HOOKED ON ‘NASI GANJA’ FOR 60 YEARS
Loved by many, Ipoh eatery marks a milestone as it celebrates 60 years of serving Malaysians. The dish is so popular that it has attracted the attention of the prime minister
ZAHRATULHAYAT MAT ARIF IPOH zahratulhayat@nst.com.my
FROM the distance, one could hear shouts of “vanggey! vanggey! vanggey!” (vanggey means “come” in Tamil). The aroma of the herbs and spices in the fried chicken is so inviting that it makes one’s stomach growl, and tempts one to join the long queue in front of the stall.
Located at the corner of Jalan Yang Kalsom and operated from Yong Suan Coffee Shop, it is always bustling. The dish is so popular that it has received the attention of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who had mentioned it in his speeches and tweets.
Although its proper name is Nasi Kandar Ayam Merah, the dish is better known to locals as Nasi Ganja.
With only RM4.80, one can indulge in rice with fried chicken, salted egg and vegetables. Curry and sambal are poured over the rice.
The manager of Nasi Kandar Ayam Merah, Mohamed Nihmatullah Syed Mustaffa, 54, said he had been in the family-owned business since 1957, adding that their Indian-Muslim stall that operates from a Chinese coffee shop makes it all the more unique.
Nihmatullah said the joint-operating business in this restaurant began when his grandfather, Kassim Mohamad, met the owner of the kopitiam, the late Ang Pang Piew, after Merdeka cel- ebrations in 1957.
“Today, the third generation of both families are taking over the businesses and we will maintain this strong relationship.
“This is remarkably unique about living in Malaysia.
“What makes this year special, too, is that my stall will also celebrate 60 years of serving customers, which coincides with the 60th Merdeka celebration.
“I remember those days when my grandfather started selling Nasi Ganja for RM1.20. He offered the same meal in the plate — rice, chicken and vegetables.”
He said today, he had to adjust the prices accordingly since the prices of the raw ingredients that he used had increased.
“But I want to make sure that the price will remain at RM4.80. The price and the deliciousness of Nasi Ganja are the main reason why people love to dine here.
“The food is cheap, too. It does not affect my business as we have a lot of customers.
“That is the reason why I chose to maintain our prices.
“We can’t earn much if we only sell a few plates of Nasi Ganja, but we can make a profit by selling many at the same price.
“I am happy to see Malaysians from different backgrounds eating Nasi Ganja under one roof. It reflects the 1Malaysia spirit,” he said.
Customers can be seen queuing up along the corridor to the restaurant as early as 10am. The outlet is always packed with customers who are seen standing beside tables to reserve a spot.
Nihmatullah said he was honoured that Najib had mentioned his restaurant and pointed out that this was the second time the latter had spoken of it.
“He spoke about our restaurant in his Merdeka message last year. We were invited to the function. We chatted with him. I am overwhelmed by his support.
“To my surprise, we usually have lots of customers queuing up for our delicacy, but the line was even longer, a day after the prime minister mentioned our restaurant.”
One of his customers, Rozita Ahmad, 35, who came from Kuala Lumpur, said the rice tasted nothing like what she ate in Penang or Kuala Lumpur.
“The red sambal is so delicious and the curry tastes just right. Now I realise why it’s called ‘Nasi Ganja’ because I’m starting to get addicted to it.”
Michelle Ng said she had her lunch there as the food was different from those served at other mamak restaurants.
“Although some people say mamak restaurants are offering the same dishes, to me, this place has its own identity. I especially like the chicken dish, which I is special.
“The price is reasonable too and it depends on what you eat. But a standard plate of rice with with chicken, salted egg, sambal and mixed gravy costs less than RM8, including a drink,” she added.
I remember those days when my grandfather started selling ‘Nasi Ganja’ for RM1.20. He offered the same meal in the plate — rice, chicken and vegetables. The red sambal is so delicious and the curry tastes just right. Now I realise why it’s called
‘Nasi Ganja’, because I’m starting to get addicted to it.