Khaw serves authentic-tasting Penang food at her stall Hot Mom Kitchen. — Photos: SAMUEL ONG/The Star
ENTICING aromas of Penang cuisine wafted through the air in the Kuala Lumpur township of Taman Shamelin Perkasa, Cheras, drawing food lovers to Zen Restaurant.
Within this corner kopitiam lies the source of these appetising scents – Hot Mom Kitchen stall.
Overseen by Shirley Khaw, 61, this stall brings flavours of her hometown’s culinary delights to the nation’s bustling capital city.
Hot Mom Kitchen is one of the relatively few KL eateries that can produce that sought-after authentic taste of Penang food.
The stall also offers a variety of meals.
Each dish and sauce is 100% handmade, as Khaw believes in the importance of people enjoying authentic-tasting food.
Khaw turned her passion for cooking into a business but her path was not without its challenges.
During the Covid-19 movement control order, she had to pause her business which had then been located in the township of Pandan Jaya, Selangor.
After contracting Covid-19, she took a break and then decided to open a stall in the nearby Pandan Perdana residential area in Ampang Jaya.
Unfortunately, business was slow and she decided to try a new location.
She then moved to Taman Shamelin Perkasa and had not looked back since then.
Her stall is most known for its Penang Hokkien mee, also known as prawn noodles.
To prepare the dish, Khaw first dry fries the prawn shells and head.
Then, she adds a little water to them and blends finely before boiling it for at least five hours.
The stall’s specialities (clockwise from top) Penang Hokkien mee, Thai laksa and Penang kuey chap.
She then adds her secret concoction and some aromatics to create a rich savoury base.
“Boiling the stock for such a long time ensures that all the flavours are fully extracted.
“I need to boil the stock for at least five hours before I can start serving it to customers.
“This is a labour of love but it’s worth it for that authentic taste,” added Khaw.
Her prawn noodle dish comes in two versions.
The regular version includes half of a boiled egg, prawns, kangkung, fish cakes and a choice of mee, mee hoon or both.
Succulent pork ribs are added to the special version.
The lineup of Khaw’s labour of love does not stop there.
Hot Mom Kitchen also serves Penang char kuey teow, braised duck rice and kuey chap.
Kuey chap is a dish for those with an adventurous palate.
It features a soup infused with herbs and dark soy sauce.
In this broth is an assortment of pork that includes ribs, blood and intestines as well as braised hard-boiled eggs.
One dish that stands out for its unique twist on a classic is the Thai laksa.
It has accents of asam laksa, but is given a creamy richness with the inclusion of coconut milk.
This balances the characteristic sourness of the tamarind paste included in the broth.
“The coconut milk adds a layer of creaminess that mellows the tangy broth,” Khaw said.
The broth is thick and rich, brimming with pieces of fish.
Hot Mom Kitchen operates daily from 6am to 3pm. It is non-halal.
Price of each dish ranges between RM10 and RM18 per bowl.
For more details, call 012-770 9179.
