Latest news with #nasiBerlauk
Malay Mail
06-07-2025
- General
- Malay Mail
Head to Puchong for a taste of Kelantan's irresistible ‘nasi Kak Wok' at Restoran Warong Wok
PUCHONG, July 6 — Mention Kelantan, and nasi kerabu and nasi dagang almost always follow in the same breath. But there is another lesser-known dish that is every bit as delicious and deserving of attention, and one I've long counted as a favourite since first trying it: nasi Kak Wok. The origins of this dish can be traced back to the late Mek Wook Hassan, better known as 'Kak Wook', who is credited with creating this variation of nasi berlauk in Kota Baru about 45 years ago. Nasi berlauk, the Kelantanese take on nasi campur, typically features lauk such as gulai ikan tongkol, gulai ayam or ayam goreng kunyit. Nasi Kak Wok pairs white rice with a mellow, creamy gulai dalca ayam, often made without lentils but with aubergine, long beans and assorted parts of a whole chicken. It is not uncommon to find offal or the more adventurous bits of bird inside. The rice is topped with bite-sized pieces of ayam goreng kunyit, the small size being one of the dish's defining traits, along with a salty, fiery sambal belacan. Another hallmark of nasi Kak Wok is the brown paper parcel it is always packed in, whether you are dining in or taking away. It's meant to be ideal takeaway food, and as such, can last a couple of hours before being eaten. My search for nasi Kak Wok in the Klang Valley has taken me from one end of Shah Alam to the other, through Wangsa Maju, and now to Puchong. Restoran Warong Wok is hard to miss, occupying two corner shop lots in a commercial block in Bandar Puchong Jaya. What you are more likely to notice, though, is the constant stream of motorbikes coming and going out front, riders circling and waiting to pick up delivery orders, especially at lunchtime when the rush seems never-ending. There were plenty of seats inside, but one look at the towering stack of takeaway boxes and you know this is the office lunch go-to for many in the area. The wide selection of Kelantanese dishes ranges from nasi kerabu tumis to simple nasi kukus and nasi berlauk, with everything from ikan keli sambal to ayam percik and even lemak bakar. But I am here for the main event, and so is everyone else. Nasi Kak Wok. At RM10, it is on the pricier side for nasi Kak Wok. But you do get a mammoth portion of rice, large, hefty chunks of turmeric fried chicken, ladlefuls of gulai dalca ayam (mine came with bits of chicken neck) and a generous splatter of dark red sambal belacan. Fluffy white rice, stained and soaked in the creamy, mild gulai, provides a base of simple deliciousness. The sambal belacan is saltier than most, incredibly spicy, and adds a layer of punch, a jolt of life to the party. Pause to wipe the inevitable sweat from your face and eyes. Go back in with bites of well-fried chicken, crisp on the outside, still moist inside (even with bigger pieces), and the taste of turmeric that lingers on your fingers. Occasionally, take a bite of fresh cucumber to reset the palate. Rinse and repeat. What's not to like? Man, I love nasi Kak Wok. After all this time, it still hits like the first bite. A short note on the sambal belacan. The fact that it is saltier than most varieties I have come across actually works in its favour. It becomes the main source of savouriness in the dish, since neither the gulai nor the fried chicken have much of it. And because salt helps temper the heat of chilli, the contrast makes it easier, even for the slightly spice-challenged among us, to keep going back for more. Which is basically a certainty. Restoran Warong Wok 1-2, Jalan Kenari 12A, Bandar Puchong Jaya, Puchong, Selangor. Open daily, 8am-9pm Tel: 018-201 5800 Facebook: Warung Wok Puchong Instagram: @warungwokmy * This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal. * Follow us on Instagram @eatdrinkmm for more food gems. * Follow Ethan Lau on Instagram @eatenlau for more musings on food and mildly self-deprecating attempts at humour.
Malay Mail
29-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Malay Mail
What's for lunch? A simple, satisfying ‘nasi berlauk Kelate' at Warung Soho in Plaza Damas
KUALA LUMPUR, May 29 — Of the many things I love about living in this country, our definition of a 'work lunch' is one of them. I take tremendous pleasure in knowing that a cold sandwich or stale pastry, gnawed on lifelessly in front of the computer, doesn't have to be and often isn't the norm for most office workers in Malaysia. Instead, we have a wealth of places catering to the working man, hungry for a bite and a bargain. In the Klang Valley, most are naturally concentrated in the city centre, within walking distance of the major financial institutions. The most common scene at lunch hour is this: groups of corporate ghouls sit around a table in their starched white shirts, collars loosened, colour returning to their pallid faces as they dig into a brief reminder that life exists beyond jargon and acronyms designed to confuse. But further out, in neighbourhoods like Sri Hartamas, where the shirts are a little less stiff and a few more Pilates-class types are walking around, the allure of an affordable, delicious, and filling meal calls out to all. The selection at Warung Soho isn't huge, but it covers plenty of bases. — Picture by Ethan Lau Enter Warung Soho, located in Block D, Plaza Damas. The fare is nasi berlauk: plain white rice with an assortment of dishes, but with a distinctly Kelantanese identity. Nasi kerabu and some versions of nasi lemak are also available, but most go for the lauk, which includes ayam kampung, either goreng or in gulai, daging bakar, goreng or gulai, and kambing bakar. Alternatively, there are preset combinations. One of the most popular is Nasi Soho (RM10.90), a budget-friendly choice that comes with cubes of ayam goreng kunyit, sambal, cucumber slices, and a generous splash of gulai gravy over the rice. To this, I threw in daging goreng kunyit (RM7.90) and half a telur masin (RM2.20). Then I felt guilty for having two proteins and asked for some ulam, as if that would somehow balance it out. As the primary flavouring for both the chicken and beef, turmeric can sometimes carry a slightly bitter, even unpleasant edge. But when handled well, as it is here, it takes on a sourish, almost citrusy and fruity character that makes it ideal for wolfing down with plenty of rice smothered in rich gulai. A satisfying lunch of 'nasi soho' with 'daging goreng kunyit' and 'telur masin'. — Picture by Ethan Lau Pair that with the sharp, fiery sambal known as sambal jantan in Kelantan, defined by its heat and the use of vinegar instead of belacan, resulting in something spicy and acerbic rather than salty. It acts more like a tonic that keeps the palate open than a savoury condiment. That role falls to the telur masin, though I find these could be saltier. I might go for a whole egg next time instead of just half. For something so straightforward, the meal feels complete. There is no fuss, no pretence. Just well-cooked food that delivers on flavour, balance and satisfaction. In a neighbourhood full of aspirational cafés and overpriced salads, it is a reminder that a good lunch does not need to pretend to be anything more. Look for the red sign right as you approach Block D of Plaza Damas. — Picture by Ethan Lau Warung Soho Hartamas D-0-1, Plaza Damas, Jalan Sri Hartamas 1, Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur Open daily, 8am-10pm. Closes at 6pm on Mondays. Tel: 017-946 2624 Facebook: Warung Soho Instagram: @warungsoho * This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal. * Follow us on Instagram @eatdrinkmm for more food gems. * Follow Ethan Lau on Instagram @eatenlau for more musings on food and mildly self-deprecating attempts at humour.
