Chua stands ready to welcome diners to Chai Cha Teh at the TTDI wet market. — Photos: YAP CHEE HONG/The Star
TTDI eatery uses surprising enhancement to elevate dishes
NESTLED among the variety of stalls at the Taman Tun Dr Ismail (TTDI) wet market, Kuala Lumpur, is a humble eatery offering Muslim-friendly Chinese staples.
Chai Cha Teh, run by Chua Chai Chuan, has been operating at the well-known market in the Kuala Lumpur neighbourhood for almost a decade.
Chua started off in the food business selling otak-otak (grilled fish cake wrapped in banana leaf) as well as cooking pastes.
Clients impressed by the products, Chua said, then asked for a taste of his cooking.
Dry ‘pan mee’ served with chicken soup and spicy chili oil.
So, in 2016, he opened Chai Cha Teh.
On weekdays, a line of customers can be seen outside the eatery and one will need to get there before 11am to beat the crowd.
Chua said he incorporated tea in most of his cooking, thus the name Chai Cha Teh, which means tea in Hindi, Cantonese and Malay respectively.
“I love tea so much and using it in food really adds a depth of flavour that cannot be replicated with other types of seasoning,” he said.
Growing up in a family of foodies, Chua said he was inspired by his grandmother who would prepare food daily for a family of eight.
Hainanese chicken rice, a traditional favourite.
He became passionate about cooking from an early age and even quit an overseas job as an accountant to pursue his passion.
“Whatever career you pursue, your heart will always want to go back to your passion,” said Chua.
He also chooses to keep his cooking healthy and clean, avoiding the use of flavour enhancers, so everything has to be cooked from scratch, including the soups and chilli oil.
Highly processed food was not sustainable to eat on a daily basis, he said, adding that he only wanted to serve the best quality food to customers.
A crowd favourite here is pan mee (RM9), available in soup and dry versions.
Hainanese Chicken Chop suitable for children.
The hand-pulled chewy noodles and savoury minced chicken pair perfectly with the extra-spicy chilli oil.
Also sold here are Penang prawn mee (RM10) and curry laksa (RM9), which are both packed with umami, while the sambal on the side adds a nice touch of spice.
Chua said he boiled fresh prawn heads and shell with the broth for over four hours to give it a stronger flavour.
For those who prefer rice over noodles, there’s Hainanese chicken rice (RM12) which comes with a serving of traditionally poached chicken, fragrant rice and tangy chilli sauce.
Hainanese Chicken Chop (RM16) caters to parents who bring along their children, allowing them to get a taste of traditional flavours while still keeping meal times fuss-free.
For drinks, herbal tea and Teh Bunga (RM4 each) are refreshing and less-sweet options that pair well with the fiery chilli pan mee.
If you need an extra caffeine boost, kopi ais and teh tarik (RM3 each) are available to round off your meal.
Chai Cha Teh is located at Lot TS-059, first floor, TTDI wet market in Jalan Wan Kadir.
It is open Tuesdays to Sundays, 6am to 1.30pm.
