Savour Mamat Khalid's Mee Kari Kuah Laksa Dish At Ah Mat Kafe

By Syamsiah Sahat

IPOH, Nov 14 (Bernama) -- “Pak Jabit, nak mee kari...kuah laksa" (Pak Jabit, I’d like to have curry noodles...with laksa gravy) is a notable line from Yah Kuchai in the film Kampung Pisang Bersiri-Siri, directed by renowned filmmaker the late Mamat Khalid.

The delectable Mee Kari Kuah Laksa, which was previously only seen on screen, can now be savoured at Ah Mat Kafe, an eatery run by Nor Sara Mohamad, 32, the late Mamat Khalid’s daughter.

According to Nor Sara, she came up with the idea to include the menu because she wanted her late father’s fans to be able to sample the meal her late father created.

“There’s a story behind this Mee Kari Kuah Laksa menu. Papa (Mamat Khalid) said it was a dish that kids often ordered in school canteens in the 1970s.

“Back then, kids would order mee kuning (yellow egg noodles), which are typically served with curry broth, but instead eat them with kuah asam laksa (hot and sour fish-based gravy),” she told Bernama when met at her cafe in Jalan Che Tak here.

Nor Sara said that the cafe, which has been operating since June, was inspired by her late father, who had wanted to open a second branch of their Sarang Art Hub cafe here.

“My late father wanted Ipoh folk to bask in the ambience of our cafe (Sarang Art Hub) in Tanjung Malim.

“After Papa died, I continued this idea, but on a smaller scale due to labour constraints,” she said, adding that the cafe also sells special menus such as lempeng kelapa, lontong darat and nasi lemak ayam rendang.

Nor Sara said that the cafe she runs with her 35-year-old husband Amirul Ariff Abdul Wahab, is named after their one-and-a-half-year-old son Mohamad Ehsan Khalid Amirul Ariff.

On the Mee Kari Kuah Laksa dish, which is sold for RM8.50 per bowl, Nor Sara said the kuah laksa is cooked using the recipe created by her mother, who takes pleasure in making laksa, one of his late father’s favourite dishes.

A bowl of Mee Kari Kuah Laksa consists of yellow egg noodles that are served with northern-style asam laksa gravy and condiments such as pineapple chunks, fish balls, hard-boiled eggs, lettuce, and fresh lime wedges.

On the decoration of the cafe, Nor Sara said it has a retro vibe as the walls are adorned with film posters, including those from Mamat Khalid’s films, as well as photographs and her late father’s personal collection.

Customers at the cafe will also enjoy a playlist of wistful Malay tunes from the '70s through the '90s.

Asked about her future plan, Nor Sara said she intends to expand her business and extend its operating hours to cater to more customers.

“For now, the cafe is open from 9 am to 6 pm every Tuesday through Sunday. We can probably extend our operation until the night and add more food items to the menu if there is enough manpower and capital,” said Nor Sara, who is assisted by four staff.

Mamat, whose real name was Mohamad Mohamad Khalid, died on Oct 24, 2021, at the Slim River Hospital. He was 58.

Among his more well-known films were ‘Zombi Kampung Pisang’, ‘Hantu Kak Limah’, 'Rock', and ‘18 Puasa di Kampong Pisang’, which struck a chord with fans of the comedy and family entertainment genres.

-- BERNAMA