I have a little story to tell, about a little girl in primary school.
After school each day, her mother would come by after work to pick her up and they would gallivant around town looking for a good spot for lunch.
One day, this little girl’s mother was in a bit of a hurry and decided to get her little girl take away lunch from the nearby street stall which sold Chicken and BBQ Pork (Char Siew/ Char Siu) Rice.
When she got home, the little girl ate it, and her life was forever changed.
Everyday for the next 3 weeks, she made her mother drive by the little street side stall to buy her Char Siew rice. Every single day. Even after they established themselves and moved to a proper coffee shop (hawker stall).
As soon as her mother stopped the car, the little girl would leapt out of the car, and the chicken rice seller would see her, smile and say, “The same?”, which she would enthusiastically nod and have her little take away lunch box all done before everyone else’s (priority customer 🙂 )
She went there. Until one day, the chicken rice sellers disappeared.
True story. That little girl was me, and my 3 weeks straight of Char Siew Fan (BBQ Pork Rice) has become stuff of legends in my family.
I still have no idea what happened to my beloved Chicken Rice stall sellers or the amazing char siew they sold.
Most recently, late last year, I followed the Boy home as we were very much needed by his family’s side.
We didn’t want to stray too far from home and he decided to bring me to the local Kajang market for lunch.
According to him, the chicken rice stall sold pretty good char siew.
I was sceptical and merely pooh-poohed him. I have already dined on the dream char siew of old. And I didn’t or rather, I couldn’t believe that any other would exist.
How wrong I was.
How happy that I was wrong.
In this humble stall, located near the Kajang wet market near the rather fragrant brown river, lay a hidden gem.
Upon first taste, my mind was immediately transported back to my childhood. I couldn’t speak. I could only taste my memories. And somehow, this stuff of legends, tasted better than I remembered.
The char siew was moist and succulent on the inside. On the outside laid a slightly charred but extremely sweet smoky crisp dark coating.
The Boy couldn’t quite understand how I could be so overwhelmed by barbecued meat.
I’ve also tried the actual chicken with rice, but it doesn’t strike me as much as the char siew.
The Boy had quite a smirk on his face as we left the premises, whilst I walked out dreamily, counting the days to my next visit to this delicious morsel.
If you do visit, make sure you head there early, as the good stuff finishes early. I haven’t been able to try their siu yuk (Crispy Skin Roast Pork) as it’s always sold out by the time we get there.
*Disclaimer: All food ratings & review are purely based on my own experiences and how I feel about the service, food and quality at the time of visit
Food/ Cuisine: Malaysian / Chinese
Dining Style: Hawker Style Coffee Shop
Overall Food Rating (Based on the Dining style): 8/10
Restaurant ambiance: 5/10 (It’s not the best of places being located next to the river, especially when the wind changes. If you get my drift. No puns intended 🙂 )
Service/ Attitude: 6/10 (Unfortunately the chicken rice seller, despite being there for the last 15+ years has quite a bad memory and will constantly ask you to remind him what you ordered)
Value for money: 8/10
Opening Hours:
Monday to Sunday, 11am – 3pm (or until sold out)
Address:
Near Kajang Wet Market (see map below)
43000 Kajang
Selangor D.E.
Malaysia
How to get there:
Kajang is out of my location!!!! T_T
Awww 🙁
Your pictures are to die for – stunning. Yay for Malaysia posts! deliciousness…
Heidi xo
Thanks Heidi! It’s hard to take pictures in Malaysia especially in hawker centres by the market and be conspicuous and good at the same time!
Yay for sometimes refinding childhood food-loves, and having them not be paler in comparison than the original! Hurrah!
P.S. I used to love char siew as a kid; should try it again. I always liked the dry chewy sweet edge parts best 😛
Oh those are the parts I love best too!!! You truly are my one and only Angle Babe Rake Sway Fried Forever! YAYY!!!
*closing my eyes and send you the greatest big squeezy hug of all time. You should be getting it….. NOW!!*
GOT IT!!!!! *jumps up and down excitedly*
I am a complete freak for char siu and I can imagine how much you missed them! This looks wonderful! I did a class where they taught us how to make char siu and it was amazing 🙂
You did? What’s the secret technique??
Awww:) It’s always a shame when something so good from our childhood’s gone! But glad that you found this char siew because it LOOKS REALLY GOOD! I need another day in Malaysia!!!!!!!!! 🙁
I need another year!!!!
Now THIS is the real deal!!! Perfectly charred, beautifully glazed, succulent meat with thin layer of fats in between. Oh Lordy….. I love a good char siew and can’t stand the ones that are dyed in red colouring on the outside =/ My favourite part about this post is how taking a bite brings you back to your childhood. Soo heartwarming, I-Hua! Don’t you just love it when food takes you back? Happy days =)
Yes yes, I absolutely love it!!!
Oh my goodness that char siew looks just divine. Now my stomach is rumbling!
Mine too everytime I think about it *drools*
It’s funny how memories can be so strongly remembered from a taste or smell. Even though over time our tastes evolve, sometimes the simplest flavours taste the best because they are associated with a happy memory! Perhaps if we tried the same thing for the first time now, we might not like it as much!
Mine’s sort of the opposite. I tend to like all the things I never liked before.. old age I tell ya!
I think what you’re describing there is a “proustian memory” – a smell or taste from your childhood that transports you right back there. I think Proust ate a madelaine which provoked a memory but I’d rather eat the char siew – it looks and sounds so delicious 🙂
Oh thanks!! I think I read about Proustian somewhere but never thought much or associated this with it before!
AWWW. Sooooo… did you go back for several more days to further cement your memories? 🙂
I didn’t 🙁 My schedule usually only lets me hit and run each place once unfortunately! Plus it was the only place I ate that whole plate of rice!!!
That’s such a bittersweet story, sweet because your mum had do drive you there for 3 weeks straight and the fact that they had the rice already made. But it’s kinda sad that they disappeared one day 🙁
I’m glad you were able to find the char chiu rice this time 😀 I’d love to try it! The char chiu looks different than the ones I see in Hong Kong ~
Yeah I know! I’ve always wondered where they went!
I miss Malaysia 🙁
I studied in Limkokwing for 2 semester 🙂
Malaysia has the best food!
You did?! How long ago? Was it in the new campus or old? Yeah I may be bias but I can’t help but agree with us having the best food!
Awwww reunited with your char siew rice. Happy Ending.
It was a belly happy day !!!
Eh where’s the recipe? 😛
Hahahaha not for this stall.. we do have a char siu recipe somewhere on the blog 🙂
I have to try making chicken char siu version! Will let you know if it’s a hit. :S
Did it go well?
Hi, Great to know that you are from Kajang. Hubby is a born & bred kajang boy and lived in Kajang for many years before relocated to Melbourne. Great to know that we have another kajang folk in Melbourne too!
Haha! I’m not from Kajang! The hubs is 🙂 I’m only a temp resident when I visit 🙂