By Siskoh Koro
SRI AMAN: Char Kuey Teow is a ubiquitous food item in the country, so the business of selling it is equally as commonplace and widespread, yet the really popular versions are not that common if one has a picky or selective or discerning palate.
Where can one find a really extraordinary Char Kuey Teow – the type that is hard to forget once eaten? This is not easy to answer, so each person to his/her own taste.
The Hokkien word “char” means “fried”, while “kwey teow” refers to the “flat rice noodles” which is stir-fried over very high heat with light or dark soy sauce and chili. Prawns, de-shelled cockles, bean sprouts, Chinese chives or eggs are often added to the mix, but they are optional.
While it is tough to pinpoint and satisfy customers’ tastes, Abou Ameen Char Kuey Teow at Kampung Tengah, Jalan Stawang in Sri Aman seems to have discovered the “key” or perhaps part of it judging by the number of customers that patronise his stall daily.
Many of the customers can perhaps be described as “addicted” to his Char Kuey Teow for they are repeaters – coming again and again to satisfy their craving. It is said that even people from outside the area come long distance just to taste the fried goodie.
The owner of the business, Abang Ihsannallah Abang Mohd Amin, 49, said he started the business in November 2018 after choosing its strategic location.
He remembered studying Char Kuey Teow cooking while working in Kuala Lumpur in 2015 after observing that customers always flocked to the stalls regardless of the time of day.
“When I saw the good potential, I wanted to learn how to fry it. At that time, I knew a well-known Char Kuey Teow ‘guru’. He was willing to teach me from A to Z on condition I paid him RM10,000,” he said.
Naturally, as he could not afford the fee, he aborted the idea.
“Fortunately, the internet came to my rescue. Many of my colleagues advised me to learn by watching Youtube videos,” he recalled.
“I did, and once I knew how, I started Abou Ameen Char Kuey Teow after deciding not to work as a security guard at Wisma Persekutuan Sri Aman.”
At first it was just he and his wife minding the stall, but over time after realising that the business has grown too much for them to handle alone, they employed four workers.
“Alhamdulillah, with a lot of hard work, we finally reached a stage last November when we could gross RM500 to RM600 per night,” he said.
On what he stresses on the most in his business, Abang Ihsannallah said without hesitation, “Customer satisfaction! You can thrive on customer satisfaction anytime, anywhere.”
When asked for a brief description of his Char Kuey Teow, he said it must be fried over a really hot fire with a mixture of soy sauce, sauces, chilies and (depending on customer’s choice) chicken, shrimps, shellfish, eggs, bean sprouts or mutton.
“It’s more delicious if cooked in small quantities. It tastes rather different if cooked in big amounts,” he said.
According to him, every day he serves over 100 plates of Char Kuey Teow daily at RM5 each.
Although his basic business is doing well, he knows that not everybody wants Char Kuey Teow. Some want other types of food, so he has introduced Nasi Ayam Ketok.
“Some people want something more filling, so they prefer rice and other things,” he said.
Now that it is Ramadan month, Abang Ameen Char Kuey Teow’s business will open from 3pm to 10.30pm to allow people to book a menu and break the fast at his shop.
For reservations and inquiries Abang Ihsannallah’s contact number is 014-2747012. His Facebook handles are Abou Ameen and Warung Abou Ameen Char Kuey Teow.
