Divine duck soup

Divine duck soup

The lure of 7th Street's Koay Teow Soup is simply too strong to resist.

AT Cecil Street, aka Chit Tiao Lor (7th Street) in old George Town, there is an old wet market which buzzes with customers all day long.

Situated alongside it is a hawker complex serving up Penang favourites like Char Kuey Teow, Mee Goreng, Eu Char Kueh, all kinds of other kueh and other delights. Among the most well-known stalls here is the one which serves Duck Kuey Teow Soup.

Leong Wai Chun and her husband, Lau toil away from 7.30am to 7pm, taking turns to dispense bowl after bowl of their version of this popular noodle soup. Their stall is often surrounded by patient customers awaiting their turn for a delicious slurp.
Hard at work: Lau Wei Loon helping out at his parents' stall in the Cecil Street hawker complex.

The secret, according to their son Wei Loon, 21, who has been helping there for the past few years, is in the duck soup – made from a recipe created by his grandfather who started the stall over 20 years ago.

"We don't stint on our ingredients," he insists, "and we can sometimes use up to 15 ducks a day."

The whole duck is boiled in the soup for its sweetness and later chopped into pieces which can be ordered as extras,

The drumstick, he adds, is the most popular part and can sell for RM3.50 each. The wings, feet and even the head are available, too, for those who wish to place extra orders.
Popular haunt: The small but busy hawker centre beside the Chit Tiao Lor Market in George Town.

Any remaining meat is shredded and served on top of the noodles, which can be yellow mee, bee tai bak or bee hoon, although it is generally eaten with their smooth, silky kuey teow, which Wei Loon claims, is specially made-to-order.

"We stipulate that no preservatives are used in our kuey teow."

Another traditional ingredient they offer is sliced coagulated duck's blood – a delicacy which is becoming less de rigueur nowadays, although it is still popular with the older generation.

"Ours is different, because it is softer and less tough," he says.

Served with some sliced fish cake, springy fish balls and a good handful of chopped green spring onions, the Duck Kuey Teow T'ng is an excellent way of dousing any hunger pangs, whether it is for breakfast, lunch or tea. Sliced chilli padi adds a certain zing to it.

For details, contact Wei Loon on 012-433 6680. They are closed on alternate Wednesdays.

-Info courtesy of the Star-