The focus of my Scrumptious Saturday posts thus far have been mostly on food of Chinese origin because that’s what I eat most of on a daily basis. However, living in Malaysia where we have cultural dan racial diversity, our food too is culturally diverse. I love my spicy food and I’m always on the look out for a good Malay food stall or an Indian restaurant. Today, I’d like to introduce you to the Mamak “Nasi Kandar”.
Mamak are Malaysian people of Tamil-Muslim descent and the food is usually similar to the Indian style with liberal use of spices and curries in their cooking. “Nasi Kandar” lit. “Rice balanced on a pole” originates from the days when hawkers would carry their wares in large pots on a pole which they balance on their shoulders. What Nasi Kandar really is, is steamed white rice with a variety of foods and curries.
Nasi Kandar is known to have its origins up north in Penang but there are many popular shops and stalls around KL these days. I went to one recently with my family (we all love our spices!) – a famous one at Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman – Kudu bin Abdul. It was our first time there and believe me when I say you have to queue for your food!
The shop is an unassuming corner coffee shop with no frills or fancies or air-conditioning. It is crowded as it is extremely popular with people of all races and getting a table is hard. We ended up sitting on the five foot way 🙂
The fried chicken is lovely! Crunchy and marinated with spices before frying. Granted, its all unhealthy but for a once in a while treat, nothing beats a good juicy piece of fried chicken, hot from the wok!
Here’s the spread we had – fried chicken, beef cooked in spices, fried fish, curried squid, vegetables and a plateful of mixed curries that makes Nasi Kandar so special.
Do you enjoy eating Nasi Kandar? Or have you eaten this before? I don’t eat it often, because its not very healthy. But once in a while, especially a good one, just bring it on already! 😀 I’m also taking recs for your favourite Nasi Kandar shops/stalls so let me know where to find the best ones k? 😉
Paris B
Scrumptious Saturday : One day in a week where I dish out random scrumptiousness from my other love – food!
Applegal says
April 21, 2012 at 9:28 amOMG you’re making me crave for it! On a Saturday morning!! I loved the nasi kandar at Line Clear in Penang, wondering whether this is as good or better!
Paris B says
April 22, 2012 at 10:36 pmYou know, I’ve heard so much about this Line Clear Nasi Kandar but don’t even know where it is in penang! Shall have to go and hunt it down when I go North next 🙂
ishi says
April 21, 2012 at 9:42 amMy goodness, Kudu nasi kandar. Yes that one is famous. I believe it has been at least 10 years since the last time I was there for lunch with colleagues. That was during my heydays when lunch was always an adventure. We would go far and wide in search of the latest or the greatest (and we will be planning the next day’s conquest over that lunch!) But, now I have seen the light….
Actually there is no time to lunch now and most of my weekday lunches these days are either on the go at my desk with a fork or sandwich in one hand and a report of some sort in another, and on other days, out entertaining the clients at some fancy (not necessarily good) restaurants in klcc….and Oh yes, when i feel guilty/fed up enough, running 5K on the threadmill at the gym…this is all assuming I am even in the country.
Oh yeah, those were the good old days…..
Paris B says
April 22, 2012 at 10:39 pmLol! After so many years and I’ve just only tried it. Seems like the higher up we go in our careers, the less time we have for the fun things like hunting down a good hearty lunch eh? I used to be like that. Eat lunch at my desk. But I don’t do it anymore, I guess I’m regressing lol! Sounds like you are one busy busy lady! 😉
plue says
April 21, 2012 at 10:08 amfood! food for the soul! love them but they are really bad if you on a weight controlling process 😛
Paris B says
April 22, 2012 at 10:41 pmYup! Absolutely terrible for those in a diet. I don’t eat it often, thank goodness 🙂
Angel says
April 21, 2012 at 11:10 amNasi kandar has to be one of my favourite food among all things Malaysian. I used to frequent Kayu Nasi Kandar a lot in the past but I found out that the quality of their food somehow has degraded over the years. Hence, I stopped going there for about a year already.
There’s this nice corner cafe, JMT Nasi Kandar at Mont Kiara that I found the food to be really good. We need to queue up when we go there. It certainly isn’t anything extraordinary but well, personal favourite, I guess.
Paris B says
April 22, 2012 at 10:43 pmI agree with you about Kayu Nasi Kandar. When they were relatively unknown, before they had all those branches, they were quite good but now, overpriced! I’ll check out your rec if I’m in Mont Kiara next. Doesn’t have to be extraordinary, just good 😉
Janie says
April 21, 2012 at 12:13 pmThe famous nasi kandar 24hour shop like pelita, kayu and others are not laku in Penang. We always prefer to dine at small mamak shops.
Paris B says
April 22, 2012 at 10:44 pmAhhh share a local haunt, Janie. I don’t et at the chain restaurants too. They are so overpriced and don’t taste very good.
Jyoan says
April 21, 2012 at 12:36 pmhaha, when I eat Indian food, I have no idea what is what. =P I just eat. I like Indian food. In Singapore, somehow it tends to be the Indian food and Muslim food that tastes better. LOL.
Paris B says
April 22, 2012 at 10:45 pmLol! My sis took me to Serangoon where I had some really good Indian food at a food court? I loved it! I’m not too sure what I’m eating most of the time because they are just various types of curries but I’m learning to distinguish them now 🙂
Jyoan says
April 23, 2012 at 1:50 amhehe. Glad you like the Indian food here. Indian stalls have the best curries ever. I like naan and the lamb spinach thing.
And they have the best Bandung drink because they use carnation milk, and best Ginger Tea. Not forgetting their Mango Lassi. (Never trust Chinese stalls to give thick thick drinks here… … =P)
And Indian stalls here also have awesome desserts. I don’t know why, but Indian desserts are sweeter.
There is this huge fried crab that Indians like to include in their economy rice menu. Best of the best, but only in those shops, not stalls.
Paris B says
April 25, 2012 at 10:55 pmIndian desserts, the traditional ones are diabetes inducing! But can be so delicious 😀 I’ll have to ask you for recs for other Indian places to eat in Singapore the next time I go down!
Jacqueline says
April 21, 2012 at 1:00 pmI haven’t but it looks delicious. I love spicy food.
Paris B says
April 22, 2012 at 10:46 pmNext time you’re in Malaysia, give it a shot 😀
Mari Ohira says
April 21, 2012 at 9:48 pmSeems delicious! I love spices as well! Unfortunately, we cannot find Malaysian food anywhere in Sampa… There’s Vietnamese, Thai, Chinese, and even Cambodjan, but I haven’t heard of anything Malaysian in this side of the world. 🙁 I will look for it! 😉
Paris B says
April 22, 2012 at 10:52 pmOh boo! I can’t believe no Malaysian have found their way to Sampa to open a restaurant! I hope they do soon. If w have one thing going for us, it’s our food 😀
synical says
April 22, 2012 at 10:06 pmNever heard of the place.
Things like nasi kandar or banana leaf rice is definitely a social, not solo activity, IMO.
Paris B says
April 22, 2012 at 11:44 pmIt’s one of the lesser known famous shops I guess 🙂 it’s definitely more fun having this socially – can try more food too! 😉