Penang Food Dictionary: 30 Essential Dishes Explained

Noodles

Char Kway Teow (炒粿條) Flat rice noodles stir-fried in a screaming-hot wok with dark soy sauce, bean sprouts, cockles, egg, and Chinese chives. The wok hei (breath of the wok) is the difference between average and excellent. Penang-style uses pork lard — if the stall is halal, lard is omitted. RM6–10.

Assam Laksa (亞叁叻沙) Thick rice noodles in a sour, funky tamarind-based broth made from mackerel (not prawn). Topped with shredded fish, cucumber, pineapple, onion, and prawn paste. Nothing like Singapore's coconut laksa — this is sharp, sour, and complex. RM5–7.

Hokkien Mee (福建麵) Two different dishes share this name. In Penang, Hokkien Mee = prawn noodles: yellow noodles + rice vermicelli in a deep prawn and pork rib stock. In KL, Hokkien Mee means fried noodles. Ask which type before ordering. RM7–12.

Curry Mee (咖哩麵) Yellow noodles in a coconut milk curry broth with tofu puffs, cockles, prawn, and cuttlefish. Richer than assam laksa, milder than nasi kandar curry. RM7–10.

Koay Teow Th'ng (粿條湯) Clear broth with flat rice noodles, fish cakes, and prawn. One of the more delicate soups in the Penang repertoire. Good when you want something lighter. RM6–8.

Mee Udang (虾面) Thick yellow noodles in prawn-heavy stock, topped with a whole prawn. The version from Mee Udang Pak Man in Batu Maung (south of the island) is widely considered the best. RM12–18.

Rice dishes

Nasi Kandar (拿沙看打) Steamed rice with a selection of curries: fish, chicken, mutton, squid, prawns, vegetables. The signature move is "banjir" (flood) — the stall holder pours multiple curries together over the rice. Eaten with hands in most traditional shops. RM10–20.

Nasi Goreng (炒饭) Fried rice — ubiquitous across Malaysia. At a hawker stall it's RM5–8, better than any hotel version. The Penang variant often has salted fish (ikan masin).

Nasi Lemak (椰浆饭) Coconut milk rice with sambal chilli, fried anchovy (ikan bilis), peanuts, hard-boiled egg, and cucumber. Breakfast dish. RM4–8.

Breads and dough

Roti Canai (煎蕊) Flaky flatbread of South Indian origin, pulled thin and cooked on a griddle. Served with dhal (lentil curry) and fish curry. RM2–3. The basis of a budget Penang breakfast.

Roti Bakar (吐司) Toasted bread (usually thick-cut, white) with kaya (coconut jam) and butter. A kopitiam staple. RM3–5 with half-boiled eggs.

Apom Manis Sweet crepe cooked in a small wok. Batter is fermented rice with coconut milk. Can be plain, with corn, cheese, or banana filling. Morning only, usually sold out by 9am. RM1.50–2.50 each.

Street food / snacks

Oh Chien / Oyster Omelette (蚵仔煎) Starch batter (tapioca or sweet potato) fried with fresh oysters and egg, served with a sweet chilli sauce. Crispy edges, gooey centre. RM10–15.

Pasembur Indian Muslim dish: raw vegetables (cucumber, turnip, bean sprouts), fried tofu, crispy fritters, boiled egg, and cuttlefish, tossed in a sweet-spicy peanut sauce. Unique to Penang. RM8–12.

Lor Mee (卤面) Thick noodles in a dark, starchy gravy with pork slices, hard-boiled egg, and fried wontons. Penang-style uses pork; halal versions use chicken. RM7–9.

Jiu Hu Char (薯茛炒鱿鱼丝) Shredded dried cuttlefish stir-fried with jicama and carrot, wrapped in lettuce leaves. Served at Chinese restaurants and some kopitiams. Typically RM12–15 per portion.

Desserts and drinks

Cendol (煎蕊) Shaved ice dessert with pandan jelly noodles (green, chewy), coconut milk, and palm sugar syrup (gula melaka). The gula melaka should be dark and unrefined — if it's pale, it's corn syrup. RM4–5.

Ais Kacang (刨冰) ABC — shaved ice with red bean, corn, grass jelly, attap chee (palm seeds), and coloured syrups. Bigger and less elegant than cendol, equally satisfying on a hot afternoon. RM4–6.

Kopi O (黑咖啡) Black coffee, strong, sweetened with sugar (or "kosong" = without sugar). Made with local robusta beans roasted in butter and sugar. Different from espresso — thicker, earthier, more caramel notes. RM1.50–2.50.

Teh Tarik (拉茶) "Pulled tea" — black tea with condensed milk, aerated by pouring between cups from height to create froth. RM2–3.