SHAH ALAM, Aug 28 — If you are hankering for a taste of the famous Nasi Lan from Alor Setar, here’s your chance to sample it in Shah Alam. Since last May, the second generation of the family-owned business has set up shop here to sell the nasi kandar made famous by their father Mohd Azlan bin Jamal, 55.
The place was started up by Mohd Firdaus, 25. He is also assisted by his two younger siblings, Muhammad Faiz, 23 and Nur Farahin, 20. Back in Alor Setar, his two eldest sisters help their parents run the original eatery.
Nasi Lan traces its origins back to 1982 when it started out as a humble food truck next to a bus station. The “Lan” refers to its founder’s name. Previously a cassette and radio seller, he ventured into the F&B business as he liked to cook.
Together with his wife whose father is an excellent cook, he started serving his signature dishes like daging masak hitam, sotong kembang masak sambal and ayam goreng kunyit. These were served with yellow coloured rice cooked with spices and turmeric doused with a generous mix of curries like two types of sotong, beef, ayam masak merah, ayam madu and dalca.
After one year of business, they moved into a proper food court. However due to the large number of customers, they relocated to their present premises at the covered alleyway next to Bangunan Peruda, Jalan Teluk Wanjar, Alor Setar.
As the eldest son, Mohd Firdaus who used to be a photographer decided to learn how to make the dishes that are the cornerstone of his family’s business. Earlier on he had opened a branch in Alor Setar that served the same dishes at night but it didn’t take off since people prefer eating this kind of food for breakfast or lunch.
When he moved to Kuala Lumpur after he got married, he decided to open a branch in Padang Jawa since many of their fans have been clamouring for a place here. The location was selected because of the large student population from the nearby Universiti Teknologi MARA (UITM) and there are also a number of factories in the area. Later in the year, another branch will open in Klang.
All the spices and ingredients are brought down specially from Alor Setar where it’s sourced from Kedah and Penang to keep its true taste. Even their tea is the same one used in Alor Setar.
Every day, there’ll be a selection of 20 dishes available from as early as 9am. Their bestsellers are the daging hitam and sotong kembang. If you prefer the cow’s lungs (paru) and spleen (limpa), this is also available with the daging hitam.
You also have three chicken choices, a fried version that is coated with turmeric, a sweeter tasting version of ayam madu and ayam masak merah with its reddish sauce.
For cuttlefish, you can either select their signature sotong kembang or the fresh sotong. There is also bergedil, fried eggs, omelette and telur masin. Vegetables is a selection of cabbage cooked in turmeric, a fresh tasting cucumber acar or blanched lad’y’s fingers.
Two new dishes have recently been introduced, telur ikan or fish roe farmed from tenggiri fish and soft shell crab. Once you order the items, it’s all cut and placed on your plate of rice before it’s drenched with the mix of curries.
As it’s Malay-styled nasi kandar, Mohd Firdaus explains that the spices are a little milder and less spicy compared to the Indian Muslim version.
Most of their signature dishes require a lot of work. The daging masak hitam requires at least two days before it can be served. First it’s a cooked the day before over a slow fire for three hours. Once that is ready, it’s kept for a day to allow the flavours of the soy sauce (kicap) sauce to penetrate the beef.
Similarly, their sotong kembang takes about three days of soaking before it’s ready. Unlike other places that serve the dry cuttlefish that is soaked for a short time only, the one served here is incredibly tender and tasty with the aromatic sambal sauce.
Another of their popular dishes is telur sotong. Essentially it’s the soft milky sac of cuttlefish roe that is sourced from places like Ipoh and India where it’s farmed from large cuttlefish. The delicacy is cooked in a creamy turmeric flavoured curry with curry leaves, chillies and vegetables.
If you are scratching your head and wondering about why they prefer using yellow coloured rice for their nasi kandar, this is a nod towards the Kedahan taste. According to Mohd Firdaus, it’s common for eateries in Alor Setar to tinge their rice yellow with turmeric. Even their nasi lemak uses yellow-coloured rice. However what he has noticed is most locals here prefer white rice so he will be offering that option for those who prefer that.
Prices for the daging masak hitam is RM3 per portion, telur sotong is RM4 to RM6, sotong kembang is RM3, sotong is RM7 to RM15, ayam goreng kunyit is RM4.20, telur ikan is RM2.50 to RM5 and the soft shell crab (ketam kulit lembut) is RM15 to RM18. A plate of plain rice is RM1.70.
Nasi Lan Kedah
A-5-G, Alam Avenue 2, Jalan Serai Wangi K 16/K, Section 16, Shah Alam.
Opens daily: 9am to 9pm.
Closed only during Hari Raya holidays.
The restaurant also offers catering services. For more details, check out their Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/Nasi-Lan-Kedah-Shah-Alam-367169753487855/
