Curry mee

Penang curry mee as served by the Lorong Seratus Tahun Curry Mee Stall

Curry mee is a noodle dish with curry broth ubiquitous in both Singapore and Malaysia. However, as with other street dishes, there are a number of variations of curry mee, with each being common in a particular geographical region.

Penang curry mee closely resembles curry laksa, which is popular in Singapore and southern Peninsular Malaysia. There are differences between both dishes, though, especially with the use of coagulated pig's blood in Penang curry mee.

On Penang Island, Penang curry mee is sold in most hawker centres and coffee shops.

In addition, Penang curry mee has been gaining international recognition in recent years, through the efforts of the Penangite company, MyKuali, the producer of the famous instant Penang curry noodles.

Penang curry mee includes generous amounts of seafood ingredients, a special sambal (chilli paste) and coagulated pig's blood.

Ingredients

What sets Penang curry mee apart from the similar-looking Singaporean curry laksa is the use of coagulated pork blood and the special sambal (chilli paste in Malay).

The rich curry broth is made with prawn shells and coconut milk.

• Blanched yellow egg noodles
• Rice vermicelli (beehoon in Hokkien)
• Prawns
• Cuttlefish
• Cockles
• Coagulated pork blood cubes
• Long beans
• Bean sprouts
• Mint leaves
• Coconut milk
• Tofu puffs
• Sambal

The Lim sisters, in their 80s, still cook up delicious Penang curry mee daily at their makeshift stall in Air Itam, George Town.

Recommended Places

As it is the most popular hawker dish on Penang Island, Penang curry mee is available in many hawker centres and coffee shops all over the island. The following are the more recommended places to sample Penang curry mee.

• Lorong Seratus Tahun Curry Mee, Lorong Seratus Tahun, George Town
  • Opening Hours : 0800 hours - 1200 hours
• Timesway Restaurant, Jalan Kuantan, George Town
  • Opening Hours : 0700 hours - 1200 hours
• Lim Sisters' Curry Mee Stall, Air Itam Road, Air Itam, George Town
  • Opening Hours : 0730 hours - 1300 hours
• Curry Mee Stall, Chulia Street, George Town
  • Opening Hours : 2000 hours - 0000 hours
• Cecil Street Market Hawker Centre, McNair Street, George Town
  • Opening Hours : 1100 hours - 1600 hours
• Hot Bowl Nyonya Delights Restaurant, Aboo Sittee Lane, George Town
  • Opening Hours : 1000 hours - 1500 hours
• Tua Pui Curry Mee, Kimberley Street, George Town
  • Opening Hours : 0800 hours - 1700 hours
• Lee Huat Cafe, Green Lane, George Town
  • Opening hours : 0630 hours - 1100 hours
• Jalan Sir Ibrahim, Jelutong, George Town
  • Opening Hours : 0800 hours - 1200 hours
• New Cathay Coffee Shop, Burmah Road, Pulau Tikus, George Town
  • Opening Hours : 0800 hours - 1100 hours

Packets of Mykuali's instant Penang curry noodles

Mykuali

Since 2013, Mykuali, a Penangite company, has been producing its brand of instant Penang curry noodles. The instant curry noodles have gained worldwide acclaim, notably from The Ramen Eater, a popular American instant noodle reviewer; Mykuali's instant Penang curry noodles was ranked top in the website's 'Top 10 Instant Noodles of All Time' list in 2014.

More recently, the company has also produced instant Penang Hokkien mee and instant tom yum noodles.

References

1. http://www.themalaymailonline.com/eat-drink/article/so-whats-the-big-deal-about-penang-white-curry-noodles
2. http://www.buletinmutiara.com/yummy-curry-mee/
3. http://www.penang-online.com/pages/penang-hawker-food/curry-mee.php
4. http://www.theramenrater.com/top-ten-lists/all-time-packs/top-ten-instant-noodles-time-2014/
5. http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2014/11/16/still-currying-on-after-60-years-elderly-sisters-famous-penang-noodles-continue-to-gain-fans-from-ne/