Nursing a sweet tooth but tied to a budget?
Looking for traditional desserts in the busy city of Kuala Lumpur can be challenging, but here is a list of five affordable Malaysian delicacies along Petaling Street that is sure to satisfy your sugar cravings.
1. Sago Gula Melaka @ Old China Cafe
Old China Cafe, located on Jalan Balai Polis, is famous for its Baba Nyonya cuisine which features interesting fusions between Straits Chinese cooking and Malay delicacies. One of Old China’s best-sellers is the all-time favourite, Sago Gula Melaka which consists of plump-up sago, coconut milk, and gula Melaka (dark palm syrup). Priced at only RM7.90, the combination of rich coconut milk and sweet gula Melaka is a perfect palette-cleanse after a heavy lunch or dinner.
2. Mochi @ Madam Tang, Muah Chee Queen
This little stall has been around for decades. The owner, Madam Tang, earned her nickname “Muah Chee Queen” after she successfully held off three competitors over her years of operation.
For the uninitiated, mochi is a kind of Japanese rice cake made of mochigome, a short-grain glutinous rice. The rice, once cooked, is pounded into a paste and moulded into various shapes.
If you have tried Madam Tang’s mochi, you’d understand why she has reigned supreme: There are a variety of flavours available such as mango, lychee, black sesame, Ribena etc. One portion, consisting of a mixture of flavours, cost only RM5. A good snack to enjoy whilst strolling along Petaling Street.
3. Air Mata Kuching
Located at the meeting point between Jalan Petaling and Jalan Hang Lekir, this stall has been serving its signature Air Mata Kuching for over three decades.
Prepared with a blend of rock sugar, longan, winter melon and monk fruit, this refreshing beverage is the perfect thirst-quencher on a hot, sunny day. The drink is available in hot and cold servings, each ranging from RM2.20 to RM2.50.
4. Sweet potato balls @ Jalan Hang Lekir
Customers have been clamouring for these deep-fried sweet potato balls for over 30 years. After steaming and mashing the sweet potatoes, the resulting paste is then mixed with sugar and a little flour while fresh to form ping pong-sized balls, which are then deep-fried.
Sporting a crispy, golden brown exterior that exposes a warm, mushy interior once you take a bite, these potato balls only cost RM3 for 5 and RM5 for a pack of 10.
5. Kaya Kok @ Jalan Yap Ah Loy
Single-handedly managed by an elderly woman, this stall has been in existence for over 40 years. Selling various pastries like Swiss-rolls and egg tarts, her stall is especially famous for its Kaya Kok.
A flaky puff pastry, filled with kaya (coconut milk jam), this pastry is the perfect afternoon snack to indulge in following a day out around town. This sweet and savoury snack is affordably priced at RM1.70 per piece.
Megan Lee Zhi Jean, Lee Xuan and Nithiyah Tamilwanan are interns at Free Malaysia Today.