AMIDST the tantalising aroma of Penang street food, septuagenarian Lim Eng Seng has been serving up his delectable Penang Nyonya Assam Laksa for the past eight years at Hin Bus Depot.
However, beyond running a successful business, Lim is on a mission to ensure that the treasured local taste of Penang street food endures for generations to come.
With a desire to share his expertise and empower the community, he dreams of imparting his laksa-making skills to interested locals, paving their way to become proud hawkers themselves.
“I learned the art of crafting this exquisite Penang Nyonya Assam Laksa from my sister. This recipe has been passed down through generations.
“We believe that true Penang laksa requires more than just the right ingredients. It demands heart and soul,” Lim told Buletin Mutiara recently.
He said he was willing to share his knowledge, on condition that his ‘students’ must be willing and committed to pick up the skills and become hawkers or entrepreneurs themselves.
“I am launching a unique laksa training programme to pass down my legacy to the next generation. My ‘students’ will have the opportunity to learn from my experience for a nominal fee, which will be reinvested to purchase high-quality ingredients, essential materials, and other necessities to sustain the programme.
“I hope to ignite the same fire in the hearts of aspiring hawkers through my programme, ensuring that the soul of our street food continues to thrive for years to come,” he said.
When met at Hin Bus Depot, regional manager Erna Nabilah Hazairul Sham, 30, said she loved Lim’s laksa because of its thick and sourish gravy.
“Unlike the other laksa which I have tried before, this laksa has a thicker gravy. It also has a strong laksa flavour,” Erna Nabilah, who is from Pahang, said.
Erna Nabilah, who works in Penang, said she frequent Hin Bus Depot as she was living nearby the area.
Her Penangite colleague Syifa Mahadi, 26, also lauded Lim’s laksa, adding that she was surprised by the chucks of fish meat in her bowl of laksa.
“I just love the ingredients, especially the chunks of fish meat in my bowl of laksa,” the store manager said.
Both Erna Nabilah and Syifa said they prefer assam laksa over lemak laksa.
Lim’s culinary expertise was not confined to his bustling hawker stall. During the challenging times of the Covid-19 pandemic, he displayed kindness to the homeless and vagabonds by distributing packets of laksa in George Town.
“I was able to help them thanks to the support of kind sponsors who rallied behind me to feed those in need. Without my sponsors, it wouldn’t be possible,” he said.
In addition to his charitable endeavour, Lim was also previously involved in numerous activities at The Lighthouse – a community service centre aimed at reaching out to the people of the urban poor, underprivileged, homeless, and marginalised backgrounds in society.
For more details about Lim’s programme, visit his stall at Hin Bus Depot which is open from 11am to 5pm every Sunday. Those interested can also e-mail him at [email protected]
Story by Christopher Tan
Pix by Alissala Thian and Law Suun Ting