Friday, June 12, 2009

Penang - Chowrasta Market - Pok Chang

Food: Pok Chang 薄撑
Type: Non-Halal
Location: Chowrasta Market (吉靈萬山巴剎)
Price: RM0.60 / per piece

Owner: Madam Loke
Stall Operation: 0700 - 1100 (Only Saturday - if raining, sorry - they rest)

Parking Convenience: Bad
Hygiene: Fair

Direction: -
Park your car either along Campbell Street or other streets to have some walking distant. During early morning time, you hardly get a nearby space except counting on your luck.

My Lucky Hunt
I heard this old lady will only open stall once in a weekend, only Saturday. Thus when I scouted around Chowrasta market, I didn't place high hope.

When I see this Mdm Loke, I was stunned there for 3 seconds. Mdm Loke told me - her daughter-in-law was on holiday during Tuesday, thus they opened stall. What a lucky hunt to me to drive 15km from Bayan Lepas!

Madam Loke asked me what did I shoot? I answered - "Leng Lui" (beautiful lady in Cantonese), she burst into laugh then.
Madam Loke in Action

It's all about team work.
Team Work

Old Cantonese Dim Sum
It was difficult to find this old Cantonese Dim Sum nowadays in Penang island. I firmly believe quite a lot of people forgotten this traditional old food. I called it Pok-Chang (薄撑), following the Cantonese prounonciation. This old Dim Sum is using sticky rice powder to make the outer skin in order to wrap. Inside the ingredient is the mixture of hand-made-blended coconut meat, white sugar and crushed groundnuts.

Old Tool
Old Tool

Tool Application
All Hand-Made

Remember to voice out if you wish to have less sugar
Customized Order

Displayed Name
There's a small name tag displayed - Ketayap. I checked from Internet recipe. Actually Ketayap is not the accurate name for this old Cantonese Dim Sum. Ketayap, Malay name of "kuih gulung" - the wrapping skin is made of wheat flour (plus Pandan colouring in light green) while this Cantonese Dim Sum is not. The internal ingredient for both are almost the same. Outcome? Both also like "bolster". Have no idea how come the name tag mixed with the "kuih gulung", probably if anyone knows further on this, please share.

Hand-Made Mixer
Hand-Made Mixer

Mixing
Mixer

Balancing
Balancing

Adding ingredients
Adding

Wrapping
Wrapping

Final Outcome
Pok Chang (Cantonese Pronounciation)

Patience - Key of Waiting
40 years plus of selling this, Mdm Loke unable to tell you how long duration exactly you need to wait for the Dim Sum. There are only two small wok. If you wish to eat this, patience is the key.

Happy to wait? Check out the customer's expression
Patient & Happy Customers

Her daughter-in-law (DIL) inherited Mdm Loke's "kung fu" to continue the business. At all time, most of the customers will surround the whole stalls just like viewing show.

Happy Transaction
Happy Transaction

In conclusion - I like to eat the Dim Sum because you can feel happiness from both Mdm Loke and her DIL to prepare the Dim Sum. Finally someone inherits this cooking so we can still able to enjoy Pok Chang.

11 comments:

  1. nice sharing, poor me...i've seen this before...looks nice..coz i love coconut!!!

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  2. SimpleGirl, try best to hunt this down, try the old taste. Eat while hot is the best. I will wait for my shift turns to weekday, then I can visit this stall again :-)

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  3. This one so new to me! Sure gonna try it out! Thanks for sharing :)

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  4. Thanks Allie. You must try out! :-)

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  5. This is a nice dessert. Last time the husband was making but he has since passed away. The stall is just nearby the chu chap chok (pork intestine porridge).

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  6. ive never had this dim sum before! looks very interesting! will definitely look out for it. lovely photos! :)

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  7. Thanks Lingzie. A must try on this dim sum :-)

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  8. pok chang...i missed my grandma cooking so much! i like the version with ku chai and dried shrimp. And thanks for sharing, now i know where to get the old school snack.

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  9. Thanks Gill :-) Go there early, says in between 0700-0715. I did go there during the suggested timing. Madam Loke asked me to go around and pick the order later, total waiting time? More than 30 minutes :-P LOL!~

    Happy hunting and have great weekend :-)

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  10. Such a nice recommendation of dim sum...i like it

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  11. Thanks Paul. It's a very traditional dessert that hardly find nowadays. Try your luck and hunt for it. :-) Happy hunting then!

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