Pak Cik (Uncle) sets up his stall by 6.30 am. He is meticulous in laying out the pink table cloths and getting his plastic containers of food from his car boot.
A large variety of dishes are available - from noodles, rice, chicken to kuih (Malay cakes). He tells me his wife and him starts cooking by 4am.
His customers are mainly students from colleges and schools close by. He also get his regulars of people just driving past on their way to work. Note his large red tub of warm freshly cooked rice.
Motor-cyclists and ordinary folks on their way to work will stop when they know the food is good. They da bao (pack) for breakfast and some for lunch.
It is s a Help-Yourself service. Pa cik gives you a container with half or full (depending on how hungry or greedy one is) rice and one just picks the favourites from his "gourmet" selection of dishes.
Breakfast for most Malaysians isn't quite the same as in the West with cereal, fruit, toast or eggs. We kind of love our rice and noodles and we like it spicy hot with lots of chilli. Just as many Westerners have breakfast on the run, we have adapted our lives to start each day fed and happy from "kerb food." We get our complete breakfast from the many stalls that just "mushroom" from the kerbs in the mornings and disappear by 10am. Under tress and umbrellas, enterprising housewives and men too set up their "instant stalls." These "instant stalls" do supplement family incomes as the owners can make between RM100-150 in a morning.
It is s a Help-Yourself service. Pa cik gives you a container with half or full (depending on how hungry or greedy one is) rice and one just picks the favourites from his "gourmet" selection of dishes.
Breakfast for most Malaysians isn't quite the same as in the West with cereal, fruit, toast or eggs. We kind of love our rice and noodles and we like it spicy hot with lots of chilli. Just as many Westerners have breakfast on the run, we have adapted our lives to start each day fed and happy from "kerb food." We get our complete breakfast from the many stalls that just "mushroom" from the kerbs in the mornings and disappear by 10am. Under tress and umbrellas, enterprising housewives and men too set up their "instant stalls." These "instant stalls" do supplement family incomes as the owners can make between RM100-150 in a morning.
Another stall under a shady tree by the kerb. Note the car parked just next to the stall for easy transport of goods and equipment that includes umbrella, tables and chairs.
Mak Cik (Aunty) only sells "nasi lemak" - rice in coconut milk, fried anchovies, boiled or fried egg, cucumber slices, roasted peanuts, chicken and "sambal ikan bilis" (anchovy chilli paste).
My breakfast all wrapped up in grease-proof paper.
All of this for RM 6.00 (US $1.43 cents)! What an economical way to kick-start the day. I can't vouch for high work efficiency after breakfast as all the blood gets drained from my brain to the stomach to digest this.
Yawn...wake me up for lunch, don't tell the Bozz.
di bawah pohon dan berpayungkan umbrella ada menu sarapan khas Malaysia yang menggugah selera untuk customer mahasiswa juga siswa siswa sekolah ya kak. Aku suka nasi lemak dnegan anchovie dan sambal pedas. Ditambah kacang goreng lebih nikmat juga slice cucumber. Yummy...ga sangka memasaknya perlu dimulai dengan bangun sangat pagi. Salut untuk makcik dan pakcik sellernya ^^
ReplyDeleteLots of hard work goes into providing breakfast on the go for so many people. And some very early starts.
ReplyDeleteLooks like the food is really excellent, but the sheer volume of styrofoam containers being dumped into the environment makes me shudder.
ReplyDeleteHow can they star cooking at 4am? Those stalls increase employment in Malaysia. If I were there I would eat rice and chicken, as it is warm food. I am also curious to taste Malay cakes.
ReplyDeleteMany Italians also have breakfast on the run. Interesting post, Kestrel!
Very tasty!
ReplyDeleteRegards
i enjoyed reading about this and seeing the photos. Can't imagine the hours they keep but it must be so rewarding to feed people and know they are enjoying it and coming back for more. I think I would totally love your type of breakfast way more than what i eat. Loved the post.
ReplyDeleteIt's really nice for us to find out more about your life there. I know a lot of people have been surprised about what I see in this part of Florida. It's good to get to know each other better. The food looks very delicious!
ReplyDeleteOh so nice street food
ReplyDeleteThe food looks delicious, although, I don't think I could eat all of the hot spices your vendors use. It is great to see how people in other countries start their day. A good breakfast is said to be the most important meal of the day.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy.
Thank you for this great insight into Malaysian street food Kestrel! New research is suggesting that it is much healthier to eat savoury food for breakfast as it kick-starts your metabolism whereas sweet breakfasts (cereal, fruit) induce food cravings later on. So it turns out our good old English cooked breakfast of sausage, bacon, mushrooms, tomatoes, egg and beans is healthier than most people realise!
ReplyDeleteLook like some hungry people.
ReplyDeleteCoffee is on and stay safe
foods look delicious....
ReplyDeletelove fried noodle and rice... yummy
These look like such tasty dishes from the roadside stalls! Although it is very different from the toast I usually have for breakfast, haha!
ReplyDeleteHope you're having a good weekend :)
Away From The Blue
Hahaha...
ReplyDeleteAnd these stalls look hygienic, and the food itself seems healthy, as it is home-cooked. If they sold such hygienic food here, I would go to such a stand. During travel, I prefer small hotels and roadside shops for breakfast, and they not only cost less but are quality-wise good.
I miss Malaysian typically breakfast 😍😍😍. Remembering the old days when I were in Penang, bought the breakfast from the stalls like this 😍. There was a canteen in collage but not really liked the taste.
ReplyDeleteEverytime I am traveling to Malaysia, staying at hotel, and having breakfast in hotel. But sometimes ada rasa bosan dan teringin sangat cuba breakfast Kat luar 😄. Rasapun usually tak kalah sedap compared to hotel.
breakfast like this looks delightful.
ReplyDeleteHey! i want to thank you again for the book tip. I am enjoying Inspector Singh . . . .a lot. 💙