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During the pre-war and early post war days
in Malaysia, itinerant food hawkers were common sights both in the rural
and urban areas. These hawkers who were usually Chinese, Malay and
Indians go around on foot hawking food such as noodles, nyonya kuehs,
laksa, satay and of course the ever so famous nasi kandar. In fact the
word kandar refers to the pole which the hawker used to carry his wares
on his shoulder. In addition to the day's work, the hawker using a
kandar pole had to have a good sense of balance as all his paraphernalia
which at times even included a small charcoal stove was balanced on both
ends of the pole.
The present day nasi kandar seller has, in
a manner of speaking, taken root and now carries out his business from
shophouses although some still operate from hawker stalls but the kandar
carrying hawker is a thing of the past. Nasi kandar remains the forte of
the Indian - Muslim or Mamak community, who also happen to be known for
their fish head curry. Nasi kandar has always been associated with
Penang and most lovers of this dish will have their favorite nasi kandar
stall in Penang and KL with its relatively large population of Indian -
Muslims.
Nasi kandar is essentially a rice based
meal where there is a spread of curries for the diner's selection. The
meal has traditionally been a personal selection of the diner's own
favorites to go with his plate of rice. After selecting the dishes which
are added to the plate of rice, the seller will then add his own mix of
gravies from the different curries that will give the dish its distinct
flavor. A nasi kandar meal has always been a casual affair with the
diner standing in line waiting to select and be served his meal which he
will then carry to his seat but nowadays there are nasi kandar
restaurants where curries are ordered and served to the seated dining
party.
While a nasi kandar has easily twenty or
more varieties of dishes, the key reference dishes that can make or
break the business are just a handful. The first of these is the fish
curry which is fish cooked in a spicy curry gravy together with
okra or ladies' fingers, whole green chilies and onions. A good curry
will have a gravy that one will die for and the fish used should be the
bawal hitam or black pomfret but this is quite often replaced by
the tenggiri or mackerel which is but a poor substitute. A good
beef curry with tender chunks of beef in a spicy rich and thick gravy
has to be available for the diner, cooked in the Mamak style. Other
dishes include the onion omelette done the Mamak way with a generous
portion of turmeric powder, squid in sambal and the humble sambal
belacan which transforms the food and makes the diner return for more.
To sum it all up, a good plate of nasi kandar should not overpower the
diner with its spiciness and rich gravies but allow the diner to savor
the differences in the various curries and leave the table contented.
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