VIRAL NOODLE 'MI TIKUS' WINS OVER IPOH FOODIES

IPOH, May 5 (Bernama) -- The quirky-named ‘Mi Tikus’ (rat noodles), which is also known as silver needle noodles, has gone viral and won over foodies across all races in Ipoh.

The man behind the popular dish, which has drawn a diverse crowd of customers over the past few years, is 52-year-old Muslim convert Redzuan Ooi Abdullah.

His eatery, named  Ipoh - Ipoh Ajee, located at the Medan Kidd bus terminal, which operates from as early as 7 am to 3 pm, is regularly packed with customers eager to try Mi Tikus and other dishes.

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Redzuan, fondly known as Abang Wan, has a unique technique of frying the noodles - he tosses the noodles high in a wok over open flames, a sight that fascinates and captures the attention of his customers.

“Mi Tikus comes from the original name of a Chinese dish, 'Lo Shi Fun', which means "rat noodles" in the Cantonese dialect. Since I was little, it has been called Mi Tikus in Malay, so I decided to keep the name,” he told Bernama when met at his stall, here.

Redzuan said Mi Tikus is made from short laksa noodles stir-fried with ingredients like onions, eggs, prawns and soy sauce.

A father of five, Redzuan considers himself fortunate to have embraced Islam and takes the opportunity to share the dish with the Malay community.

“It makes me happy to see Malay customers enjoying this Chinese dish. The idea for this menu came after the Movement Control Order (MCO), when my wife, Noraini Ropangi, was out of work and wanted to start a business.

“At the time, we only served laksa and curry noodles at the shop, so I added this Chinese-style dish as well,” he said.

A native of Ipoh, Redzuan said he once worked at a Chinese restaurant in Klebang Besar, Melaka, where he learned cooking techniques and recipes, which he then adapted to meet halal standards without compromising the authentic Chinese taste.

He shared that in the 1980s, he also helped his family run a food stall at Medan Kidd, selling cendol, laksa and grass jelly.

Other than Mi Tikus, Redzuan, who converted to Islam in 2006, also serves a variety of special dishes such as Mi Hailam, Yee Mi Hailam, Mi Tikus Pagar and Nasi Goreng Pagar at his eatery.

Speaking about his cooking techniques, Redzuan said it’s not easy and requires strength in both hands.

“Every day, I cook non-stop, from opening to closing time, with just a short break in between because customers keep coming.

“I toss the noodles in the wok with flames shooting up. Customers love watching it, but it’s not easy,” he said, adding that his hands sometimes get cramped.

“At the end of the day, I cook because I love it. Every dish I make, I put my heart into it so customers leave satisfied, that’s my real secret,” he said.

Redzuan said his stall went viral on social media after being reviewed by a multiracial food vlogger community.

“I never expected Mi Tikus to become so popular. These days, I barely have time to rest, I even drink while standing,” said Redzuan, who plans to open branches in the future.

-- BERNAMA