The inside guide to where to go and what to eat in Penang

Rice Meals Malaysian-style

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Thinking of eating rice in Penang? ... read on.

Rice is the staple food in Malaysia and Singapore. Most Malaysian take at least one or two rice meal daily. Plain white rice is cooked daily in almost every household. White rice is usually taken with a selection of dishes prepared with meat, fish or vegetables. (note: 'nasi' refers to cooked rice in Malay; 'beras' refers to uncooked rice)

Other than plain white rice, some unique rice meals you can order or buy at eating places or restaurants are:

Nasi Lemak - This is Malaysia's most popular breakfast rice meal. This is rice cooked in coconut milk, served with ikan billies (anchovies), egg, groundnuts and cooked sambal (chilli condiment). Sold usually at roadside stalls by all races in Malaysia (Origin: Malay).  This is a very popular lunch meal too.

Chicken rice is white rice cooked with chicken stock and served with roasted or boiled chicken. Of Chinese origin, stalls selling Chicken rice somtimes also serv roasted duck and pork. You may find Malay stalls (halal) also selling chicken rice or 'nasi ayam' but usually served with deep fried chicken.

Nasi kandar /nasi biryrani  - Nasi biryrani is rice cooked with spices and prepared by placing layers of the spiced rice with pieces of spiced-cooked lamb, mutton or chicken, then garnished with almonds and raisins. Nasi kandar often refers to plain rice or nasi biryani served with an assortment of curry. (available at Indian-Muslim or Malay stalls or restaurants)

Nasi daun pisang (banana leaf rice) - an Indian rice meal served on a banana leave. White rice is served on leaf with an assortment of vegetables, curried meat, fish or vegetables and papadum (crispy cracker made from flour with spices).

Nasi goreng is fried rice. You will find many styles of fried rice in Malaysia.  Rice is fried in various styles by the different communities in Malaysia.

Nasi kunyit - yellow rice, cooked from glutinous rice with coconut milk and turmeric; usualy served with chicken curry (Malay and Nyonya)....Nasi kunyit recipe

Nasi Ulam is often prepared by the Malays and Nyonya communities. It is cooked rice mixed with an assortment of herbs and vegetables, salted fish and dessicated coconut, etc. (similar to this is nasi kerabu)

Pulut inti - glutinous rice cooked with coconut milk and served with grated coconut mixed wit palm sugar (brown sugar).

Rice is also popularly made into Malaysian kueh. Rice and glutonous rice are often wrapped in banana leaves or other palm leaves, then boiled, steam or toasted over charcoal fire.

Where to eat Penang Laksa

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Penang Laksa
laksa is rice noodles garnish with vegetables and served in a spicy, sour fish flake light gravy.
Laksa is of Malay origin but the Nonyas have their own version - (Penang Laksa). This is certainly Malaysia's unique dish and the most popular noodle dish. It is rounded rice noodles (similar to but thinner than Japanese Odon noodles) served with gravy made from fish flakes and rich spices. The dish is garnished with vegetables and is certainly a healthy dish not cooked with oil.

Popular Penang Laksa............

•  Air Itam Market (beside fruit stalls), Air Itam
• Kedai Kopi Genting, Island Glades, Loring Delima 6, off Jalan Yap Choy Yee; morning and afternoon
• Balik Pulau Market
• Today Café, Lebuh Perak, near traffic light; afternoon
• Loke Pin Café, 72 Anson Road, George Town
• Joo Hooi Café, junction of Penang Road with Lebuh Keng Kwee, George Town
• Nam Kuang coffee shop, Balik Pulau
• Stall at Hawker centre, Jalan Johor, beside Datuk Kramat Padang (Padang Brown). 
• Kek Seng, 384 Penang Road (opposite KOMTAR), George Town
• One Corner food court, laksa stall, behind Penang Plaza, George Town
• Assam Laksa Wan Li ; Stall next to Tua Pek Kong temple, Jawi town. Open noon-6pm.
• Stall at 6, Jalan Seri Aman 1, Pusat Perniagaan Seri Aman, SG. BAKAP

How to make Penang Laksa here......

The Chinese and Peranakans

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The Chinese and Peranakans (Baba and Nyonya)

[The following is extracted mainly from the book myPenang]

From China to Malaya

Chinese traders began their venture into the Malay archepelago mainly from the fifth centuiry AD. Chinese settlers who came as early as the 15^th century, mainly traders, sailors and labourers, eventualy setttle down in here and became involved in the agricultural, mining and commercial sectors.

The outbreak of the Taiping Rebellion (1851) in China, simulated migration, especially from South China, from the provinces of Guangdong (formerly written as Kwangtung), Fujian (Fukien) and Guangsi (Kwangsi). As a result, the sizable Chinese population in the Malay archipelago in the 19^th century were from the Chinese clans of the Teochew (from Guangdong), Hokkien (from Fujian), Cantonese (from Guangdong), Hakka (from the three provinces) and Hainanese (from Hainan Island).

The majority of the Chinese settled the Malay world to escape porverty in China. Chinese participation in the plantation agriculture and mining contributed vastly to the economy of the Malay state.

Many Chinese settled in the Straits Settlement (Penang, Melaka Singapore) and eventually small communities were scattered in the other Malay states.

 

The Chinese who arrived came from the Fujian (Fukien) province in China, settling mainly in the Straits Settlements (Penang, Malacca and Singapore). Some intermarried the locals and assimilated the practices of the local population, and developed a unique culture that is a blend of Malay and Chinese. These people were known in the region as Peranakans (meaning local born in Malay), or Babas (men) and Nyonyas (women), or Straits Chinese.  [note: spelling in Malaysia is Nyonya, spelling in Singapore is Nonya]

Unlike the Chinese men who settled in Malacca (Melaka) and who adopted more Malay culture, the Chinese immigrants in Penang had strong ties with their families in China, and so retained many of their Chinese traditions. However, their dialect Hokkien, became peppered with local Malay words and later some English words as well. This unique Hokkien dialect, often referred to as Penang Hokkien, is widely spoken in Penang and the northern part of peninsular Malaysia.

Assimilation of some Malay culture is also seen in the Straits Chinese cultural practices and art. Penang Nyonyas adopted the wearing of the sarong kebaya (a costume of sarong with a translucent, embroidered top), and produced exquisite embroidery and decorative beadworks. Beaded shoes and the Nyonya kebaya are highly priced today. Penang Peranakans also adopted some English practices, with many sending their children to English schools. This blend of culture is unique to the Chinese in this region. (The Peranakan network or diaspora extends to Phuket, Medan, Melaka and Singapore corresponding to pattern of migration in the region)

The Nyonya cuisine, which is well known in Penang, Malacca and Singapore, also originated from the Straits Chinese. Nyonya cooking in Penang is usually a mix of Malay and Chinese ingredients and style, with some Thai influence. [Photo: Asam Pedas - Nyonya cuisine]

 

Chinese Clans

The Chinese also brought to Malaya the clan or kongsi system; a tradition characterised by group cohesiveness and brotherhood. The word kongsi has also been absorbed into the Malay language, taking the meaning ‘share’.

To the Chinese, a kongsi is an association of individuals from the same dialect group or clan from the same area in China. These kongsi played a benevolent role to their members and often gave help and protection to the new arrivals. Many kongsi houses were also built during the 19^th and early 20^th centuries, and some like the Khoo Kongsi is a landmark on the island.

There are five major Hokkien clans or kongsis (of five major surnames) in Penang known as the Goh Tai Seh consisting of the Khoo, Lim, Cheah, Yeoh and Tan kongsi.   The Chinese also formed welfare associations among those of the same dialect group (for example the Hokkien or the Hakka dialect), usually referred to as hoi kuan (welfare associations). Kongsis are still active associations in Malaysia. (some of the kongsi houses of Penang HERE)

[Main Reference Source: myPenang – the inside guide to where to go and what to eat by Lim Bee Chin, 2005]