Port Klang Tang Yuan in KL
For Asians, the best savoured desserts are served warm and with just a hint of sweetness.
For us Malaysians, a much-loved dessert and late-night snack is none other than tong sui – think red bean, sweet potato, and black sesame soup that warms the soul. While it doesn’t get better than this, add chewy tang yuan to a dessert soup and you have an even heartier dish that’s typically enjoyed during the Dongzhi, or Winter Solstice, Festival.
To enjoy this snack all year round, drop by Port Klang Tang Yuan located inside Kopitiam MT Pak Lok in Kuala Lumpur. This stall is famous for their homemade, Ping Pong ball-sized tang yuan that are priced just RM3.50 a bowl.
Supple tang yuan & mua chee with coconut flakes
When you arrive at Port Klang Tang Yuan, don’t be surprised to see the owner busy kneading dough and greeting customers.
All the glutinous balls from this stall are made from scratch daily by the 3rd generation owner, who took over the family business. They currently operate an OG stall in Bandar Bukit Tinggi, Klang, besides the one in Taman Paramount, KL.
The owner continues to make the dough according to a family recipe. And the result is no ordinary tang yuan, but one that’s giant, bouncy, supple, and adored by their loyal customers.
For only RM3.50 a bowl, you’ll get to savour plain tang yuan, or tang yuan filled with peanut or black sesame paste, paired with warm ginger soup. To enjoy all three types of tang yuan in a bowl, you’ll only have to fork out RM4.50.
While the glutinous balls are highly raved among customers, the soup is also worth a mention. The owner makes the tong sui by simmering fresh ginger with pandan and sugar, and later sieving the mix for a smoother finish. Besides the fragrant ginger soup, those with a sweet tooth can opt to enjoy the tang yuan with pure brown sugar syrup.
A newer addition to Port Klang Tang Yuan’s menu is mua chee (from RM5), which is also prepared right before serving with doughs first flattened before it gets cut into smaller pieces and boiled.
Mua chee is typically topped with chopped peanuts, but the owner adds his own spin by also topping it with coconut flakes.
Here’s what we thought
We opted to pair the ginger soup with the Peanut & Black Sesame Tang Yuan (RM3.50), and brown sugar syrup with the Plain Tang Yuan (RM3.50). It was hard to resist ordering a plate of the Mua Chee Mix (RM5), comprising both coconut flakes and chopped peanuts as toppings – but more on this later.
The ginger soup offered just the right amount of gingery kick to warm our souls, while the stuffed tang yuan was soft yet chewy. The burst of peanut and black sesame fillings with each bite helped mellow out the rich spiciness of the ginger. Both fillings were well-roasted, and added a rich nuttiness and mild sweetness to the soup while pairing well with the supple tang yuan dough.
If you love the signature chewiness of tang yuan, we recommend going with the plain ones as there’s even more chew sans the fillings – they are also the size of Ping Pong balls. They tasted delightful with the sweet brown sugar syrup – which even our parents would give their stamps of approval for not being overly sweet.
Then came the mua chee – which amazed us with how bouncy they were. We thought peanut with mua chee would always be the unbeatable combo, but we were convinced otherwise after trying it with coconut flakes. The latter carried a pleasant aroma and a caramelised flavour that beautifully enhanced the peanut taste.
Nostalgic desserts from Port Klang Tang Yuen in KL
Be it for breakfast, a post-lunch dessert, or a late-night snack, a bowl of warm tang yuan never lets us down. So, if you’re ever in Taman Paramount and fancying a nostalgic sweet treat, drop by Port Klang Tang Yuan to order their affordable and chewy tang yuan and mua chee.
Address: 40, Jalan 20/16a, Taman Paramount, 46300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 6pm-10pm (Closed on Sundays)
Contact: 011-1620 7687
Also watch our video feature to find out more:
For more food haunts in Kuala Lumpur, try this popular Penang Maltose Rojak and RM10 omurice.
Photography by Dennis Kong.
Cover image adapted from: The Smart Local Malaysia