Latest news with #Buntong
Malay Mail
4 days ago
- General
- Malay Mail
On your next trip to Ipoh, head to the 56-year-old Cheong Kee Wan Tan Mee in Buntong for ‘wantan mee' and outstanding ‘wantan' made fresh from scratch
IPOH, July 27 — Think Ipoh, think food, think kai si hor fun, think chee cheong fun, think tau foo fah. On most weekends, it's common to see folks from the Klang Valley flocking to the city for a taste of its rich food scene. On long weekends, the crowd often swells into something closer to a horde. After all, even if plenty of restaurants in the Klang Valley (some opened by the original Ipoh businesses themselves!) claim to serve Ipoh fare, nothing quite beats the real thing. Preparing orders for a regular. — Picture by Ethan Lau But venture a little further out of downtown, beyond the biscuit shops and bean sprout chicken, and things start to look a little different. Buntong, a residential suburb known for Kampung Kacang Puteh, is just a ten-minute drive from the city centre and barely two minutes from the KTM station. More than half of Buntong's population is Indian, but it is also home to Cheong Kee Wan Tan Mee, a time-honoured wantan mee spot that has been around for over 50 years. Now I know what you're thinking. Wantan mee? Isn't that what Menglembu is famous for, not Buntong? And you'd be right. Cheong Kee's 'wantan' is the clear highlight. They're made in the old-school fashion, thin, smooth and translucent. — Picture by Ethan Lau The neighbouring township is only a five-minute drive away, so why come here? The answer lies in Cheong Kee's small, delicate wantans. Cheong Kee has been run by the same family for three generations. They still make everything fresh from scratch, daily, just as they did back in the day. It is not at all uncommon to find wantan mee stalls that make their own noodles, but it is harder to find one that still makes its own wantan. These put the old in old-school: small, barely the size of a coin, filled only with pork and wrapped in a supremely thin, nearly translucent skin. They slip into the mouth with barely any resistance. The broth, made from anchovies and pork bones, is dark, clear, and deeply savoury. Though one already gets five pieces with each order of wantan mee, an extra portion of 10 pieces at RM7.50 is well worth the price of admission. This is the taste of wantans as they used to be: smooth, elegant, and dainty. Cheong Kee also makes their own noodles, which are chewy and springy without being too snappy. — Picture by Ethan Lau And what of the noodles? Unlike the slightly curly, alkaline-heavy variety common elsewhere, Cheong Kee's run a little stiff and thick, resembling Hakka mee. Instead of the conventionally bouncy 'QQ' texture, these offer a springy chew without much snappiness. They're tossed in a moderately dark sauce that leans more savoury than sweet, and topped with fat, crunchy bean sprouts. A single portion is RM6.80, and for an additional 80 sen, you can add 'meat strands', shreds of pork cooked down in a glossy mixture of oyster sauce, light soy and dark soy. It's a rustic, hearty plate that looks plain at first glance, but decades of know-how separate it from the rest. It's the sort of know-how and technique that's developed from experience, not gleaned from a book, and a reminder that some things are better left the way they've always been. In places like Buntong, it's a quiet snapshot of another time, not just preserved but still very much alive. There is no big sign; just look for the house on the quiet street with the stall in front. — Picture by Ethan Lau Cheong Kee Wan Tan Mee 542, Jalan Sekolah, Buntong, Ipoh. Open Monday to Saturday, 4.30pm-10.30pm Tel: 012-595 3938 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 self-deprecating attempts at humour.
Malay Mail
14-07-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
The secret behind Ipoh's famous ‘taugeh'? Limestone water — and a meticulous ‘towkay'
IPOH, July 14 — For those all too familiar with the delightful crunch of sweet Ipoh bean sprouts, this nutritious, little vegetable called taugeh certainly holds a special place in the hearts of Malaysians. There is no question about it, that Ipoh bean sprouts are indeed more famous compared to bean sprouts grown in other places or states because of the crunchy texture, slightly sweet taste, and plump shape that resembles a strangely, elongated punctuation mark ... or is there? Behind this uniqueness, there definitely must be a secret to why bean sprouts from Buntong have found their way into markets not only in Perak but also in neighbouring states like Selangor, where the ubiquitous taugeh is synonymous as a signature dish with chicken rice in restaurants. So here's the crunch: An Ipoh bean sprout producer, a towkay (or 'boss' in Chinese) who only wants to be known as Sam, divulged that the secret of delicious Ipoh bean sprouts lies in the source of water used in the production process. 'Here, the production uses underground mineral water that springs from the limestone hills around the factory here, this area (Buntong) which is located around the Kinta Valley exploits this natural advantage to be produce 'special' bean sprouts not found anywhere else,' Sam, who is in his 40s, told Bernama. With their crisp texture and natural sweetness, Ipoh bean sprouts have certainly earned a special place in the hearts of their fans. — Bernama pic The father of two said that Buntong, an area in the Kinta Valley rich in limestone landscape and formations, is a strategic location for several bean sprout entrepreneurs who pump mineral water directly from underground to run their bean sprout business. He said the limestone water is said to be high in mineral content from the underground layered aquifers, contributing to the production of bean sprouts that are plump, fluffier, sweeter, of better quality, less pungent in smell, and rich in calcium. Sam explained that to produce quality bean sprouts, he uses black matpe beans (also known as Black Gram) imported from Myanmar, measuring 3.25 millimetres. 'The process begins with soaking the beans for a certain period, followed by a filtering process to separate and remove the damaged beans. Only the best beans are selected, placed in large tubs, where they are soaked with water at the right temperature and lighting,' he said. This nutritious vegetable stands out from other varieties thanks to its crunchier texture, slightly sweet taste and plump appearance. — Bernama pic He said that the beans need to be watered every four hours daily, hence factory operations are carried out in shifts by workers to ensure that the watering schedule is followed precisely. This is crucial because the bean sprout production process is very sensitive to time, temperature and water quality. Sam further shared that after six days, the perfect bean sprouts are ready to be packed and delivered to wholesalers across Ipoh and several other districts in Perak. 'It seems simple, but this process (producing bean sprouts) is difficult and demands high precision. If you don't control the time and temperature, the bean sprouts can be damaged or of poor quality. In a day, on average, three to four sacks of black beans have to be thrown away because they are not suitable for processing into bean sprouts,' he said. A type of soybean sprout product produced in Buntong in Perak. — Bernama pic Sam said he has been running the family-run business inherited from his grandfather and father for nearly 10 years. The business, which is over 40 years old, can produce up to one tonne (1,000 kilogrammes/kg) of bean sprouts daily. The bean sprouts come in two types: short and long, where short bean sprouts are sold at around RM3 per kg, while long bean sprouts are priced lower and can stay crunchy for three days if stored in the refrigerator. Meanwhile, a chicken rice trader Amirah Hanis Mohammad Asri, 37, said she chooses Ipoh bean sprouts due to high demand from customers. 'I sell Chinese-style (called Nga Choy Kai Fun or Ayam Taugeh) chicken rice served together with taugeh bean sprouts as a side dish doused with soy sauce and oil. Most customers crave the short and plumper Ipoh bean sprouts, as they are tastier and crunchier. I buy fresh stock every day to keep customers satisfied and smiling,' she added. — Bernama
