Banana Leaf Rice Stall at Brickfields – Moorthy’s Mathai Indian Rice.
Traditionally and once a communal practice, the consumption of banana leaf rice in Malaysia has come a long way, taking on local preferences and establishing as a specialty on its own. Traditionally eaten in India as a community event with people within a neighborhood contributing and serving one another is now eaten widely as a meal ordered in Banana Leaf Rice restaurants.
Moorthy’s Mathai Indian Rice in Brickfields is one that has assimilated appreciation of Malaysians eating culture . This humble stall inside a Chinese kopitiam let’s you craft your own banana leaf rice , pretty much like chap fan or nasi campur, as well as helping yourself after as you pay at the stall before self serving your meal to your seat. But even though the adaptation of authentic meal serving being largely replaced by representation of Malaysian practices, this rice meal hasn’t loose the essence of flavour and uses real banana leaf beneath the delicious rice and dishes. I am really glad that I am not seeing plastic replicas like what’s happening at some of the banana leaf rice restaurants, but with that said, the leaf probably served more of a purpose for flavour since everything is still placed on a steel plate, which is totally acceptable seeing how they operate from a stall in a coffee shop and that diners are required to bring the meal to their seat. To be honest, I cannot quite imagine how it can be done without the steel plate so think of it as a tray.
Whilst eating from the steel plate means it is almost impossible to show appreciation for the food at the end of the meal (folding the leaf towards me) but I can honestly say that while Moorthy’s Mathai lack being traditional in art of dining, the flavour is nothing less than authentic and heart warming. If any assurance for the flavour is required, a local guide tipped this info that the business has been running for generations and has started as early as in the 70s ! It is no surprise to see Moorthy’s Mathai Indian Rice getting all the good reviews and praises on google ratings. But I am surprised that it’s so underrated (in the local bloggers community).
Traditional foods are not getting the limelight these days probably because most entries on the net were obsessively focused on postings of new cafes and trendy food. This in my opinion is something to take note- to not loose the root of traditional food in historical and anthropological perspective.
I wouldn’t have come across this too if not for the decision to spontaneously go venturing out without planning for my content. I am glad to stumbled upon Moorthy’s Mathai but because the lack of planning and research, I sort of missed out the recommended dish- fried fish. I most certainly would return again for the fried fish for sure .
Watch my day of spontaneous decisions on vlog.
https://youtu.be/8PRJuFpKHf