FOODlog #55: Hokkien Noodles in Kuala Lumpur

Ever since I was a kid, I love to eat this local noodle dish called 'Hokkien Mee'. There's also another dish of the same name called 'Penang Hokkien Mee' but it's not to be mistaken with this one. It's a totally different dish and this one is popular here in Kuala Lumpur. You can find this dish cooked at almost any Chinese restaurant but not everywhere serves good ones.

Here's one that I ate recently that's from a stall nearby where I live called 'Tiam Fatt'. It's not the best I've ever tasted but it is convenient since it's very near where I live and it is also reasonably priced.

So what is Hokkien Mee?

Hokkien Mee are thick flour noodles that has a sort of chewy texture and and it's wok fried with pork lard, slices of pork, prawns, cabbage, and seasoned with dark soy sauce and light soy sauce. Some places add in slice fish cakes or fish meatballs. It's also topped with the fried crispy pork lard and comes with a side of 'sambal belacan' which is a chili paste with dried fermented shrimp and so good as a dipping sauce for these noodles.

You also get the smokey aroma from the dish being fried in a wok on super high heat where the flames give it a nice char flavor which we call 'wok hey' also known as the flavor of the flame. Man writing about this now makes me want to go get some XD

Malaysians typically eat this anywhere from lunch to supper but it seems more enjoyable whenever it's eaten as a late night supper. Well for me at least that is. Super delicious and a must try if you're ever visiting Malaysia.