KL Hokkien Mee: Famous Malaysian Cuisine

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Petaling Street and the surroundings of inner Kuala Lumpur are home to this noodle dish. The name KL Hokkien mee gives away its origin, as most Hokkien immigrants in Malaysia come from the Fujian region of China.

If you're in Penang, Singapore or Kuala Lumpur, this is a go-to lunchtime meal. It follows a simple recipe: fresh, thick yellow egg noodles, called Hokkien mee, are braised in dark soy sauce with a choice of pork or chicken, plus optional prawn, squid or fishcake, and pork fat that’s fried until crispy.

The sigh of a great KL Hokkien mee is wok hei, which means “the breath of the wok.” This distinctive, desirable char only comes from skilful frying at high heat in a wok.

KL Hokkien mee is a perfect example of the south-north divide in Malaysian cuisine. Many Malaysians don’t realise how dishes evolve and change across the country. In Penang, for instance, Hokkien mee means something vastly different: it’s a soup noodle dish based on a rich prawn broth.

Shop name: Kim Lian Kee
49, Jalan Petaling 50000, KL
016-6353393