Breakfast this morning was Siamese laksa lemak from Granny Q Lemak Laksa at Sin Yong Wah Kopitiam, Pulau Tikus.
The family-run stall is managed by four Heng siblings: Jane Heng, 69, Chris Heng, 67, Heng Kok Hoe, 63, and Esther Heng, 64.
The stall name, intially called Granny Kew, was derived from the name of their paternal grandmother, Goh Lean Kew, whose Thai-style blend of spices and method of cooking were used for the Heng siblings’ Siamese laksa. The Hengs are of Hainanese descent. Granny Kew’s father was a Penang-Hainanese who was match-made to marry a Chiangmai village chieftain’s daughter. The family lived on Lorong Seratus Tahun.
The Heng siblings used to work in Johore and Singapore for four decades, and was last involved in supplying laksa spices to Singapore from Johore, before the COVID pandemic disrupted cross-border movements & trade. They then decided to re-locate back to Penang at the end of 2021.
Their Siamese laksa was piquant, with sharp, assertive flavours. We spoke to the youngest of the sisters, Esther Heng, who explained that Chris Heng, the sister in-charge of formulating the spice blend, was the one who helped their grandma prepare the wet “rempah” using “batu giling” since young. She explained that their cooking method was Thai-style, i.e. no dry spices are used. Instead, a blend of wet spices, consisting of shallots, chilis, galangal, lemongrass, fresh turmeric root and kafir limes leaves, were cooked in coconut cream till aromatic.
The Hengs then “localised” their Siamese laksa by garnishing their noodles with slivers of pineapple, raw onions, and sprigs of fresh mint leaves, finished off with the sprinkling of a confetti of torch ginger (bunga kantan). A spoonful of “hae koh” (fermented shrimp sauce) reinforced its Penang identity, as well as adding a depth of flavour to their laksa lemak.
They also offer a kickass Penang-Nyonya otak-otak, the Malaysian cousin of Thai hor mok and Cambodian amok: lightly-spiced fish souffle/custard pudding. Tasted absolutely divine.
Visiting Norwegian food writer, Benjamin Sand, had his first taste of Granny Q’s laksa lemak this morning, and was totally blown away.
Granny Q opens 7.30am till about noon each day (except Mondays), unless they sell out earlier.
Address
Granny Q Lemak Laksa, Sin Yong Wah Coffee Shop
15, Solok Moulmein, Pulau Tikus, 10350 George Town, Penang, Malaysia
Tel: +6016-433 8068
Opening hours: 7:30am to 1:30pm daily, except Mon.
