KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 28 — There are some ingredients that I cannot help favouring over the rest. For me, my first and forever love is taro.
No, it's not yam as I found out when I worked at a food magazine. I was lectured thoroughly on that fact hence it's been embedded in my brain.
Nevertheless, everyone calls it yam in the culinary world. You don't see taro cake on menus. It's yam cake. Even the yam ring — that classic Chinese restaurant dish — doesn't sound the same if you call it taro ring.
No matter what it is called, there's no denying that fluffy taro is amazing. While it appears in many Chinese dishes, you don't find it gracing a bowl of noodles sold at stalls. Apparently it's because that simple taste is only favoured by the old folks where it is usually served only at home.
So far, I have only come across one yam noodle sold in the Klang Valley. However, that stall has now shuttered. So I was ecstatic to find this place in Jinjang that sells this type of noodles.
The stall operated by Chan and his family used to be at Taman Fadason. It relocated to this coffee shop at Jinjang Selatan in August this year. His headline item is the yam meehoon.
And since not many can appreciate that little known noodle, he also offers pan mee. There's a choice of hand pinched dough, thick or thin strands. Options include a soup version, spicy dry type or loh pan mee. He also has fish paste noodles too with a choice of yee mee or meehoon.
Appearance wise, the bowl of yam meehoon is not something that will rock your Instagram followers. This simple yam adorned bowl of noodles though is the definition of comfort.
The broth is slightly cloudy. Joining the yam in the bowl are pork slices and dried prawns. There's also gem lettuce to boost your greens quota for the day.
Usually you get three pieces of yam but I had added two more pieces for RM1.60. The price of a small bowl is RM8 while a large portion is RM9. If you prefer a chewier noodle, switch to pan mee.
There's various rules for enjoying these noodles, as I found out later from Chan. Slurp it down when it's served piping hot to you. When drunk hot, the broth has a light flavour of yam with a hint of dried prawns.
You can crumble the yam pieces in the soup but it's also nice to just enjoy it as the pieces are fluffy soft. This was comforting and satisfying for me.
I found the topping of dried prawns to be way too salty for me. If you feel the same, just set them aside in an empty bowl. It's best to not let it soak in the broth as it will make it too salty.
The balance of the broth is not easy to achieve as it's sensitive to temperature fluctuations or even when the noodles sit in it for long.
Just let him know if you prefer it less salty and he will adjust the broth accordingly. That's what he does for the old folks who enjoy this type of noodles.
The broth is made from boiling pork bones, yam and dried prawns to give it flavour. For those who prefer a heavier taste, there's also a pungent green chilli sauce they serve with their pan mee to perk up your bowl.
Since he offered pan mee, I also tried his hand-pinched version (RM7). I found the dough pieces to be a little thicker than what I like but I enjoyed his clear broth that was sweet and tasty.
The addition of the green chilli sauce lifted up the flavours. It is served with fish paste, vegetables, sliced shiitake mushrooms and crunchy fried ikan bilis.
Apparently the spicy pan mee is popular with the younger folks who like that burning heat.
Do take note that the stall will be closed on November 5 and 6, as Chan has personal matters to attend to. Usually, the coffee shop is closed only two days in a month. In November, they will be taking a rest on November 10 and 11.
Yam Meehoon Stall, Restoran Ming Yat, 1, Jalan Jambu Melaka 1, Jinjang Selatan, Kuala Lumpur. Open: 7.30am to 2pm. Closed two days in a month. Facebook:@MingYatRestoran
