Recipe: Fuzhou Red Wine Chicken

Being Fuzhou (Foochow), it is a tradition to celebrate both the first day of Chinese New Year and our birthdays with a bowl of Fuzhou red wine chicken mee suah (ang zhao mee sua).

This one-dish meal contains sesame oil, lots of ginger, rice wine and rice wine lees. Sounds like a confinement dish, where these “heaty” ingredients are used to nurse a mother’s body back to good health.

We Fuzhou folks eat good stuff #justsaying

Fuzhou Red Wine Chicken mee suah

Having said that, I’ve come to believe that this Fuzhou tradition is only adhered by the Fuzhou community in Malaysia and Singapore. Remember the relatives that we unexpectedly found in China? WELL! They do not feel the same as we do about this tradition, because they have no such tradition! While the dish is not foreign to them, they do not particularly consume it during celebratory days.

Turns out, this love for red wine chicken mee suah is purely a Nanyang Chinese thing. I’m all right with that!

***

My Mum learned the recipe from my late grandmother, a legendary cook in our memories. I took it for granted that Fuzhou red wine chicken tastes like how my family makes it – rich, spicy and delicious. Then I found out that it wasn’t true! So I became invested in getting my Mum to commit her recipe to paper.

It wasn’t an easy process. People who are used to cooking have this measurement method – agak-agak. It means a guesstimate, an intuitive form of measuring that comes with frequent practice.

“How much sesame oil to put?”
“You see lor, agak-agak lah.”
“MAMA I CANNOT WRITE AGAK-AGAK IN THE INGREDIENTS, IT’S NOT QUANTIFIABLE!”
“Ok ok ok we take out and measure…”

Haha! I hope you appreciate our effort in documenting this recipe. I admit it was fun for us, a mother-daughter bonding time with many moments like this:

My Mum: What the heck are you doing?
Me: Measuring the ginger la.
My Mum: Where got people measure ginger with a plastic ruler??
Me: Got lah! Me lah!
My Mum: .. -_-”

Hahahahahaha I love my Mum!

***

As is with most Chinese cuisine, the most exhausting part is gathering the ingredients. My family’s Fuzhou red wine chicken recipe calls for: chicken (duh), dried mushrooms, Bentong ginger, garlic, sesame oil, rice wine and rice wine lees.

My Mum is a bit atas – she’d only make this recipe using kampung/ village chicken, or free-range chicken. I have less standards for myself, I’m okay with using regular chicken, or loose pieces of chicken instead of one entire bird.

Personally I’m not fussed about the meat because I care more about the soup.

There’s the dried mushrooms which you have to soak and cut. The measurement below is just an indication, that was how much we use for this recipe. Because I’m a mushroom person. Use however much or little mushrooms you want.

There’s the garlic cloves, peeled and smashed. There’s the ginger, use Bentong ginger if you can get it. It’s more expensive, but worth the extra moolah. For this recipe, we used approx 200g, or 32in. I know because I measured using a plastic ruler. YES IT IS A LOT OF GINGER!

Fuzhou Red Wine Chicken - ingredients

It is not difficult to get red glutinous rice wine. If you know someone who knows someone (preferably Chinese), you’d be able to get it easily. Otherwise, just make a trip to Sitiawan and stock up.

It’s the red wine lees that’s more difficult to get. Red wine lees is the residue, the ang zao from making red rice wine. If you know someone who knows someone who makes red rice wine, ask nicely and you might get it for free. You could buy it, but I don’t know where to get it.

Here, just to show you what it looks like: two batches of red wine lees, made by different people.

Fuzhou Red Wine Chicken - ang zao

My family’s recipe uses a lot of this too, for a stronger taste. As we would say, more kick.

Fuzhou Red Wine Chicken - red wine lees

Once you have all the ingredients, it’s time to start cooking! Full recipe below.

***

Heat sesame oil in wok. Add ginger, fry till fragrant. Add garlic and mushroom, fry for a couple of minutes.

Fuzhou Red Wine Chicken - fry ginger

Put in red wine lees (ang zao), fry for a few minutes. Add in chicken pieces, coating each piece of chicken with lees. Let it rest in the wok, for the oil from the chicken to surface.

Fuzhou Red Wine Chicken - coat chicken with lees

Add water, enough to cover the chicken in the wok. Let simmer for a few minutes, then on medium heat, cover the lid and let boil for 20 mins.

While waiting, boil eggs – one for each person. Peel the hard boiled eggs, put aside.

Fuzhou Red Wine Chicken - add rice wine

Add the rice wine and hard boiled eggs, let simmer for 15 mins, stirring the bottom occasionally so that things don’t get stuck at the bottom of the pot. After the 15 mins, switch off fire/heat.

At this point, you could serve the red wine chicken, yay! BUT WAIT! If you want a stronger tasting soup, do like how my Mum does it – cook this late at night, then leave it in the wok (covered) overnight. In the morning, reheat the soup and serve with noodles.

Resting it for a few hours is fine, but overnight is the BEST.

Fuzhou Red Wine Chicken - soup

To serve, cook mee suah according to instructions on packet.

Fuzhou Red Wine Chicken - cook mee suah

Add red wine chicken to the cooked mee suah and serve.

Fuzhou Red Wine Chicken - mee suah and egg

Bon appétit!
(Because I do not know how to say it in Fuzhou.)

Print Recipe
Fuzhou Red Wine Chicken
Cuisine Chinese
Servings
6 - 8 people
Ingredients
Cuisine Chinese
Servings
6 - 8 people
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Heat sesame oil in wok. Add ginger, fry till fragrant.
  2. Add garlic and mushroom, fry for a few minutes.
  3. Add red wine lees (ang zao), fry for a few minutes.
  4. Put in chicken, coating each piece with lees. Let it rest in the wok, for the oil from the chicken to surface.
  5. Add water, enough to cover the chicken in the wok. Let simmer for a few minutes.
  6. On medium heat, cover the lid and let boil for 20 mins.
  7. While waiting, boil eggs - one for each person. Peel the hard boiled eggs, put aside.
  8. Add rice wine and hard boiled eggs. Let simmer for 15 mins, stirring the bottom occasionally. After this, switch off fire/heat.
  9. RECOMMENDED: Let the red wine chicken sit for a few hours for a stronger taste.
  10. To serve, cook mee suah according to instructions on packet. Add red wine chicken to the cooked mee suah and eat like there's no tomorrow.

This recipe serves quite a few people. If you’re #foreveralone, keep the portions you want to eat within the next couple of days in the fridge. Then freeze the rest… or do like I do, share it with friends. At any time, add water to the soup if it is too strong, which is usually the case when it’s kept in the fridge.

Selamat makan!

Recipe: Lance’s Clam Chowder

One of my favourite pick-me-ups is a big hearty bowl of warm, filling soup. It speaks of comfort and reassurance, each spoonful as nourishing as a sympathetic personal Agony Aunt.

My friend, Lance, makes that kind of wholesome soup. His clam chowder never fails to lift my spirits, even long after he stopped making them to make way for other types of soup. I’ve replicated his clam chowder recipe many times, and blogged about it a few years ago.

I’ve learned a few things since then, and feel a need to refresh the recipe post. Here you go, with the full printable recipe at the bottom of this post.

Recipe Lance Clam Chowder - with mussels
Lance’s creamy clam chowder, mussels optional

Regular chowder is ridiculously easy to make. There’s no rocket science involved – just assemble the ingredients, throw them into a pot, and wait.

Surely there must be a catch! Well, yes. There are clam chowder recipes where they call for fresh clams. This recipe is not one of them. Here, we use canned clams, separate juice from clams and put aside, please. I normally use 2 cans, but feel free to add an extra one or two cans for a deeper, richer flavour (and get more clams in each spoonful!).

Here’s the tricky part – where I’m at, it may not be easy to get inexpensive canned clams. We normally get the Rex brand (pictured below) but it’s increasingly difficult to find them. There are imported canned clams, but they cost an arm and a leg, not prices I’d be willing to pay. So, good luck finding your clams, OR you could use fresh ones. Just Google and wield your cooking creativity.

Since this is a New England-style, we need milk and cream. We use evaporated milk – in Malay, it’s susu sejat (super expensive) or susu sejat penuh krim (reconstituted, less expensive). For milk, use either heavy, or double, or thickened cream. Use regular cooking cream only if you can’t get heavy cream.

This recipe calls for a whole bottle of (cheap) dry white wine, e.g. Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay. Don’t want wine in your soup, even though the alcohol would have fizzled out before it reaches your bowl? Well then, just replace with more stock or water.

For stock, I’ve tried and tested regular vs salt reduced; the latter always wins. I’ve also tried cube stock, but still I prefer Campbell’s salt reduced beef stock.

What about bacon? Bacon, as unhealthy as it is, is possibly one of my favourite things in the world. You would probably have guessed by now that I have many favourite things, but really, bacon ranks quite high on my list. However if you do not share my love for bacon, you can substitute (pork) bacon with beef bacon or turkey ham. Think cured, think salt.

Fresh or dried herbs? I’ve used both in different versions. All good to me!

Recipe Lance Clam Chowder - ingredients
Not an inexpensive clam chowder recipe

Wash, chop, separate, sort your ingredients. Then it’s time to assemble and cook! Please Google for the right amount of substitution.

Recipe Lance Clam Chowder - aromatics

Start off with heating up oil in a big pot. Cook onions, celery and bacon for a few minutes.

Add clam juice, evaporated milk, cream and potatoes. Let it boil for a minute or two.

Recipe Lance Clam Chowder - potatoes

Add thyme, bay leaves, and wine. Boil for a couple of minutes.

Recipe Lance Clam Chowder - wine and thyme

Add beef stock, boil for 30 minutes.

Then simmer for another 30 minutes.

Recipe Lance Clam Chowder - boiling soup

Use a hand blender or food processor to blend the chowder till smooth. Don’t have a blender? Don’t bother. For real, don’t waste your money and time with this recipe if you ain’t got a blender.

Once blended, put the pot back on the stove/heat. Add clam meat and dill, and mussels if you have them. Simmer for a few minutes.

Recipe Lance Clam Chowder with bread

Serve with black pepper, warm bread and a smile on your face.

Recipe Lance and his creamy clam chowder

That’s the recipe namesake enjoying his own chowder. Thanks for sharing the goodness, Lance!

Print Recipe
Lance's Clam Chowder
A rich, delicious clam chowder recipe that uses only stock and wine for broth.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Passive Time 1 hour
Servings
6
Ingredients
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Passive Time 1 hour
Servings
6
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Heat olive oil in a big pot. Add onions + celery + bacon to cook for a few minutes.
  2. Add clam juice + evaporated milk + cream + potatoes. Let it boil for a minute or two.
  3. Add thyme + bay leaves + wine. Boil for a couple of minutes.
  4. Add beef stock. Boil for 30 minutes then simmer for another 30 minutes.
  5. Use a hand blender or food processor to blend the chowder till smooth.
  6. Put the pot back on the stove. Add clam meat and dill, and mussels (optional). Simmer for a few minutes.
  7. Serve with cracked black pepper.

Dewakan – modern Malaysian cuisine

Have you been to Dewakan? The brainchild of Chef Darren Teoh, the restaurant sits somewhere in the KDU building in Glenmarie, where said chef also lectures in the science of molecular gastronomy.

Dewakan, Kuala Lumpur - lounge
Comfortable lounge while waiting for your table

A semi fine-dining restaurant in the middle of a private college in the middle of nowhere? Speaks volumes of a man’s peculiarity, doesn’t it? To embrace local ingredients long taken for granted and hold them up as muses to a chef’s culinary artistry, it’s nothing short of ambition and lofty aspirations, much like the unnecessary complex structure of this sentence.

Dewakan, Kuala Lumpur - restaurant
Tables spread out generously with a clear view of the kitchen

For my birthday this year, I asked my sisters to dine at Dewakan with me. As the restaurant operates on limited days and tables, we could only get a reservation on a weekday. Not a problem! 10-course tasting menu, here we come!

We had such a good time that I want to share my Dewakan experience.

Dewakan, Kuala Lumpur - starters
Complimentary snacks to start you off

We started with freshly baked bread served with butter and complimentary appetisers. First, edible twigs of fried dough served with budu mayonaise, a crazy delicious refreshing dip that sets the tone of what is to come.

Fried cucur (fritters) topped with spinach, coconut slivers (kerisik) and shaved duck breast. The cucur by itself was bland, took on bold flavours when paired with the toppings and a touch of the budu mayonaise.

Then we were served a light, whipped frothy mango and curry foam to cleanse the palate. On with the 10 courses.

Dewakan, Kuala Lumpur - razor clam
You’d never had razor clams this way before

Razor Clams from Pulau Ketam, Rose Apples, Cashew Nuts, Tenggek Burung and Rose Apple Snow
Mindblowing! It felt like eating seafood on shaved ice – chewy, light and crunchy. Then you get the occasional sharp taste of the ‘tenggek burung’ herb (En: melicopes).

Dewakan, Kuala Lumpur - mushrooms

Roast King Oyster Mushroom, Green Curry Paste, Yogurt and Dried Mackerel Flakes
We sampled this dish at MIGF, where Dewakan was a participant. It was an ‘okay’ at the festival, but as its own dish at the restaurant, the meaty shrooms sprang to life with the accompanying herbs.

Dewakan, Kuala Lumpur - mushrooms dish

Half the fun was marveling at the edible flowers and herbs used. Doesn’t the above reminds you of ‘daun putri malu’, a shy plant that closes up its leaves when you touch it?

But when in doubt, the waiters in training at Dewakan are always on hand, eager to help.

Dewakan, Kuala Lumpur - infused broth

Next, an inception was introduced to our table with a flourish. It turned out to be a prep for a mushroom broth for our next course. The broth was heated on the spot to take on flavours of aromatics, garlic, mushroom stems and orange peel.

Dewakan, Kuala Lumpur - forbidden porridge
They named this Forbidden Porridge. Come ask me about an adult joke I could make offline.

Black Glutinous Rice Congee, Thinly Sliced Tender Ox Tongue, Choy Tum, Soft Boiled Egg Yolk served with Mushroom Broth
The infused broth poured over the glutinous rice was fragrant, resulting in a rich yet odd combination of ingredients. It was over complicated for me as a whole, yet there was no fault to individual ingredients.

Dewakan, Kuala Lumpur - prawn
This is so prawny

Local Red Prawn with Prawn Tartar, Fiddlehead Ferns, Pegaga and Bunga Telang Oil
The tartar, mixed with the prawn head’s own juice was fresh and appetizing. The cooked prawn was juicy and luscious, just right for a firm bite. Perfect prawnfest!

Dewakan, Kuala Lumpur - chicken
Sometimes I lay at night and wonder if the inspiration came from caterpillars. Just sometimes.

Charcoal Roasted Corn Fed Chicken Breast, Chicken Ragout Wrapped in Kaduk and Kailan Puree
The meat was flawlessly prepared. Crispy skin with moist, tender flesh. I was not a fan of the buah keluak sauce and kailan puree, it reminded me of chicken essence. However my sisters thoroughly enjoyed this dish with the sauce. The chicken liver was invitingly soft and flavourful, much love.

Dewakan, Kuala Lumpur - cod
I can’t believe it’s not cod. Actually I can. But I ran out of accompanying lines for photos.

Steamed Pomfret over Tumeric Leaf, Chrysanthemum Garland, Water Chesnut, Salted Egg Yolk and Sweet Potato Crisps
Pomfret is typically unsexy, like the obligatory fish course fourth in line at Chinese banquets. However at Dewakan, the fish is a star! Beautifully steamed, didn’t lose its texture, topped with a light water chestnut foam that did not overwhelm the fish’s delicate taste.

Plus the aesthetically pleasant side of paper-thin sweet potato crisps, salted egg yolk and ulam! Much props to the chef and his team’s presentation skills.

Dewakan, Kuala Lumpur - lamb
Mary had a little lamb, guess where it went?

Confit of Lamb Breast, Spring Onion, Marsala and Onion Puree
We had this at MIGF which sealed the deal for me, made me want to try out Dewakan’s entire offerings. The meat; tender, fatty, juicy and insanely tasty is lamb heaven for lamb lovers! Also enjoyed the candied purple spinach.

Dewakan, Kuala Lumpur - cake
At first glance, we thought it was a cake.

Then came dessert, at which point we were absolutely stuffed but determined to complete all courses.

Fro-yo, Rosselle Syrup and Daun Selom Oil left a crisp taste in our tongues, its light sourness doubled as a palate cleanser.

Dewakan, Kuala Lumpur - meringue
A stand-out dessert

Pulut Ice Cream, Gula Melaka Marquise, Sour Meringue
If you had to try only one of Chef Darren’s desserts, let it be this. The teardrop meringue was lovely to look at, melts in your mouth and held the combination of the ice-cream and marquise well.

Dewakan, Kuala Lumpur - banana dessert
Dewakan is a heaven for dessert lovers

Smoked Chocolate Chantilly, Fried Banana Ice Cream, Nutmeg Syrup and Dill
As tropical as it gets. The rich Asian taste of this dessert was unique; how often do you get to taste ‘pisang goreng’ ice cream?

Dewakan, Kuala Lumpur - lollies
Refreshing ice lollies to end our meal

Then a final complimentary dessert to complete our gluttony drive, ice lollies of pineapple and raspberries.

We were happily stuffed. There was no room left in our stomach for even dust. Though we did not meet the Chef (who was very busy in the kitchen), we were absolutely in awe at his creations, and how well he presented Malaysian ingredients in a modern light. I believe it’s the first of its kind in Malaysia, and I hope he is encouraged by the reception to carry on for a long time.

What of the price? It must be costly? Heck no! A 10-course dinner for one was RM207. It is relatively inexpensive for the dining experience. In fact, we wondered throughout dinner if they end up making any money off this venture, and decided that they do not.

To put it bluntly, this is a project of passion, and not of laughing all the way to the bank.

Dewakan, Kuala Lumpur - signboard

Dewakan has just changed its menu, which I’ll experience this December. They are open for lunch on weekdays, with options of 3 (RM80) or 4 (RM133) courses. Dinner is available from Thursday to Saturday, with options of 5 (RM164) or 10 (RM207) courses.

Dewakan Restaurant
KDU University College, Utropolis Glenmarie
Jalan Kontraktor U1/14, Seksyen U1
40150 Shah Alam, Selangor.
Tel: +603 5565 0767

Lunch: Monday to Friday, 12pm to 2.30pm
Dinner: Thursday to Saturday, 7pm to 9pm
Closed on Sundays and certain public holidays.

For info & reservation, go to Dewakan.my.

Breakfast in Batu Pahat

A few of my family’s favourite picks.

1) Fock Yen Dim Sum

Breakfast Batu Pahat - Fock Yen dim sum

Dim sum in Batu Pahat is like dim sum in Klang – slightly odd in a Hokkien populated area. Expectations must be managed; the finesse ranks the same as an average tasting dim sum shop in Kuala Lumpur.

Breakfast Batu Pahat - Fock Yen dim sum - food

There are gems which we enjoy. I think that they make really good char siew pau. Sometimes I’d buy them frozen to bring back to KL. The pork belly mix with sweet sauce combined with a bite of hot fluffy bun, divine!

Breakfast Batu Pahat - Fock Yen dim sum - char siew pao

It was the first time I had Hakka suan pan zi in a dim sum shop. They are made from yam and shaped to look like abacus beads, hence its namesake. Stir-fried with soy sauce, onions, dried prawns, they make it fragrant and delicious!

Breakfast Batu Pahat - Fock Yen dim sum - suan pan zi

Closed on Mondays.

Fock Yen Tim Sum
No. 24, Jalan Kundang 3,
Taman Bukit Pasir,
83000 Batu Pahat, JOHOR.

2) Hai Nam Kopitiam, Taman Banang

Breakfast Batu Pahat - Hai Nam Kopitiam Taman Banang

A regular coffee shop selling simple favourites. Mee siam and nasi lemak wrapped in banana leaves, assorted noodles, half-boiled eggs with steamed or toast bread…

Breakfast Batu Pahat - Hai Nam Kopitiam - food

Wash it down with a cup of aromatic coffee.

Breakfast Batu Pahat - Hai Nam Kopitiam - coffee

Opens daily from 7am onwards.

Hai Nam Kopitiam
Jalan Jelawat, Taman Banang
83000 Batu Pahat, JOHOR

3) Taman Batu Pahat hawker centre

The small morning street market is next to the hawker centre. It’s hustle of activities, sellers peddling clothes, toys, and all seemingly important accessories we think we need in our daily lives.

Breakfast Batu Pahat - Taman Batu Pahat market

Go on, walk up the stairs to find a host of stalls selling all types of breakfast goodies.

Breakfast Batu Pahat - Taman Batu Pahat hawker centre

Here at the popular economy noodles stall, you can get Hokkien noodles – broad egg noodles braised in broth.

Breakfast Batu Pahat - Taman Batu Pahat hawker centre - Fujian noodles

At one of the stalls, an Indian family sells roti canai. Piping hot, delicious and cheap.

Breakfast Batu Pahat - Taman Batu Pahat hawker centre - roti canai

Other items are hit and miss. Maybe my palate has grown different to what my old town offers.

Breakfast Batu Pahat - Taman Batu Pahat hawker centre - food

Hawker Centre, Taman Batu Pahat
8300 Batu Pahat, JOHOR.

4) Ah Pui economy noodles, Banang Hawker Centre

There are many Ah Pui economy noodles stalls in Batu Pahat. No matter which one you go to, be prepared to go early to wait in line, just for a precious packet of economy noodles.

Breakfast Batu Pahat - economy noodles Taman Banang

Why is Ah Pui economy noodles so sought after? It’s the fiery chilli and thin curry added to your choice of noodles. We LOVE that spicy kick that jolts our senses in the morning.

The add-ons are equally tempting: fish cakes, tau ki (deep-fried beancurd with fish paste) and bean curd.

Breakfast Batu Pahat - economy noodles

Ah Pui (Banang Hawker Centre)
Jalan Seluang, Taman Banang
83000 Batu Pahat, JOHOR.

5) Lontong @ Gerai Mak Ani, Taman Maju

This, my number one must-eat in Batu Pahat. It’s not as well-known as the lontong stall under the tree next to TIGS school. But the latter opens for business too late, is prone to attitude when they get busy, and the quality control is questionable.

Screw that. I love my Mak Ani lontong! They are a stall occupying a lot at Medan Selera Taman Maju, along Jalan Maju. Hard to miss.

Breakfast Batu Pahat - lontong stall

Compressed rice drowning in sayur lodeh – a coconut milk gravy with vegetables, topped with a fried egg, beancurd and sweet sambal sotong. Comforting, familiar food from my childhood.

It is also inexpensive. Whenever my sister or brother-in-law buys us an expensive meal, I’d belanja them back right here without breaking bank. Win!

Breakfast Batu Pahat - lontong

Opens 6.30am. Closed on Wednesdays.

Gerai Mak Ani (No. 8)
Medan Selera Taman Maju
Jalan Maju
83000 Batu Pahat, JOHOR

Riverside hawker centre, Batu Pahat

Growing up, we’d frequent the Riverside Hawker Centre – popularly known as “Hai Kee” or “He Bian” to feast on our favourite eats.

Jalan Rahmat, Batu Pahat
The end of Jalan Rahmat leading to the river. I love this part of the road come evening; the colours of dusk gently embracing an old part of town.

“Hai Kee” has been around for as long as I can remember. The food court rests on the riverbanks, next to the jetty and maritime office. As a kid, I was TERRIFIED of the floor made of wooden planks. Someone told me that there were CROCODILES in the river and sometimes they would swim up and NOM humans…

Luckily the crocodiles left us alone, never once disrupting our meal. Perhaps there were no crocodiles at all, just an adult trying to scare an impressionable kid. Or maybe the crocodiles dwindled in numbers, much like the food stall operators at “Hai Kee” today.

Riverside Hawker Centre Hai Ki, Batu Pahat
Cross the road to Hai Kee!

After all, continuity means someone’s got to step up and take over. I see a couple of the food stalls have ‘new blood’ to continue with the business, but many others don’t. I wonder how long they will go on.

Our go-to drinks stall operator serves our favourite ice kacang. Coarsely shaved ice with an assortment of red beans, jelly, pineapple, sweet corn and nuts, topped with chocolate malt.

Riverside Hawker Centre Hai Ki, Batu Pahat - ice kacang
Ah Lam’s ice kacang

This stall was Ah Lam’s, who passed away last year. His children took over his business and continue churning out drinks and delicious ice kacang.

Riverside Hawker Centre Hai Ki, Batu Pahat - the late Ah Lam
The late Ah Lam, photo taken sometime in 2010

We love our Fuchow Mee, prepared by this uncle here. He can’t hear very well so his wife has to shout out orders at him.

Riverside Hawker Centre Hai Ki, Batu Pahat - dai chow uncle
Dai Chow uncle

What is Fuchow noodles? Thick egg noodles simmered in a rich, dark sauce. Meat, prawns and vegetables are added. Then the kicker: black vinegar. That makes ALL the difference. You MUST have the black vinegar, don’t forget to ask for it.

Riverside Hawker Centre Hai Ki, Batu Pahat - Fuchow noodles
Foochow egg noodles with black vinegar

The o-chien stall is going strong, the original seller still churning out plates of fried egg with oysters.

Riverside Hawker Centre Hai Ki, Batu Pahat - Meng Hian oyster
Frying o-chien like a boss

It is decent o-chien. Good even, if you’ve never had the ones in Penang. Here, they make up for it with a generous portion of oysters.

Riverside Hawker Centre Hai Ki, Batu Pahat - o chien
Fried oyster omelette

The wu xiang aka lo bak stall is now managed by the owner’s son. Translated to Five Flavours, this fritter dish originated from the Fujian province. The original 5 fritters were: prawn, pork rolls, pork liver, egg rolls and pork sausage.

Riverside Hawker Centre Hai Ki, Batu Pahat - wu xiang stall
Deep-fry till the cows come home

Now we have plenty of options, but be warned: this stall runs out early, especially during weekends. Batu Pahat folks love their wu xiang.

Riverside Hawker Centre Hai Ki, Batu Pahat - wu xiang
My wu xiang picks: fragrant crunchy prawn fritters and fish fillet

There’s a grilled chicken wings stall. It’s all right, not super fantastic, and very edible. But perhaps an unfair comparison; after all I’ve had the best chicken wings in the country.

Riverside Hawker Centre Hai Ki, Batu Pahat - chicken wings

One of the Lee brothers sells fish ball noodles (Penggaram Mee) at Hai Kee. I think his other brother at Taman Bukit Pasir makes a better version.

Riverside Hawker Centre Hai Ki, Batu Pahat - fishball noodles

On some days (depends on whether they feel like opening or not), we get grilled stringray loaded with a generous serving of spicy sambal. I had it recently; it was better in my teenage memory.

Riverside Hawker Centre Hai Ki, Batu Pahat - grilled fish

The stall next to Ah Lam’s sell sotong kangkung – cuttlefish and water spinach salad. I ate it all before I remembered to take a photograph. But they do things the old school way here, check out the lady toasting you tiao (Chinese doughnut) over charcoal using a Ji-Gong fan.

Riverside Hawker Centre Hai Ki, Batu Pahat - charcoal grilled youtiao

There you go, my personal must-eat in Batu Pahat 🙂

Riverside (Hai Kee) Hawker Centre
Jalan Shahbandar,
83000 Batu Pahat, JOHOR.

Ah Chew Laksa @ Glutton Street, Batu Pahat

There is something about Batu Pahat laksa. It is not as famous as Penang curry mee. But it is also less oily and less rich, though no less satisfying. The coconut milk gravy is lighter, so you can enjoy it often without worrying about arteries clogging.

(I’m not a dietitian, please don’t take my word for it)

Laksa Batu Pahat, Jalan Pengkai - Glutton Street laksa
A bowl of laksa from Glutton Street, Jalan Pengkai

The laksa of my childhood is at “Tam Chiak Kue” – Glutton Street. It’s this corner stall along Jalan Pengkai, behind The Store Jalan Rugayah, near the main bus station.

Laksa Batu Pahat, Jalan Pengkai - laksa stall

Mr Chew has been selling laksa and prawn noodles here for more than 30 years. His brother operates at the same stall selling the same thing during the day, but we’d only come here in the evening.

Laksa Batu Pahat, Jalan Pengkai - Mr Chew
The laksa man

What’s in a bowl of Batu Pahat laksa?

Your choice of noodles; we always opt for a combination of yellow noodles and rice vermicelli. Bean curd (tau kua), deep-fried bean curd skin with seasoned fish paste (tau ki), cuttlefish and cockles. A light coconut milk gravy; hot, fragrant and slightly spicy. Be sure to add a generous dollop of sambal chilli, homemade using dried shrimps for an extra kick.

Laksa Batu Pahat, Jalan Pengkai - Glutton Street laksa with chilli

The last I checked (Dec 2014), a small serving costs RM3.80. A large serving (with extra noodles) costs RM4.50. The serving you see above come with extra ingredients. I don’t remember how much it is.

If you go for a bowl of Mr Chew’s laksa, you MUST order ais kacang from the drinks stall next door. Also this part of Tam Chiak Kue is becoming ridiculously popular, getting a table may be a problem!

Ah Chew Laksa
(there’s no official name for this stall, I just made it up)
Glutton Street aka Tam Chiak Kue
Corner of Jalan Pengkai and Jalan Soga,
83000 Batu Pahat, JOHOR.

Soon Lai ‘kuey chap’, Batu Pahat

My first introduction to kuey chap was quite traumatising.

“What is that? What are you eating?” I asked my Dad.
He nonchalantly replied, “Pig’s blood.”

Euwww. Can someone of my ethnicity agree with me on how DISGUSTING that sounds to a KID? I can’t be the only Chinese who thinks that eating coagulated pig’s blood is utterly horrifying…!

So no kuey chap for me, until much later in my 20s. Having been re-introduced to it in Singapore, I had only this thought:

OMG WHAT HAVE I BEEN MISSING ALL THESE YEARS?!?
(I still skip the pig blood, but LET ME EAT EVERYTHING ELSE!!!)

Soon Lai Batu Pahat - kway chap
Batu Pahat kuey chap

Not to mention, it was so easy to get decent kuey chap in Batu Pahat!

What is now the famous Soon Lai kuey chap started out as a humble roadside stall. The founder, Mr Lim sold flat rice noodles served in a braising broth, accompanied by parts of the pig. Stewed of course, they are Teo Chew after all.

In the 50s, Mr Lim peddled his hawker food along Jalan Jenang, which is also home to the famous Ah See Wantan Mee). Later they moved to Jalan Fatimah; I remember them as a busy corner roadside stall next to an old clinic. Then in the 90s, they shifted their operations into the corner shop lot along the same row. It still houses their well-known restaurant today.

Soon Lai Batu Pahat - shop

Kedai Makan Soon Lai is diagonally across the 103 year-old Thean Hou (Ma Zu aka Goddess of the Sea) temple, one of the oldest temples in Batu Pahat. You know a temple is famous when Singaporeans make day trips just to pray there.

They used to keep big tortoises in this temple. I wonder if they are still around.

But never mind temples and tortoises. Back to Mr Lim and his kuey chap

It’s been nearly 60 years since the founder Mr Lim sold his first bowl of kuey chap. Today his grandchildren; the 3rd generation continues his work with gusto. Prep begins at 5am for these youngsters, working hard to open for business at 10.30am.

Soon Lai Batu Pahat - owners
The 3rd generation of Lim hard at work

So, what is kuey chap?

Soft, smooth flat, broad rice noodles; in Soon Lai’s case, shaped triangularly. This is the ‘kuey’. It is served in a lipsmakingly delicious herbal broth topped with fragrant fried shallots, which is the ‘chap’ (gravy).

Now, this broth. It is tasty, not very oily and the exact recipe a guarded family secret. We do know that the broth’s base is soy sauce, and combined with a mixture of herbs, spices, pork meat and offal, it is cooked and simmered for at least 3 hours.

Soon Lai Batu Pahat - flat noodles

You eat the rice noodles with stewed parts of the pig. Choose your sinful platter: pork belly, lean pork meat, intestines, ear, skin, blood, kidney, tongue…

True to our frugal Chinese roots, no part of the pig goes to waste!

Other non-pig favourites include pressed beancurd (tau kua), beancurd skin, hard boiled egg, and chicken feet.

Soon Lai Batu Pahat - pork meat and pig organs

Sides include: pickled mustard green, Batu-Pahat style tauki, fish balls, fish cake, century egg…

Soon Lai Batu Pahat - mustard

Soon Lai Batu Pahat - deep-fried fish cakes

Wash it all down with a refreshing bowl of lime jelly (ai yu) with crushed ice.

You’ll need it because it might be a while before you get to eat…

Soon Lai Batu Pahat - lime jelly

I highly recommend it. Soon Lai ‘kuey chap’ is the stuff of Batu Pahat (pork-eating) childhood dreams. BUT be warned: if you go at peak lunch hours, be prepared to wait a while for a seat. If it’s a weekend during a public holiday, worse.

Would the wait be shorter at their 2nd branch near Jalan Kluang?

No. If you insist on eating there between 12.30pm to 2pm, take a number and join the waiting game.

If you get there later in the afternoon, know that some of your favourites would have been sold out by then.

It’s like that.

Soon Lai Batu Pahat - customers
Hey, these customers look familiar…!

Kedai Makan Soon Lai (main branch)
No. 6C, Jalan Fatimah,
83000 Batu Pahat, JOHOR.
Opens daily 10.30am – 5.30pm

Kedai Makan Soon Lai (Taman Ceria branch)
No. 7, Jalan Ceria 1, Taman Ceria,
83000 Batu Pahat, JOHOR.
Opens daily 10am – 6pm

Actually it’s not true, they are not open every day. I asked them which days they rest, to which they replied, “Oh, it’s uncertain…”

Hmmm… May the kuey chap luck be with you!