I asked Johor Yummy members what to eat at the old Taman Sri Tebrau Hawker Centre and the guo tie 锅贴 (or pan fried dumpling) stall came up a few times. So, I made my way to stall #26 at the dingy old food centre, my interest piqued because this is the only guo tie stall that I have heard of so far in Johor Bahru.
The boss and auntie workers were friendly, though unaccustomed to awkward attention from a stranger togging a clunky DSLR camera :P
This was my order of a small plate ofguo tie. Notice that one side of the guo tie dumplings is golden brown while the other is not browned. This is actually one of the characteristics of guo tie, one side is fried and the other is "steamed".
Outside, the fried golden brown skin was stiff but not hard and it was not oily. The "steamed" side was tender but not soft. It was a nice contrast of textures.
Inside, the minced meat and gu chai were moist, naturally sweet and savoury. The skin was slightly crisp, gummy and chewy to the bite. The skin was quite thin, yet strong enough to keep the hot oil from entering the dumpling.
This was the boiled version - puffy because of the hot air and minced meat juices trapped inside the dumpling. Break the seal and the hot savoury broth-like juices oozes out and runs down the corner of your mouth, if you are not careful :P
The moist minced pork and gu chai vegetable inside.
For many people, guo tiemust be eaten with pickled ginger and vinegar dipping sauce, although I am quite happy just to savour the minced pork's natural flavours.
Everything here is handmade fresh at the stall. The boss and the aunties were actually rather too modest about their work, dismissing it as "nothing much... 没有什么". Let's see :)
The boss kneading the dough from scratch i.e. flour.
Making the shells one by one.
Each dumpling is stuffed with pork or prawn mince and hand folded one at a time.
Putting the freshly made dumplings into the shallow pan of hot oil.
Guo tie sizzling in the pan of oil.
Let the dumplings cook inside the pan of hot oil and water for a while.
Draining away the excess oil and water. Notice the fried and steamed sides.
The plate of freshly fried golden brown guo tie ready and on it's way to the customer.
The condiment tray - there were chili sauce, vinegar, light soy sauce and pickled ginger.
Prices are prominently displayed. Besides pork fillings, there is also the prawn version. Stall #26 also sells frozen versions for takeaway. For people whose comfort food is guo tie but have difficulty getting good quality frozen dumplings, this stall is a life saver.
Restaurant name: Makanan Guo Tie Shanghai Address: Stall 26, Taman Sri Tebrau Hawker Centre, Jalan Keris, Taman Sri Tebrau, Johor Bahru Map: http://goo.gl/maps/E0X3Q GPS: 1.487056,103.768063 Hours: 5:30pm to 10:00pm Non Halal
Date visited: 7 Aug 2013
I asked Johor Yummy members what to eat at the old Taman Sri Tebrau Hawker Centre and the guo tie 锅贴 (or pan fried dumpling) stall came up a few times. So, I made my way to stall #26 at the dingy old food centre, my interest piqued because this is the only guo tie stall that I have heard of so far in Johor Bahru.
The boss and auntie workers were friendly, though unaccustomed to awkward attention from a stranger togging a clunky DSLR camera :P
This was my order of a small plate ofguo tie. Notice that one side of the guo tie dumplings is golden brown while the other is not browned. This is actually one of the characteristics of guo tie, one side is fried and the other is "steamed".
Outside, the fried golden brown skin was stiff but not hard and it was not oily. The "steamed" side was tender but not soft. It was a nice contrast of textures.
Inside, the minced meat and gu chai were moist, naturally sweet and savoury. The skin was slightly crisp, gummy and chewy to the bite. The skin was quite thin, yet strong enough to keep the hot oil from entering the dumpling.
This was the boiled version - puffy because of the hot air and minced meat juices trapped inside the dumpling. Break the seal and the hot savoury broth-like juices oozes out and runs down the corner of your mouth, if you are not careful :P
The moist minced pork and gu chai vegetable inside.
For many people, guo tiemust be eaten with pickled ginger and vinegar dipping sauce, although I am quite happy just to savour the minced pork's natural flavours.
Everything here is handmade fresh at the stall. The boss and the aunties were actually rather too modest about their work, dismissing it as "nothing much... 没有什么". Let's see :)
The boss kneading the dough from scratch i.e. flour.
Making the shells one by one.
Each dumpling is stuffed with pork or prawn mince and hand folded one at a time.
Putting the freshly made dumplings into the shallow pan of hot oil.
Guo tie sizzling in the pan of oil.
Let the dumplings cook inside the pan of hot oil and water for a while.
Draining away the excess oil and water. Notice the fried and steamed sides.
The plate of freshly fried golden brown guo tie ready and on it's way to the customer.
The condiment tray - there were chili sauce, vinegar, light soy sauce and pickled ginger.
Prices are prominently displayed. Besides pork fillings, there is also the prawn version. Stall #26 also sells frozen versions for takeaway. For people whose comfort food is guo tie but have difficulty getting good quality frozen dumplings, this stall is a life saver.
Restaurant name: Makanan Guo Tie Shanghai Address: Stall 26, Taman Sri Tebrau Hawker Centre, Jalan Keris, Taman Sri Tebrau, Johor Bahru Map: http://goo.gl/maps/E0X3Q GPS: 1.487056,103.768063 Hours: 5:30pm to 10:00pm Non Halal
Taman Sri Tebrau Hawker Centre opened in the 1970s and had its heydays in the 1980s to 1990s. Today, it is less mentioned in foodie circles, perhaps overshadowed by the numerous choices that has sprouted up all over Johor Bahru. It also has a reputation of being dinghy and overpriced.
I have not been back to the Sri Tebrau Hawker Centre for over two decades and decided to come back to rediscover my old food haunt.
My friend Jeff mentioned in Johor Yummy group about the Penang Fried Kway Teow stall in this hawker centre. I decided to let this stall (number 61) be the starting point of my rediscovery this old lady of Johor food culture.
This char kway teow stall is run by Mr. Khor who has been frying kway teow for over twenty years. Mrs. Khor helps run this busy char kway teow stall.
Mr. Khor who is from Taiping, Perak, said he learnt the art of frying char kuay teow by observation and through years of trial and error. Judging from his regular clientele and from positive customer feedback, Mr. Khor believes that he has more or less perfected his own style of char kway teow.
Char Kway Teow for RM5
Even though the signboard says "Penang Goreng Kuay Teow", this is really Mr. Khor's own evolved creation.
Let's take a closer look at Mr. Khor's char kuay teow.
For many people, the humble see ham or cockles - just a common, inexpensive shellfish - actually holds the key to a good char kway teow.
Mr. Khor cooks the see ham nicely - just enough to kill any harmful bacteria but not the unique taste and flavour of cockle flesh and its fluids.
Mr. Khor throws in the fresh cockles and swiftly tosses them in the hot wok only after the noodles and kway teow are already cooked.
The tiny shrimps are slightly better than at the average char kway teow stall.
Mr. Khor's skilful strokes with the spatula and hot wok slightly chars the fish cake slices, taugeh (bean sprouts) and kway teow.
Mr. Khor and his wife stressed a couple of times that they use free range "kampung" chicken eggs. A more expensive option but the egg yolk and whites are denser.
The end result is a smoking plate of savoury, smokey, tender kway teow noodles with a tackier, gummier mouth feel, which I like. The moisture content of Mr. Khor's char kway teow is just right for me - it is right in middle between wet and dry.
Mr. Khor's char kway teow is not overly greasy. Mr. Khor uses vegetable oil to fry his char kuay teow. Mr. Khor said CKT tastes a lot better with lard (of course!) but customers nowadays prefer the "healthier" option.
If you are in Taman Sri Tebrau Hawker Centre, give Mr. Khor's char kway teow a try.
Restaurant name: Penang Goreng Kuay Teow Address: Stall 61, Taman Sri Tebrau Hawker Centre, Jalan Keris, Taman Sri Tebrau, Johor Bahru Map: http://goo.gl/maps/E0X3Q GPS: 1.487056,103.768063 Hours: 3:30pm to 10:00pm (Thursdays off) Non Halal
Date visited: 2 Aug 2013
Taman Sri Tebrau Hawker Centre opened in the 1970s and had its heydays in the 1980s to 1990s. Today, it is less mentioned in foodie circles, perhaps overshadowed by the numerous choices that has sprouted up all over Johor Bahru. It also has a reputation of being dinghy and overpriced.
I have not been back to the Sri Tebrau Hawker Centre for over two decades and decided to come back to rediscover my old food haunt.
My friend Jeff mentioned in Johor Yummy group about the Penang Fried Kway Teow stall in this hawker centre. I decided to let this stall (number 61) be the starting point of my rediscovery this old lady of Johor food culture.
This char kway teow stall is run by Mr. Khor who has been frying kway teow for over twenty years. Mrs. Khor helps run this busy char kway teow stall.
Mr. Khor who is from Taiping, Perak, said he learnt the art of frying char kuay teow by observation and through years of trial and error. Judging from his regular clientele and from positive customer feedback, Mr. Khor believes that he has more or less perfected his own style of char kway teow.
Char Kway Teow for RM5
Even though the signboard says "Penang Goreng Kuay Teow", this is really Mr. Khor's own evolved creation.
Let's take a closer look at Mr. Khor's char kuay teow.
For many people, the humble see ham or cockles - just a common, inexpensive shellfish - actually holds the key to a good char kway teow.
Mr. Khor cooks the see ham nicely - just enough to kill any harmful bacteria but not the unique taste and flavour of cockle flesh and its fluids.
Mr. Khor throws in the fresh cockles and swiftly tosses them in the hot wok only after the noodles and kway teow are already cooked.
The tiny shrimps are slightly better than at the average char kway teow stall.
Mr. Khor's skilful strokes with the spatula and hot wok slightly chars the fish cake slices, taugeh (bean sprouts) and kway teow.
Mr. Khor and his wife stressed a couple of times that they use free range "kampung" chicken eggs. A more expensive option but the egg yolk and whites are denser.
The end result is a smoking plate of savoury, smokey, tender kway teow noodles with a tackier, gummier mouth feel, which I like. The moisture content of Mr. Khor's char kway teow is just right for me - it is right in middle between wet and dry.
Mr. Khor's char kway teow is not overly greasy. Mr. Khor uses vegetable oil to fry his char kuay teow. Mr. Khor said CKT tastes a lot better with lard (of course!) but customers nowadays prefer the "healthier" option.
If you are in Taman Sri Tebrau Hawker Centre, give Mr. Khor's char kway teow a try.
Restaurant name: Penang Goreng Kuay Teow Address: Stall 61, Taman Sri Tebrau Hawker Centre, Jalan Keris, Taman Sri Tebrau, Johor Bahru Map: http://goo.gl/maps/E0X3Q GPS: 1.487056,103.768063 Hours: 3:30pm to 10:00pm (Thursdays off) Non Halal
