Hawkers take pride in doing their own cooking

Local delight: Mohd Syafiq holding a plate of mee goreng at the Batu Lanchang food stall complex in George Town, Penang. —ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star

GEORGE TOWN: While foreign workers are in charge of the wok in eateries in many states, Penang is and will remain the exception – its hawkers take charge of the cooking themselves.

This is mainly to ensure that the Pearl of the Orient, known worldwide as a food paradise, preserves its authentic street food such as char koay teow and mamak mee goreng.