Skip to content
Cook with Ipohbunny

Cook with Ipohbunny

Stories and recipes from a Malaysian home kitchen

  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
    • Cuisine
      • Chinese
      • Japanese
      • Korean
      • Malaysian
      • Middle Eastern
      • Thai
      • Vietnamese
      • Western
    • Ingredient
      • Beef & Lamb
      • Eggs
      • Noodles & Pasta
      • Poultry
      • Rice
      • Seafood
      • Vegetables
    • Meal
      • One-pot meal
      • Breakfast & Brunch
      • Cakes & Sweets
      • Condiments
      • Side dish
      • Soups & Stews
    • Other Home Cooks
  • Stories
  • Contact
  • Toggle search form
  • Easy Lamb Pilaf Beef & Lamb
  • Mushroom Burger (Vegetarian) Burger
  • ABC Soup Chinese
  • Pistachio Pesto Pasta Noodles & Pasta
  • Thai Prawn Glass Noodles Noodles & Pasta
  • Smoked Salmon Pâté Condiments
  • Chicken Nanban Japanese
  • Air-fried Dengaku Naku (Miso Eggplant) Side dish
  • Mee Goreng Makcik Kantin Malaysian
  • Woo Thau Koh (Yam Cake) 芋头糕 Cakes & Sweets
  • Kai Si Hor Fun Chinese
  • Cooking at Sarang
    Cooking at Sarang Stories
  • Hero - Creamy chicken casserole
    Creamy Chicken Casserole Poultry
  • Salted egg bittergourd Chinese
  • Teriyaki Chicken Poke Bowl Japanese

Rendang Tok Mak Nik: Top 10

Posted on May 19, 2020June 16, 2021 By Alexandra Wong No Comments on Rendang Tok Mak Nik: Top 10

What’s a must-have during Hari Raya? To the people of Perak, the best part of the celebration is rendang tok.

Once reserved for Perak royalty, the delicacy is exalted for its sweet, robust taste and deep, dark flavours. The meat is slowly cooked in coconut milk and some 20 different herbs and spices for 4- 6 hours until it is completely dry and deeply infused with the flavours of the seasoning. #helpmymouthiswatering

And the king of rendang tok brands in Perak is of course Rendang Tok Mak Nik. Usually at this time of year, you can purchase this delicacy at bazaars and farmer’s markets in Perak and Selangor. But thanks (or no thanks) to COVID19, this is no longer possible.

However, fret not, rendang lovers, you can still get your fix. Those who live in Klang Valley can order through agents who will arrange for delivery to your doorstep. In Ipoh, you can order directly from Megat Syahrin Megat Aris, the brand’s operations manager. Details below.

I was connected with Megat thanks to the power of FB! (Shoutout to We Love Ipoh – City of Good Food)

This connection had sentimental meaning for me because years ago, I had the pleasure of interviewing Mak Nik, the founder herself, for the Perak Good Food Book. After chatting with Megat, I learned interesting new things about the brand which I thought might be of public interest.

Here are 10 things you may not know about Rendang Tok Mak Nik 🙂

1. The founder of the brand is Mak Nik, or her real name – Nafsiah Yeop Abdullah. She inherited the recipe from her great grandmother Siti Hawa, who used to be a cook at the royal Perak palace in the 1950s.

How Rendang Tok Mak Nik grew into a major brand reflects our current situation in more ways than we think: Mak Nik had to pivot her business while facing economic challenges

2. Before starting the rendang tok business, she and her husband Mohamad Pandak Husin were meat and vegetable sellers. However, by the 1980s, business was not very good, and she had to do something drastic. One day, she had some unsold beef and an idea occurred to her. “Why don’t we make rendang tok? I have this family recipe from my great-grand mother.”

3. While a lot of rendang is made from beef, Rendang Tok Mak Nik is made from kerbau or water buffalo. The key to rendang tok’s deliciousness is that the meat is cooked with spices up to six hours, leaving the meat coated in the spicy condiments. Normal beef will disintegrate after so long, but water buffalo will not. So after that long cooking process, you end up with meat that’s not only tender but deeply infused with complex flavours.

4. They started out in the backyard of their house in Pasir Putih, with a capital of RM35 and minimal equipment. They tried all sorts of ways to promote their product. Mak Nik told me they also went from house to house to sell. But the real game changer was selling it at a pasar tani in Kampung Simee.

This is why pasar tani is such an integral component of their business model and distribution system.

5. Being a pioneer at the popular farmer’s market in Ipoh Stadium gave them extra visibility, which became a competitive advantage over other rendang hawkers. Soon, they were able to set up a factory in Sri Pengkalan industrial area, Pasir Putih, Ipoh to commercially produce the delicacy.

6. Today, Rendang Tok Mak Nik has made its way to overseas markets. (Not during MCO though) They have also expanded to other products such as serunding, lemang, ketupat palas and simpul. The rendang is also available in heatable aluminium pouches that can last up to 2 years.

7. Mak Nik was a pioneer among women entrepreneurs in Perak. For her extensive contributions, she won a well deserved Women of Inspiration: Entrepreneur accolade at the inaugural Mutiara Perak Awards 2012. #myPerakheartisburstingwithpride

8. Of course, rendang tok is delicious eaten fresh, but when you order 1-2 kilograms of it, that may not be possible unless you are serving at a kenduri lah. Here’s a tip on storage: rendang tok can be kept at room temperature for 2 days. After that, it can be kept in a freezer and best eaten within three months. To reheat, best to steam rendang tok to keep it moist.

9. There are several variations as to how the rendang tok got its name. When I interviewed her, she told me, “In the past, whole families would go to war together. One day, a child saw his grandmother preparing food for the grandfather to take to the battlefield. The child asked, “What’s that?” and the grandmother replied, “Inilah rendang tok” (This is your grandfather’s rendang; the Malay word “tok” is short form for grandfather).

But … after relaying the story, she laughed cheekily. Thinking back, I wonder now if she was pulling my leg, haha! I guess like many Malaysian legends, the real story is anybody’s guess!

10. During our chat in 2008, Mak Nik shared a fascinating insight into what gives rendang tok its distinct character: “When preparing rendang tok, not a single strand of kerbau hair should go into the cooking. You have to wash the meat with wheat flour to ensure this. And not a drop of water should enter the kuali (wok) – the only liquid should be from the coconut milk.”

And there you have it, a look behind the scenes of Malaysia’s famous rendang brand.

Like so many other businesses, Rendang Tok Mak Nik has not escaped the effects of COVID19. But it is one of most resilient brands in Malaysia for good reason and I’m sure they will bounce back stronger than ever! Until then you can do your bit by supporting local brands!

Dear Mak Nik, thank you for building a brand that is not only the pride of Perak but Malaysia. You may have passed on, but your beloved legacy will continue to live on in our hearts – and our tastebuds.

To order, whatsapp Megat (Ipoh) at 012-343 5039 or Abd Raheem (Kuala Lumpur) at 0194132301
Visit their Facebook page

Post Views: 2,228
Stories Tags:Perak traditional food, rendang tok

Post navigation

Previous Post: Creamy Pepper Prawns
Next Post: Braised Turmeric Chicken

Related Posts

  • Mortar and pestle Stories
  • Being Fiscally Prudent Stories
  • Making Veggies Sexy Stories
  • A whatsapp chat Stories
  • Men in Aprons Stories
  • Website design
    Building your own website Stories

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Who’s Ipohbunny, lah?

Welcome!

I’m Alexandra Wong, a self-taught Malaysian home cook on a mission to simplify and healthify recipes using affordable quality ingredients. I am a writer by profession, mostly known for my feelgood stories about people, travel and food.

ipohbunny

I love all sorts of cakes, but carrot cake is sacr I love all sorts of cakes, but carrot cake is sacred territory.

My mum used to make it. Her cakes were wondrously crumbly and moist, and filled with so many goodies (We Ipoh people call it "toh liu") that nothing sold outside has ever, ever come close. 

Until @grumpyoldman_bakes

I didn't plan on ordering his cake, honestly. But I'd had to rush back to Ipoh for an emergency, and after some very stressful days, I figured I deserve a cake. Cakes make everything better right?

I'd read him waxing lyrical about his carrot cake and against my better judgement, I decided to order one. Gulp, risky. But what's life without some risk?

He was so sweet and helpful in his interactions, and even tolerated my unnecessary rambling (I express to destress). 

When I popped the box lid open, I gasped at how pretty it was. The whole cake was covered in thick frosting and topped with fresh walnuts. 

And then I cut a slice for mum and was even more shocked. You could see the grated carrot and nuts - it was so generous portioned - but the proof was in the tasting. MUm's tasting, to be exact.

She took a  bite and smiled approvingly. "It's so moist inside!"

That is the HIGHEST compliment, in my opinion, one can ever pay a carrot cake. So many out there guilty of dry, pebbly abominations. 

I took a bite and immediately noticed how fresh it tasted. And, I realised, tears springing to my eyes, how close it was to Mum's version, which I last ate more than 20 years ago. 

Thank you Chris for awakening these wonderful memories. 

#carrotcake #grumpyoldmanbakes #ipohbaker #homebaker #ipohhomebaker
I made my own #salmon #gravlax!!! #achievementunlo I made my own #salmon #gravlax!!! #achievementunlocked

It was not bad, just too salty but I have an idea where I went wrong

1. I initially soaked the slab of fish in a mixture of salt, sugar, star anise, peppercorn - and pickle juice because one of the chef recipes indicated so. 

2. However, when I read some other recipes, I realised none of them recommended soaking the fish in any liquid. In fact the salt is supposed to draw the liquid out of the salmon. True enough, when I checked the salmon after 18 hours, I found the flesh was still soft and raw. I suspected the culprit was the brine, so I poured it away. 

3. Then I packed on some more salt and wrapped it tightly in cling film and poked holes to let the liquid drain. I did it this way because I feel nervous about putting a heavy slab on top of the fish - scared the weight will break the fridge shelves!

4. Anyway, I think my method worked because after 36 hours, the flesh had firmed up visibly so I knew curing had taken place. Yay!

5. I could slice it quite easily, even though I didn't have a sharp knife. However, it was definitely too salty. More Googling. Turns out that I should use coarse kosher salt, instead of regular table salt otherwise the salmon would be too salty. Ah.

All in all, a pretty decent effort for a first timer. One more notch on my culinary belt :)

Edit: Just had an idea. I can always make salmon pate. By mixing the salmon with other ingredients, I redistribute the saltiness, so the salt is less concentrated. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CPUfeKMpdGB/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

#salmongravlax #homemadegravlax #homecooking #Malaysianhomecook #cookwithipohbunny #ipohbunnyrecipes #fish #easyrecipe
OK, @higherground.my is an unapologetic Instagram OK, @higherground.my is an unapologetic Instagram bait - and I'm an unapologetic Gen Xer with the heart of a #cafehopping Gen Z-er 😀

I wanted to come since spotting it on @penangfoodie So did half the Penang Gen Z population too. Though I think my hubby and I probably increased the median age by at least 20 years when we stepped in, haha! 

Flat white (RM14) and hot chocolate (RM16) were watery. Cakes looked generic, so didn't feel like trying. Hope the food will improve, cos the place is damn gorgeous.

Nice for people watching. 

#penangcafes #penangfoodie #cafehoppg #coffee #coffeegram #malaysiancafes #cafegram #cafespotting
@oowhitecoffee So did this super popular upmarket @oowhitecoffee

So did this super popular upmarket kopitiam live up to the hype?

One sentence: Come for the coffee. Which is really what made this place famous. Mum kept raving about how good her "kopi oh ping" was and my Kopi ais was excellent too. You can take away the coffee in convenient bottles too, which I found out is quite common in Penang outlets with a strong coffee brand like Stall 76 Batu Lanchang, SBK Concept etc. 

Other pros: clean, comfortable, elderly-friendly environment. When asked how his chicken hor fun was, Dad commented, "Tastier than the Ipoh version." He downed the whole bowl of soup! Both their HK and Portuguese egg tarts were well made. 

The cons: Mum was not impressed with the hokkien mee. In fact, I have yet to find one in Penang that meets her sky-high standards. As for my nasi lemak I believe I can cook better sambal and rice lah 😅 (thank you @che_nom) though the tasty fried chicken made up for it. Hubs' tan chi (softboiled egg over buttered toast) was nothing to shout about but he did say the bread was good, as it was soft and had body, like brioche. 

Be forewarned. If you arrive after 8am on a weekend, good luck to you circling around the area looking for parking. I dragged my parents out at 7.20am. We came before twice at 9+am and lunchtime, both unsuccessful because there was just no parking in the vicinity. Oh and expect higher than average Penang prices, though I think KL folks won't feel much pain paying RM10+ for a bowl of noodles 😂

#oowhitecoffee #foodblogger #Malaysianfoodblogger #kopitiam #penangfood #Penangkopitiam #Malaysianfoodie #penangcafe
After trying out so many famous #Nyonyarestaurant After trying out so many famous  #Nyonyarestaurants, Bibik's Kitchen remains my undisputed No 1 choice. Yes, it's not so well known nor does it appear on that many "best of" lists, but that's because the food here is cooked home-style. Nor are they active on socmed. 

Meaning the taste is not so commercial because there is no msg, no excessive amounts of salt or chilli - the dishes are made using generations-old family recipes.

And guess what? One of the most critical foodies I know gives it the thumbs-up. My mum :)

I was nervous about bringing her because as a terrific cook herself, her standards are damn high. But she was sold after her first bite of her favourite dish  #otak-otak, which she praised for its super smooth texture, subtle flavours with a strong but not overwhelming fragrance of daun kaduk. "Mum's otak-otak also tastes like this," she commented, referring to herself la. Translation: that's the pinnacle of praise 🤣

Otak2 aside, Bibik's chicken dishes are some of the best. This round, I haven't found Penang any chicken #karikapitan that comes close, and the #inchikabin is superb as well. 

And if you come for lunch, you must try the #Nyonyakuih here, which is actually sold in Kuih by Bibik, run by the Mum Girlie on nearby Lebuh Clarke 

Kuih by Bibik's is THE BEST Penang #nyonyakuih I've eaten - and only a few ppl know because the Nyonya Girlie makes it in very small batches. Unlike the commercially made versions, you can really taste the difference in terms of the quality of ingredients. My mum and I can both make Nyonya kuih (OK I can only make kuih bingka) so we know our stuff lah :p

#penangfood #nyonyacuisine
One of the more delicious discoveries I've made re One of the more delicious discoveries I've made recently in Ipoh, @hyggebakehouseipoh is a cosy #Ipohbakery making their own #shokupan (fluffy and soft while retaining a nice bite) #sourdough and all kinds of cakes, cookies and desserts, including one of the best #brownies I've eaten - very chocolatey and almost as fudgy as @718pizza (which also makes a killer giler-fudgy brownie). Luckily the cafe is quite far from my house, or else very dangerous for my diet haha. Proud too that the quality of bakeries in Ipoh is Comparable to KL. The inside-flowy basque cheesecake at @girliescafe
remains my all time favourite.

Glad I followed your recommendation @milockosong 🤗

#Ipoheats #Ipohcafes
No chicken? Eat duck lor :P Stumbled across @what No chicken? Eat duck lor :P

Stumbled across @whattheducksetia when it was a quirky little cafe on Nagore Road many years ago. Was so impressed by the quality of the food - its fine dining but at such humane prices.

Today, we visited its new incarnation at Setia Spice and the food is as tasty as ever. 

Hubs had the set dinner of duck confit (delectable! I actually crunched the bones!), passion fruit tea, soup and dessert while I had the spicy Indonesian bek bek pasta.

Man, I miss this ❤️

#whattheduck #duckconfit #penangfood #duck
Here's another #cheat #hack you can use if you rea Here's another #cheat #hack you can use if you really feel like eating chicken rice but can't be bothered with the whole song and dance to make proper chicken rice.

Your lifesaver? This super handy, super tasty Bentong ginger paste that I discovered in a market in Pulau Tikus market!!

What else you'll need?
1) Chicken rubbed with salt
2) Chicken stock
3) Rice

That's it!! 

Now, everybody knows that for good chicken rice, the RICE is probably more important than the chicken itself.  It's got to be a flavour bomb, literally. So how do you achieve that?

This is where the magic of the Bentong ginger paste comes in.  Aside from ginger and garlic, it's also seasoned with oyster sauce, salt, etc as well as oil which has been flavoured with all those seasonings. What I did was scoop up a few tsp of the flavoured oil, mix it with the rice and chicken stock, cook it in my rice cooker, and voila, chicken rice! Simple kan?

As for the chicken, just steam it with the ginger paste for 20 minutes and voila, the most delicious chicken rice with just three ingredients!

#3ingredientrecipes #kitchenhack #Chinesecooking #chinesecuisine #homecook #Malaysianhomecook #homechefs #weeknightdinners #easyrecipes
It's been ages since I made #samwongtan or steamed It's been ages since I made #samwongtan or steamed three eggs, the Chinese classic comfort food. I got myself a century egg and salted duck egg from the Batu Lanchang market so decided to make it again.

How do you get flawless steamed 3 eggs?

1. Use an egg: liquid ratio of 1: slightly less than 2. Yes, 2 is the gold standard but I found it just a little on the side of watery so a bit less will do the trick. For the liquid, you can use either water or stock. If you use water, just season more.

2. Whisk the egg mixture until lump free before steaming. 

3. When you are ready to steam, place the egg custard on the steaming tray only when the water is boiling already. Then reduce to medium low and steam for 10 min.

If you have any other good tips, pls leave them in the comments below :) 

#Chinesecooking #homecook #homecooking #eggs #eggdishes #healthyeating #steamedeggs #foodie #Malaysianhomecook #vegetarian #eggrecipes #vegetarianrecipes
Load More… Follow on Instagram

Latest recipes

  • Pistachio Pesto Pasta
  • Nyonya Heritage Food at KUEH by Bibik’s Kitchen, Penang
  • Beef Noodles at Kuan Soo Noodle Stall, ICC Pudu
  • Mum’s Fried Beehoon
  • Chicken Confit
  • Stir-fried Cabbage with Miso
  • Parmesan-Crusted French Toast
  • Teriyaki Chicken Poke Bowl
  • Garlic Fried Rice
  • Onion Jam

Categories

Tags

Asian cookingbananasbreakfastcakecheat recipechickenChinese cookingeggsF & B entrepreneurfishfried beehoonfusionkid-friendlyKorean cookingnoodlesnyonya cookingNyonya cuisineone-pan mealpastaPenang foodPeranakanprawnsricesaladsang har meensweettraditional foodveganvegetablesvegetarian
  • Braised Fuchuk Fish Head Chinese
  • Gulai Labu (Pumpkin Curry) Malay
  • Pistachio Pesto Pasta Noodles & Pasta
  • Stir-fried Cabbage with Miso Chinese
  • Parmesan-Crusted French Toast Breakfast & Brunch
  • Mum’s Fried Beehoon Noodles & Pasta
  • Chicken Confit One-pot meal
  • Lead
    Claypot Chicken Rice Chinese
  • Nyonya Heritage Food at KUEH by Bibik’s Kitchen, Penang Food review
  • Beef Noodles at Kuan Soo Noodle Stall, ICC Pudu Chinese
  • Teriyaki Chicken Poke Bowl Japanese
  • Woo Thau Koh (Yam Cake) 芋头糕 Cakes & Sweets
  • Braised Turmeric Chicken Chinese
  • Luxurious Chicken Porridge Chinese
  • Nyonya Otak-otak Eggs

Most Viewed Posts

  • Braised Yee Mee (26,439)
  • Sang Har Meen (5,475)
  • Artisan Handmade Bread: Surviving MCO (4,963)
  • Braised Fuchuk Fish Head (4,398)
  • Nyonya Otak-otak (4,312)

Copyright © 2022 Cook with Ipohbunny.

Powered by PressBook News WordPress theme