FOR more than half a century, a Hakka family has been running a stall at Petaling Jaya Old Town food court in Selangor.
Now operated by the second generation, Gerai Seong Kee serves Hakka staples.
Among their fare is yong tau foo.
Think tofu puffs, brinjal, deep-fried bean curd sticks, lady’s fingers and chillies, stuffed with mackerel and minced pork.
The deep-fried bean curd stands out for its crispy texture balanced with the chewy stuffing, while the tofu puffs absorb the flavour of the soup and release it with each bite.
Accompanying the yong tau foo are chilli and sweet sauces made by the stall operators.
The chilli sauce delivers a hot, tingling sensation. Mixing it with the sweet sauce tones down the heat.
Low Kai Lan, who runs the stall with sister Low Yunn Lan and two other family members, said the mackerel-pork stuffing was based on a traditional Hakka recipe.
“We used to include salted fish in the mixture, but stopped it to cater to our customers’ preference,” said Kai Lan.
“We buy the mackerel directly from Tanjung Sepat and Pulau Ketam fishermen to ensure their freshness,” she said.
Each yong tau foo piece is priced at RM2.50.
Another star dish at the stall is the Da Pu Abacus (Hakka Abacus Beads), featuring pleasantly chewy yam dough shaped like the beads of an abacus.
Kai Lan said the beads were made by mixing yam and glutinous rice flour.
“The mixture is shaped into abacus beads, boiled then stir-fried together with various other ingredients such as black fungus, dried shrimp, dried tofu, shiitake mushrooms and minced pork, offering the dish an extra layer of texture and a rich taste.
“The yam is from Klang and we peel and dice it before steaming it.
“The whole process of making the abacus beads takes one to two days,” she said.
The Da Pu Abacus is priced at RM24 for a small portion and RM38 for a large portion.
Gerai Seong Kee’s Hakka Cha Yoke (Hakka Deep-Fried Pork) also dishes out well-marbled pork infused with the strong fragrance of nam yu (red fermented tofu).
Kai Lan said the dish was made by deep-frying the pork collar before braising it with black fungus and nam yu, a favourite Hakka ingredient.
It is priced at RM25 for a small portion and RM32 for large.
The stall also serves Curry Fish Head and Vinegar Pork Leg, while new on the menu are Hakka Lu Ru (Hakka Braised Pork) and Sambal Petai.
The stall opens 10.30am to 7pm (Wednesdays to Sundays) and 10.30am to 3pm (Tuesdays). It is closed on Mondays.
