[NON-HALAL]
When one hears the words “food” and “Klang”, Hainan curry rice is probably not what most people would immediately think about. That honour, of course, would fall upon bak kut teh.
Also known as Hailam rice, this is one of those unique dishes that are scarcely available anywhere else in Malaysia outside of Klang – although you might be able to find this beyond the borders of the country. More on this below.
So, where can you go to try this specialty? Located at Medan Selera 128 in the heart of town is an establishment with the straightforward name of Restoran Nasi Kari Hainan Klang.
This restaurant is said to have originated from the same people that used to sell the dish behind the old Cathay cinema in Kawasan 18 here. By all observations, these guys have been running the business for quite some time now.
So, what does Hainan curry rice entail? Firstly, you should be aware that the fare is not halal. Secondly, it caters best to those who enjoy eating innards – not everyone’s cup of tea, but right up the alley for offal lovers.
Basically, you get a choice of braised ingredients – bean curd, pork slices, egg, intestine, tofu pok – and/or pork offal soup, to go with a serving of rice covered by a thick curry that is very mild.
The braised items were really enjoyable, particularly the soft intestines and stewed pork that had the perfect ratio of skin and fat. The offal soup contained big and small intestines, as well as a favourite of many curry laksa lovers – coagulated pigs’ blood.
The thick curry served with this dish could be spicier, and the gooey consistency takes some getting used to. You could always opt to have it served separately or avoided altogether – though that would probably be going against the point of dining here.
This restaurant also serves something called “ketchup fish”, which this reviewer did not try. Maybe next time.
Finally, if you find yourself down south, keep a lookout for Hainan curry rice in neighbouring Singapore.
According to the wholly reliable resource that is Wikipedia, Hainanese curry rice is “a Singaporean dish consisting of steamed white rice smothered in a mess of curries and gravy, characteristically accompanied by curry chicken, pork chop, and [mixed veggies].
“It originates in Singaporean cuisine and is not thought of as part of the cuisine of Hainan, China.”
One learns something new every day.
Restoran Nasi Kari Hainan Klang (non-halal)
18, Jalan Nanas, Kawasan 18,
41400 Klang, Selangor
Business hours: 6am-12pm (Saturdays-Wednesdays)
Read the original article here. Trying to influence your cravings since 2005, Kar Yeong was Guest Judge on Versus 1001 Rasa Baba’s 2018, R.AGE Food Fight Judge 2015 and NTV7 Foodie Blogger 2014. To read more about Kar Yeong’s food journeys, visit his blog at KYspeaks.com.