarind and flaked fish fillet, and a dab of prawn paste. An updated version contains coconut milk.

* For a midmorning or midafternoon snack, look for Putu Mayong, a sweet dish that originated in Southern India. The dough made from rice flour mixed with water or coconut milk is forced through a sieve to make vermicelli-like noodles. The noodles are then steamed with pandan juice and served with grated coconut and cane or palm sugar.

* Cendol (pronounced chendul) is an icy treat that has green jelly noodles, again made from rice flour but tinted green with food coloring. A scoop of sweetened kidney beans is added to shaved ice, coconut milk and palm sugar. Keep an eye out for the food cart on Kimberly Road in George Town. You can’t miss the queue of locals and tourists.

Follow the author Twitter @raoulcheekee and Instagram @raoulck

 

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