PENANG’S STREET FOOD has always been a crowd-puller. Part of it has to do with Penang’s early history as a port. That inspired into being a smorgasbord of foods that marry food ingredients and cuisines from different cultures into innovative, popular and practical dishes. Penang’s street food was conceived to not only be cheap and filling for port workers often involved in manual labour, but also to include elements that reminded them of their ancestral homes.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, I had time to cook for myself and to consider more thoughtfully what I put into my mouth. I also started an exercise regime. Now that we have resumed working in the office and my schedule is filled up with work commitments, chores and exercise, I find myself hard-pressed to find affordable, low-carb and healthy meals in Penang. Hokkien Mee, Char Koay Teow and Nasi Lemak, all while appetising and immensely enjoyable, do not fit my current health and nutrition needs.
For a long time, I wondered how I, for whom street food is at the core of my culture and eating habits, can find a diet that satisfies my cultural taste buds while still meeting present-day healthy eating guidelines.
