Penang is the perfect foodie hotspot with a variety of cuisines. Being in Kuala Lumpur from more than three years, I had been to Penang many times for its never-ending food expedition. As soon as I get there I get a lot of recommendations and got so many great places to eat. And according to Forbes, Penang is one of the 10 best cities for street food and The Culture Trip also mentioned Penang as one among other finest cities for best street food. Street food is always fun to explore through which you get to know the different flavors of the country. And a trip to Penang is always about accumulating unlimited calories along with memories 🙂
After trying a bunch of street food in Penang, I must say that Penang’s favorite piquant bowl of happiness “SISTER CURRY MEE” was the champion among all and the reason behind it is that I am not a very big fan of curry mee but after trying Penang’s famous sister curry I can crave for their hand-churned bowl of curry mee again and again.
A pair of a sister called Lim sisters who are in there 80’s now is peddling their signature style curry mee since 1946 in the Air Itam wet market near the Kek Lok Si temple. And the interesting fact about them is that they don’t have any kind of restaurant or stalls to sell their signature dish. They make it fresh and sell it under a tree in the Air Itam market. The moment you reach there you will be offered a warm smile and a plastic stool to sit and make your order.
The secret ingredient in the recipe is the chili paste which is unique in its way and adds a flaming hot yet addictive tang to it. The other significant ingredients are cuttlefish, dried tofu, pork blood cubes (optional), coconut milk, Mee and behoon. They cook the soup on a charcoal stove which furnishes it with a remarkable taste. The broth of the soup is light and spicy to sip in, and the perfect combination of mee and the hot soup is just love at first bite.
The cheerful and energetic sisters started selling this as a help to their mother during world war 2 and are continuing the legacy since 1946 without a sign of slowing down. They would wake up early in the morning to prepare the distinguished ingredients and sleep late cleaning and making the curried cuttlefish and chili paste for next day servings. It’s being their constant routine except for Tuesday as their only day of rest.
They start their business at 7.30 am and sells out within 1 pm. I would suggest you to go early to avoid disappointment. You can have a satisfying breakfast or brunch there. And yes don’t forget to order a chilled limau ice (iced lemon water) or barley ice to cool down the spiciness of the soup.
If you are in Penang or visiting Penang next time, then don’t forget to pay a visit to the internet sensational Sister Curry Mee to see their enthusiasm towards life and their heritage dish.
