SHAH ALAM, Jan 11 – Most of us have heard or even tasted Kelantan’s specialties like nasi kerabu and nasi dagang but what in the world is nasi Kak Wok?
In Kelantan, a popular breakfast meal is nasi berlauk where rice is served with an array of dishes or lauk like gulai ikan tongkol, gulai ayam or fried chicken. Nasi Kak Wok is a special type of nasi berlauk where rice is combined with a “lemak” or creamy gulai made with a whole chicken, bite-sized pieces of ayam goreng and a dollop of fiery sambal bellman.
It’s a simple dish where the four elements combine together to create a delicious meal, which will leave you craving for seconds or more.
This dish can be traced back to the late Mek Wok Hassan or “Kak Wok” who started serving her creation at Kampung Lundang, Kota Baru about 35 years ago.
Even though the woman died about four years ago, her stall which is run by her heirs still remains an institution. Due to its popularity, there are many stalls all around the city who replicate the dish.
You can get a taste of nasi Kak Wok without taking a long flight or drive up to Kelantan simply by stopping over at Kedai Nasi JJ in Shah Alam.
This one-year-old restaurant is run by Kelantan natives Yuzalman Ghani, 37 and his wife, Rosliza Junoh, 36. In Kota Baru, Rosliza’s mother and aunt, Zapinah and Zaharah Haji Ismail, run the original Kedai Nasi JJ out of their home, located right behind Sekolah Zainab.
According to Rosliza, her family whose stall is about 14 years old also has links to Kak Wok, who was a relative.
Rosliza believes the appeal of this simple dish is how it’s perfect for the everyone’s tastebuds, whether they’re young or old. Who can resist warm freshly cooked fluffy rice doused in an aromatic creamy gulai filled with tender pieces of chicken, which is paired with nuggets of aromatic fried chicken? No wonder, customers for Kedai Nasi JJ come as far as Johor Baru,
Raub and even Temerloh to taste nasi Kak Wok.
It’s hard to spot the restaurant since it’s tucked in one discreet corner with just a small banner. Turn the corner and you will discover a corner lot packed with diners who flock here for their nasi Kak Wok fix from morning till the food finishes by early evening.
The place is set up like an assembly line where you queue for your rice to be packed fresh and as quickly as possible. Sometimes it can be as fast as 5 minutes, but during peak times, you may need to wait patiently for at least 30 minutes.
After you grab your brown packet, order and collect your drinks, pay for your meal and sit down to relish every bite.You may mistake their fluffy rice as steamed rice since the grains quickly absorb the creamy gulai, but the secret is good quality rice. “We use the most expensive Siam rice.” The rice also can last longer without turning basi or bad.
According to Rosliza, a packet of their nasi Kak Wok from morning can last until the night time, making it perfect for a packed dinner.
Freshness is also very important to the couple, the gulai and fried chicken are prepared in small batches with no left-over stock every day. Unlike other places, where the chicken is usually served in large pieces, here it’s chopped into bite-sized pieces.
According to Yuzalman, this prevents the kunyit or turmeric fried chicken from getting cold and hard when it’s left out for too long.
Early birds who pop by for breakfast can also get to sample their gulai ikan tongkol. According to Rosliza, she only prepares one pot a day, which sells out within one to two hours of the restaurant opening at 8.30am.
As you sit down to enjoy your rice, grab a glass of their trademark air bandung in a striking pastel green hue. Usually, the drink mixed with milk is pink in colour, but the restaurant uses a green-coloured syrup with a faint banana flavour to make their special concoction.
The restaurant also has a distinct way of packing their rice – an elongated shape rather than the usual triangle. Rosliza explains that this creates a recognisable packet, letting parents know where the children packed their food. This method originated from their Kelantan stall.
Prior to opening this place last year, the couple initially had reservations about bringing this type of dish to the Klang Valley since not many people except the Kelantanese are familiar with it. Within the year, more stalls run by different operators have popped up in places like Setapak, Gombak, Ampang and Bangi offering this Kelate specialty.
At the restaurant, the couple is assisted by Rosliza’s family members. It’s a close-knit crew as all their workers originate from Kelantan. According to Rosliza, they were all introduced to her by acquantainces. Later in the year, Rosliza’s brother, Ayah Teh, 43, will operate a branch of the restaurant in Temerloh. The shop will be located in front of Hospital Temerloh.
Last year, a packet of rice was priced at RM4.50. This year due to rising costs, they have increased the price to RM5. They believe it’s still a reasonable price, since a packet of their nasi Kak Wok is much more substantial with its chicken pieces, versus a plate of fried rice.
Kedai Nasi JJ, 50, Jalan Opera J U2/J, TTDI Jaya, Shah Alam. Open: 8.30am to 6pm (Mondays to Fridays), 8.30am to 3pm (Saturdays and Sundays).
