[Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia] Lunch at Margaret Yong Tau Fu

Madam Margaret Chen Lian started her eponymously-named restaurant back in 1987. Being of Hakka descent, she decided to specialise in the Hakka yong tau fu - the food term is actually Cantonese, but popularly used throughout Malaysia and Singapore to refer to the selection of tofu products and vegetables which are stuffed with a mixture of fish-paste and pork force-meat. Today, Margaret Yong Tau Fu is one of KL’s top yong tau fu spots, with regular clientele who’d been loyal to her since her days in Old Kuchai Road (off Old Klang Road) in the 1980s thru to 90s, then USJ14 in Subang Jaya, before ending up in its current location.

Stuffed okra, red and green chili peppers, bittergourd, and soft tofu

Stuffed tofu puffs (“tau pok”) - the spongey texture of the tofu puffs allowed them to absorb the gravy. One of my fave yong tau fu items.

Aubergines stuffed with the fish-paste/pork mixture - these were then deep-fried quickly before serving.

Golden crisp-fried tofu skin or yuba

Chili and soysauce-beanpaste dips - these two sauces are a must for any yong tau fu meal, and were the make-or-break of many yong tau fu restaurants. The ones here were very good concoctions.

Indian Mackerel (Malay: Ikan Kembung) cooked Asam Pedas-style - this dish provided an intense spicy-sweet-sour contrast to the blander, flatter flavours of the tofu-fish paste items on the main yong tau fu platters.

Margaret Yong Tau Fu moved to its current location at USJ 8 GoodYear Court 9, Subang Jaya in 2005.

Address
Margaret Yong Tau Fu
V1-00-06, Subang Perdana, Good Year Court 9,
USJ 8, Jalan Persiaran Mulia,
47610 Subang Jaya, Selangor.
Tel: +6012-691 6576
Business Hours: 11.30am-3pm, 6pm-9pm, Tue to Sun. Closed on Mondays.
[CLOSED to dining in currently because of Malaysia’s Lockdown till 12 May]

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I like the look of all that - except maybe the okra of which I am not a big fan.

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Me neither. It’s a sharing platter, so I let my cousin whom I’m dining with have all of them. :grin:

I’ve only once met an okra that I enjoyed. That was at a Punjabi “secret supper club” in the north of the metro area. Stuffed with paneer and fried to a bit crispy.

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Obviously, this is going to sound redundant, but… gorgeous photos, yet again. Thank you for posting, Peter.

Inspiration for this backwater cook.

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It really helped that it’s crispy

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Thanks, Jim! :grin::+1: