Hokkien Mee

Penang Hokkien Mee is a must-try when you visit Penang. But hold on, it's not the same Hokkien Mee you might find in Kuala Lumpur or Johor. It's a whole different ballgame.

First things first, let's dive into the broth. In Penang, our Hokkien Mee is all about those prawns. The broth special is made by simmering prawn heads, shells, and a touch of pork bone. It's got this slightly sweet, rich flavour, and it flaunts a vibrant orange-red hue, thanks to some chilli paste. Now, in other places like KL, Hokkien Mee takes a different path with a dark soy sauce-based sauce.

Next up, let's talk noodles. Penang's Hokkien Mee is a medley of yellow egg noodles, rice vermicelli, or even instant ramen. These noodles soak up that amazing prawn broth and trust me, it's a flavour explosion. In other regions, they typically roll with thick yellow noodles, which give you a completely different texture and taste.

And now, the toppings and condiments. In Penang, we load up on prawns (yes, again), throw in some hard-boiled eggs, a bit of water spinach (we call it 'kangkung'), bean sprouts (we love our 'taugeh'), pork slices, and a sprinkle of crispy fried shallots. Oh, and we can't forget that extra punch of excitement from some spicy sambal paste. As for garnishes, well, it can vary, and some places might charge extra for 'em.

So, Penang Hokkien Mee is like a prawn party in a bowl. In other regions, it's more about frying the noodles and bathing them in savoury soy sauce flavours.

Penang Hokkien Mee, with its prawn-powered broth and its unique combo of noodles, prawns, and toppings, proudly represents the island's culinary flair.

Don't leave Penang without trying it!