The Hainanese Chicken Chop

What I like about this unique Malaysian dish is that no two restaurants cook or serve it the same. Some come with mashed potato, some with chips and this one with wedges. Others may have fresh garden peas on it, while some use pulpy canned ones (which I like). The signature is in the gravy which should contain Worcestershire sauce but then again, it varies so considerably.

This version is from Auntie Kopitiam in tiny Kuala Selangor town. The eatery is halal and wi-fi enabled.

See also my earlier post on Yik Mun’s Chicken Chop.

Olympus OM-D, ISO 800, f6.3, 1/100 sec.

The Hainanese Chicken Chop

Yik Mun’s Chicken Chop

Tanjung Malim used to be a favourite stopover on the busy trunk road linking the north and south of Peninsular Malaysia. One of the coffee shops serving hungry passers-by was Yik Mun. Opened in 1926, they are known for their paus (steamed buns with fillings).

The chicken chop is uniquely Hainanese-Malaysian and Yik Mun being of Hainanese heritage serves a mean version (photographed here). Usually, it is a piece of chicken thigh drenched in a gravy made of Worcestershire Sauce, green peas, chopped mushrooms and onions, served with fries. Yik Mun’s version comes with canned green peas, mashed potato, coleslaw and a piece of mini mantou (Chinese bread). All for RM 14.

The waitress also recommended their signature Roti Kahwin (didn’t try), signature Mee Hailam (tasted ordinary), Chicken Pau (tasted bad) and Kopi O (tasted horrible). I recommend sticking to the chicken chop which was excellent. There are a couple of things that may be disturbing to some. The shop has sharks fin soup on the menu and it played Michael Learns To Rock continuously.

Yik Mun is halal.  It is now in a newer location; a maroon building at the junction to the old town and Proton City.

Olympus OM-D, ISO 2000, f5, 1/60 sec.

Yik Mun's Chicken Chop