How to Cook Wat Tan Hor and Kampung Fried Rice - Travelodge Ipoh Recipes

We’ve been to Ipoh about ten times in the last four years, and having stayed at many different hotels across those trips, we’ve become accidental experts on the accommodation scene there. I can say, unequivocally, that our favourite is Travelodge Ipoh, because of its first class amenities, its service, and its value for money.

When we’re in Ipoh, we’re always on the go executing different food-related projects for Masters of Malaysian Cuisine (MOMC), so we don’t really get the chance to eat at the hotel we’re staying at. However, on our most recent travels, we had the opportunity to sample some of the fare at The Atrium at Travelodge Ipoh and came away very impressed (ask for the Hainanese chicken chop when you visit; you’ll thank me for it).

The hotel was very generous in sharing two oft-requested recipes with our audience – Wat Tan Hor with an Ipoh twist, and Nasi Goreng Kampung (village fried rice).

Here’s the 10-minute video we filmed at The Atrium at Travelodge Ipoh, with both dishes demonstrated by Chef Ashraf; recipes follow below –

WAT TAN HOR RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

For the noodles:
150 g Ipoh hor fun (fresh rice noodles)
50 g bihun (rice vermicelli), soaked in water until soft
1½ TBSP cooking oil
1 tsp kicap pekat (thick soy sauce / cooking caramel)

For the gravy:
1 TBSP cooking oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2–3 stalks choi sum, cut into sections
50 g fish cake, sliced
50 g crab sticks
4–5 medium prawns, shelled
1½ cup water
1 TBSP oyster sauce
1 tsp chicken powder
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp soy sauce
2 TBSP potato starch, mixed with ¼ cup water to form a slurry
1 egg, lightly beaten

For serving:
Pickled chilli
Fresh cut big red chillies

METHOD:

Soak bihun in water until soft. Drain and set aside.
Heat a flat pan over high heat with 1½ TBSP oil. Add hor fun and soaked bihun. Drizzle in kicap pekat. Toss to combine and get a slight char. Transfer fried noodles to a serving plate. Set aside.
In the same pan over high heat, add 1 TBSP oil. Add chopped garlic and fry until fragrant. Add oyster sauce, 1½ cups water, chicken powder, salt and soy sauce. Bring to a boil. Add fish cake, crab sticks, prawns and choi sum. Cook briefly.
Pour in potato starch slurry and stir until the sauce thickens and turns glossy. Turn off the heat immediately. Pour in beaten egg and gently fold a few times—do not over-stir—so the egg forms silky strands.
Pour the hot gravy immediately over the reserved noodles. Serve with pickled chilli and fresh cut big chillies on the side.

NASI GORENG KAMPUNG

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup overnight rice (day-old)
2 TBSP cooking oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 egg
2–3 medium red chillies
1 tsp belacan (shrimp paste)
½ onion
50 g sliced chicken (or fish cake as substitute)
2 TBSP ikan bilis (dried anchovies)
½ cup mixed choi sum, carrot and kai lan
1 tsp soy sauce
½ tsp salt

For serving:
Limau kasturi (calamansi lime) wedges, fried egg, pappadam, cucumber & tomato slices, sambal belacan

METHOD:

Blend chillies, belacan and onion together into a smooth puree.
Heat a pan with 2 TBSP oil. Add sliced garlic and fry until fragrant. Crack in the egg and scramble until partially set. Add the chilli-belacan-onion puree and stir-fry until aromatic and the oil starts to separate.
Add sliced chicken (or fish cake) and cook until just done. Add overnight rice and break up any clumps. Stir-fry to combine evenly. Add soy sauce and salt.
Add chopped choi sum, carrot and kai lan. Stir-fry for another minute until vegetables are slightly wilted but still crisp.
Serve immediately with limau kasturi wedges on the side.

Want more food recommendations, articles and recipes?
Don’t forget to download Issue # 25 of our FREE Truly Malaysian by MOMC digital magazine.
Pick from two different cover options:

Cover 1 (Kopitiam coffee cup) – Click to View or Download