Cover The kopitiam located right under the arches provided us with physical and emotional sustenance (Image: Tripadvisor)
The kopitiam located right under the arches provided us with physical and emotional sustenance (Image: Tripadvisor)
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A Sunday morning in the coastal state of Terengganu proves delicious, showcasing years of adaptation and catering to local palates
The bustling atmosphere of Kota Terengganu’s Chinatown on an early Sunday morning took me by surprise, with kopitiams filled to the brim with people, and the high kinetic energy of the workers bringing out trays of food and coffee, rolling out fresh noodles, stirring a large vat of soup, or wrapping up perfect pockets of nasi dagang.
Stunned by the activity, it was only then I realised that Terengganu observes the working week slightly differently to the majority of the country. Beginning their week on a Sunday, and ending it on Thursday, their Sundays are equivalent to our Mondays, which explained the air of anticipation that hung around the street.
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The rows of roti paung on display on the front of the kopitiam
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Entering the kopitiam, you’re greeted with an array of stalls and their different specialities: handmade noodles, congee, kuih, and of course colourful bags of roti paung. The wooden tables and chairs arranged diplomatically around the rectangular space, with a shrine situated at the end of the room. Menus stuck around the walls frayed at the edges, with layers of revised pricing glued over one another, time after time.
One stall boasts their humble machinery, a pasta maker attached to their stainless steel table, their equipment marinated with time and experience. A large box of dough wrapped in plastic sits by the edge of the table, a marker of forethought and preparation. The prepared noodles are thrown into a pot over an eternal flame, bubbling in a savoury, clean soup for pan mee, a perfect breakfast for an easy morning.
Above The rows of kuih, taking up two full tables, creating an entryway into the kopitam
Above The chee cheong fun with a strong flavour of shrimp paste
The rows of kuih, taking up two full tables, creating an entryway into the kopitam
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The glinting of thin, plastic containers holding a plethora of kuihs, sweet and savoury, catches your eye as you walk past. You hear the polite haggling from aunties and uncles buying kuih, mothers picking and choosing the ones with an abundance of garnishes for their child’s recess snack. I chose a few, including a steamed yam cake, kuih ketayap, onde-onde, chee cheong fun, and roti paung filled with coconut.
The movement of flavours from across the nation, even in dishes consumed widely, is fascinating to discover in Terengganu, providing glimpses of the local flavour palate each border holds. With flavours differing slightly from the ones found in KL, the chee cheong fun carried a stronger seafood punch from the prominence of shrimp paste in the sauce. The yam cake held great texture, with chunks of yam dotted throughout the dense block. The accompanying chilli sauce is not too spicy, with a nice acidity to cut through the yam.
Pulut lepa—Terengganu's equivalent to pulut panggang (Image: OMalaysia)
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The same lady selling kuih insists I try her homemade nasi dagang, I oblige. As I was leaving, a fresh batch of pulut lepa arrived, still steaming, and she generously handed me one to try for free.
Pulut lepa is reminiscent of pulut panggang, and it comprises glutinous rice steamed in coconut milk, wrapped around a spiced fish paste. A snack that is lightly sweet from the coconut milk, smoky from the char, with salinity from the fish, and fragrance from the banana leaf, it’s a compact bite filled with complex flavours that hits the right spots.
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I bring my handful of food back inside the kopitiam, we order a round of kopi and tehs, and a few servings of roti paung, served with homemade kaya and a hefty slab of butter. The history of roti paung runs deep in Terengganu. Prominent especially in Malay culture, it is believed to have stemmed from European influence, specifically dinner rolls and other soft, quick breads, adapted over the years to suit local tastes.
‘Paung’ refers to the shape of the buns, which are individual mini buns baked together in their distinctive round shape. The buns arrived cut in half and toasted. The thick slab of butter melts quickly from the heat of the bread, allowing the perfect smear of butter across the surface area, ready to be joined harmoniously with the kaya.
The bread is soft, with a good crust from toasting, nearly shattering at first bite, but the soft inside provides the needed bite and chew. The flavour is mild, with a light sweetness, enriched similarly like a brioche, giving a slight richness with each bite. The butter leaves a coating in your mouth as you chew, and acts as a nice layer between the bread and kaya. Around the kopitiam, many people are dipping their bread into their hot kopi, or submerging it into the iconic mixture of half boiled eggs, soy sauce, and white pepper.
Above A serving of nasi dagang
Above A generous amount of fish curry, with a handful of acar
A serving of nasi dagang
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Unwrapping the nasi dagang, the fragrance of the coconut milk and rice wafts through the air. The acar, or pickled vegetables cut through the richness of the rice and curry. The rice is fluffy, not wrapped tightly, and is a mix of regular grains of rice, with a small amount of glutinous rice for a variation in texture and flavour. The rice absorbs the fish curry that is fragrant, with tender flakes of fish, and a light flavour of fenugreek gives an underlying lengthening of flavours.
An experience of a Sunday morning in a kopitiam gives way to the beautiful continuum of Malaysian food culture, with borderless influences absorbed and transformed into something distinctly local. Traditional recipes transcend trends and time, where even the simple act of breaking bread carries unrivalled heritage. The magic of Terengganu’s food scene, its reflection of its terroir and its generosity, it nourishes the palate and mind with stories of migration and adaptation. Although this was only a peek into the window of the mornings witnessed daily, it showed intense depth and charm that one can only hope stays forever.
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Keandra's expertise lies within writing deep dives into the culture and anthropology of food, sometimes with a philosophical twist. With a background in London's F&B consultancy scene, she's excited to be back in Kuala Lumpur to champion the local dining scene.
Reach her at keandra.hing@tatlerasia.com, @keandruh
