Penang: Livin in a Gastronomic Paradise

I spent Chinese New Year in Penang- an island off of the west coast of Malaysia- once called the ‘Pearl of the Orient.’ Penang is known- in fact it is famous- for its delicious, cheap street hawker food. And so, my adventures in Penang revolved around a continuous ‘food crawl’ between the various food stalls, street markets, and food courts this culinary mecca had to offer. 

Penang is known for having a Chinese majority population, and therefore, for being the best destination in Malaysia to celebrate Chinese New Year. The year of the rabbit began February 3 and lasts 15 days. Even though my state of Terengganu contains next-to no Chinese people, all of our schools had both Wednesday and Thursday off for the Holiday, because it is a national Holiday. Most people spend the holiday returning to their hometowns with their families. I was incredibly lucky though to be able to spend the holiday in the center of Chinese life in Malaysia. Everyone was extremely friendly- almost like visiting America during Christmas-time: everyone seemed to be in the festive spirit. The streets were smoking with the intense aroma of incense. Oranges were practically everywhere- adding to the sweet aroma. The doors of Chinese homes stayed open, men sat on their patios peeling fresh water chestnuts, bright red lanterns hung from building to building, giant gold Chinese letters read Gong Xi Fai Chai- or ‘Happy New Year.’ Fire crackers and fireworks exploded sporadically, and huge lion/dragon dances paraded through the streets, accompanied by loud drums and cymbals. The various temples throughout the city were almost suffocating with incense and burnt offerings, flaming inside huge fire pits. 

After an overnight bus from Kuala Terengganu on the east coast, we (my fellow English Teaching Assistant friends and I) arrived in Georgetown, the capital of Penang, around 5am. Not able to check in to our accommodation, we wandered the streets and watched the city slowly come to life. Luckily we found a 24-hour eatery (which they have quite a few of in Penang), that was famous for its Nasi Kandar. To many, Nasi Kandar is synonymous with Penang. A middle-aged Indian Malaysian man wore a cowboy hat and an apron as he scooped out a pile of rice onto my plate. He grabbed a big piece of fried chicken and a hard-boiled egg, and smothered my dish with a curry-smelling red sauce studded with whole pieces of okra (which they call ‘lady fingers’ here). The dish originated from the hands of Indian Muslims who immigrated to the island way back when, and it can be served with anything from chicken, to seafood, or beef.  I washed down my breakfast of champions with a chrysanthemum soda. As we ate in the alley of ‘Line Clear Restaurant’ rats ran past us, an old man sharpened his knife on the pavement, and the chef blew a whistle that hung around his neck- just to give us a the extra wake-up call we needed before sunrise. 

 Some of the best Nasi Kandar in town

 Our 5am breakfast 

My culinary exploits continued to get better and better. Char Koay Teow is probably the most popular street hawker dish among the locals. It is perfectly satisfying. Flat, silky rice noodles are wok-fried (in pork fat- yum) with crispy bean sprouts, fluffy egg, briny cockles, chewy Chinese sausage, plump shrimp (prawns here in Southeast Asia) and flavored with hints of chive and chili.  This is like amped-up comfort food. They serve it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner- like most dishes in Malaysia. 

 Char Koay Teow

Our breakfast of yummy Penang noodles

Probably the most popular dessert treat in all of Malaysia, and especially in Penang is Ais Cendol (pronounced ‘ice chendol’). It was very sunny and hot while we were there and a Cendol is just what you need to cool the heat, and quench your thirst. It is made from shaved ice topped with these green, chewy, worm-looking things called ‘cendol’ made from pandansantangula Melaka (a smoky black palm sugar syrup). (a mild-tasting green leaf used frequently in Malaysian sweets) and rice flour. The ice and cendol are topped with red beans (which are cooked down so they are tender), (coconut milk) and gula Melaka (a smoky black palm sugar syrup).

 A famous ais cendol and ais kacang stall

 Ais Cendol

Other Penang specialties which I was lucky enough to indulge in, include Hokkien Mee: mee (noodles) in an intensely-flavored prawn soup, served with more prawns, hard-boiled egg, pork, crispy fried shallots, and a spoonful of chili paste. Most of the Chinese people in the state of Penang are Hokkien and speak the Hokkien Chinese dialect. Another Penang classic is wanton mee- basically wantons (meat and shrimp dumplings) with wheat and egg noodles- served either dry (with a light soy sauce element) or wet (in a broth soup). Both dry and wet wanton mee are served with barbequed pork and some leafy vegetables. I could go on and on for hours about the food…

Whole pigs hung from market ceilings and a man used an axe to chop off fish heads on a wooden stump. Giant jackfruits were hacked apart to retrieve their juicy pockets of fruity flesh; sugar canes were put through a grinding mill to retrieve the saccharine juice inside, which would be served on ice; young coconuts were opened and scooped of their soft flesh and put in blenders to make the most amazing coconut shake you could dream of.  Tables flowed with cakes of bright pink, rounds of gooey sweet rice cakes wrapped in banana leaves, and buns filled with sweet bean pastes. Special sweets were laid out for the New Year. 

 A jackfruit

The food isn’t the only thing that is rich in Penang- this former British colony has a rich history, and diverse culture. And for this Georgetown is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lying in the advantageous position on the Straits of Malacca, Penang has attracted traders and settlers for centuries. It is a mash up of disheveled Chinese shopfronts and British Raj-era architecture. Colonial buildings (such as the old Town Hall and City Hall) pair up with Fort Cornwallis and old Christian churches to make up the historical district of Georgetown. UNESCO also recognizes the historical importance of the Weld Quay Clan piers, a series of long rows jetties on which are built low houses, religious shrines, and shops- each row belonging, traditionally, to a different Chinese family clan. 

We visited the Snake Temple- which, like its name suggests, was swarming with passed-out snakes, high off of the enormous amounts of incense offerings. I cannot even count how many gorgeous Chinese temples I visited the trip- they were almost as ubiquitous as the Catholic churches are in Rome. The most spectacular of these would have to be the Kek Lok Si Temple, on the outskirts of Georgetown, the largest Buddhist temple in all of Malaysia and one of the most recognizable buildings in the country. Well, it isn’t a building; it is more like a huge complex of buildings. I cannot even describe how enormous and awesome the temple was, lit up at night in celebration of the New Year. 

I stayed at a backpacker hostel on Love Lane, which is so named because it used to be the red-light district for Chinese tradesmen. Love Lane was bordered Georgetown’s sprawling Chinatown to the west. Unfortunately the Chinese take their holiday seriously and many of the Chinese shops and restaurants were closed, so they could partake in family festivities.

Luckily Love Lane also bordered- to the east- the best, most intensely-Indian Little India I’ve ever seen. It was there, that I’ve had some of the best Indian food of my life. Imagine a street with stereo-systems blaring energetic Indian beats and the scents of incense mixing with the spicy fresh samosas, right out of the corner fryer. Then grab a ginger tea mixed with sweetened condensed milk, which is then poured back and forth from pot to pot in a long stream of sweet, milky goodness so that it is frothy enough to receive the title ‘tarik’ meaning ‘pulled’ tea. The streets of little India are lined with brightly colored textiles, traditional Indian garb, and lavish gold jewelry, as well as posters advertising the newest Bollywood films on DVD, such as ‘I know what you did last Diwali’ haha. I purchased the most amazing silk saris that I am going to use as tapestries in my room, as well as a beautifully woven, ornate blanket to match; all in somewhat subdued golds and pinks. 

 sweet sweet Indian desserts

The best samosas ever

 Now, this is a true story- in one city block I breathed in the intoxicating incense-smoke of a crowded Chinese temple, received a white-powdered bindi from a priest inside a technicolor Hindu temple resplendent with flower blossoms, and heard the calming lowly sung call-to-prayer (Azan) from the nearby Mosque. There are many streets like this in Georgetown. And near the historic district, you may even add a Christian church or two to the mix.

We walked a ton in Penang. We even got foot massages from blind reflexologists. 

One can see how its geographical location is reflected in the Peranakan culture as the megaliths of India and China converge on this seaside town of Malaysia. There is also a unique Baba Nyonya culture that has developed over centuries- a merger of Chinese and Malay elements. This culture is seen in other Southeast Asian trading centers such as Singapore, Indonesia, and Malacca (in Malaysia). 

Penang has everything. Like any Malaysian island it is resplendent with beaches and wildlife. It also has a spectacular culture- with its marbled history and diverse people. But one must go to Penang-ultimately-to eat.