GEORGE TOWN, Sept 11 — The humble chargrilled pulut udang, as it is known in the northern region, is one of the more traditional Malaysian snacks often found being sold by the roadside.

Also called pulut panggang in the south, this fragrant snack is often grilled over charcoal at makeshift roadside stalls and sold in the mornings or afternoons.

The pulut udang is made from only two ingredients; glutinous rice with a filling of spicy dried shrimps. You also get the flavour of slightly charred, crispy glutinous rice infused with the aroma of the banana leaf it’s wrapped in.

The glutinous rice is first cooked in coconut cream before it is used to wrap around a savoury, sweet and spicy filling of chillies and dried shrimps. The whole thing is then wrapped in a banana leaf and finally, for that slightly charred crispiness, the wrapped little package is grilled over the embers of a charcoal grill.

These are perfect for a mid-morning or afternoon snack, or even for breakfast. Due to its small, almost bite-sized portions, it is quite usual for some of the stalls to sell it in threes or fives.

At most of the stalls selling this, the seller will usually grill it upon order or for some, they will have already grilled it earlier but they will still heat it up over the grill before selling it.

The glutinous rice will have a slight crisp on the outside while it remains soft and rich on the inside. Biting into it will bring out the spicy sweet flavours of the filling, which perfectly complements the chewy texture and smoky banana leaf aroma.

The stalls selling this snack are often easy to spot as there will be a charcoal grill with smoke billowing from it and the unmistakable aroma of charred banana leaves with just a hint of spicy shrimp.

These stalls are often located along busy road corners and at public areas... tempting you as you walk or drive by.

Here are five pulut udang stalls to check out in Penang:

Jalan Jelutong GPS: 5.389903, 100.312980 Time: 8:30am-11:30am

Lorong Kulit GPS: 5.412655, 100.313206 Time: 11am-3pm

Jalan Utama GPS: 5.415390, 100.310644 Time: Noon-3pm

Jalan Teluk Bahang GPS: 5.457888, 100.214619 Time: Noon-5pm

Jalan Teluk Kumbar GPS: 5.286497, 100.236980 Time: Noon-4pm