MALAY ENTREPRENEUR DISHES UP CHARCOAL-FIRED CHAR KUEY TEOW AT RAMADAN BAZAAR

SEREMBAN, Feb 22 (Bernama) -- Amidst the swirling smoke and the sound of a sizzling hot wok, a Malay trader diligently cooks charcoal-fired char kuey teow, creating a unique flavour that is increasingly drawing customers.

Abdul Rahman Hasan, 44, said he chose to use a charcoal flame to prepare the dish to revive traditional cooking methods while preserving the delicious taste of the cuisine.

The native of Bagan Serai, Perak, Abdul Rahman said that his interest in the well-known Chinese-styled fried noodle dish was fired up by his wife, who is a fan of char kuey teow, and this sparked his desire to delve into cooking techniques using charcoal.

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"Cooking with charcoal helps produce a unique aroma that is hard to match with a gas stove, while also maintaining the authenticity of the Chinese-inspired recipe. I also use my own adaptation of the recipe.

"If you use gas, the taste is not the same; using charcoal, the smell is stronger and has 'soul', more 'smoky', that's what makes the taste more delicious and what customers seek. In fact, some become loyal customers after trying it for the first time," he said when met by Bernama at the Ramadan bazaar in Medan Nusari, Sendayan here today.

Abdul Rahman, who has only been selling charcoal-fired char kuey teow around Nusari Aman for five months, said that previously, customers had to go to Kuala Pilah if they wanted to enjoy the dish because the unique cooking method is still rarely found in this area.

Meanwhile, the former company financial advisor said that his business began to gain attention after going viral on social media since last month, attracting new customers, including the elderly who 'miss' the old smoky-flavoured char kuey teow.

"Previously, I had 40 customers daily, but after going viral, I can hit 100 people with sales of nearly RM1,000 every day," said Abdul Rahman, who now makes the business his full-time source of income.

Meanwhile, Abdul Rahman admitted that his life journey has not been easy when his eldest son, who is 20 years old, was diagnosed with bone cancer, requiring surgery and now has a disability status.

"I consider this a test and a blessing in business, a path that Allah has given me after I stopped being a financial advisor. I just want to make people happy through food. When customers are happy, that's enough," he said, adding that the prices of the dishes range from RM7 to RM15 depending on the type, including ingredients like cockles and prawns.

Meanwhile, customer Mohd Hafiz Azman, 34, said the dish was more aromatic, with a 'smoky' taste and reminded him of a similar dish he had enjoyed during his visit to Taiping, Perak.

"That's why I bought it again as it tastes delicious and is different from the usual char kuey teow I've had here. Usually, we eat char kuey teow with gravy, but this one is dry like the Chinese style," he added.

-- BERNAMA