TAMAN Desa Aman residents in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, have been granted leave by the High Court to pursue a judicial review against a development order (DO) for an urban renewal project in their neighbourhood.
Teochew s grated it, mixed it with rice flour slurry and steamed the mixture into cakes that kept well in the cold and were lightly pan-fried, since oil was precious.White radish did not grow well in the tropics, while rice arrived by the gunny sack from Kedah.
They needed fast, high-energy food, and Teochew hawkers met that demand by transforming the radish cake. Kan Kar Inn and his father Kan Kwan Yoon at their ‘char kue kak’ stall at Chowrasta Market in George Town. The dish is among Penang’s 10 gazetted heritage food. — LIM BENG TATT/The StarMore char was added. Flavour was pushed hard with dark soy sauce and chilli to overwhelm tongues.That was how char kue kak came to be. You can eat it in many other towns today, but the historical record points to George Town as the place where this version took shape. I have been reading food history since Penang government announced it would gazette 10 foods as part of the state’s intangible cultural heritage.Roti benggali, for one, has a well-documented history of being first baked by Indian-Muslim immigrants in George Town in the 1920s.Despite its presence in food courts nationwide, it was created by Jawa Peranakan or Chinese-Javanese communities in Penang. This plate of yellow noodles in sweet-savoury, potato-starch gravy with cuttlefish, sometimes shrimp, bean sprouts, fried tofu and sambal did not come from Java at all. Penang oh chien proved a tougher subject, and appears to be a heritage Penang shares with Muar, Johor. Records suggest it began as famine food among the Teochew and Hokkien in China, when rice failed but sweet potato starch and oysters were abundant.Sungai Muar, more than 300m wide near its estuary, is ideal for brackish-water oysters, which grow much larger than marine varieties.After Singapore progressed, Muar oyster harvesters built a thriving trade supplying the island. When Teochew and Hokkien migrants reached Muar and saw those plump oysters, they knew exactly what to do.Malay mee udang is rarely found in George Town.The dish centres on freshly caught XL sea prawns supplied by Penang’s 5,000-odd inshore fishermen.It may resemble Muar’s mee bandung, but Penang Malays cook mee udang with a gentler, more soothing flavour. The other foods that made the list are kerabu bihun, mee sotong, nasi kandar, pasembor and Hokkien mee. I am still studying their histories, partly out of curiosity and partly to understand the socio-cultural markers that shape Penang.On the streets, it appears as “char kuih kak”, “char koay kak” and other variations. The state government’s choice of “kue”, phonetically aligns closer to how the dish is called in Penang Hokkien.
China Teochew George Town Char Kue Kak Food Heritage Penang Mee Jawa Oh Chien Mee Udang
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Thousands converge at temples across Penang for ThaipusamAt the Viva Technology Conference in Paris in May of 2025, Musk said artificial superintelligence could eliminate the need to work for a living.
Read more »
New Guangzhou–Penang direct flight boosts Visit Malaysia campaignYANGON: The Pyin Oo Lwin–Gokteik–Pyin Oo Lwin sightseeing train service on the Mandalay–Lashio railway line has recorded strong passenger demand, according to official sources.
Read more »
SPRM to Summon More Individuals in Penang Government Official Abuse of Power ProbeThe Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in Penang is expected to call in more individuals to assist in the investigation into alleged abuse of power involving a senior government official in the state. This was confirmed by the state MACC director, Datuk S. Karunanithy. The investigation concerns the alleged misuse of power related to land purchases using zakat funds, following revelations by a State Assemblyman.
Read more »
MACC widens investigation into Penang senior official over zakat land purchase claimsGEORGE TOWN, Feb 1 — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) of Penang will call up more individuals to have their statements recorded to assist in the investigation into...
Read more »
Speaking Tamil Doesn’t Make You Hindu: Mamak Restaurant Addresses Muslim Identity MisconceptionsThe owner of Nasi Kandar Sulaiman, a popular mamak restaurant in Penang, recounted an incident where two Malay customers from outside Penang asked if he was celebrating Thaipusam, a Hindu…
Read more »
Taman Tasik Titiwangsa Residents Battle Commercialization and Safety ConcernsResidents of Taman Tasik Titiwangsa in Kuala Lumpur are facing increasing challenges from commercial activities, including traffic congestion, safety hazards, and privacy concerns. Despite enforcement efforts by DBKL, illegal vendors and bicycle rental operators continue to proliferate, impacting the peaceful environment of the residential area.
Read more »