It is not often one can make such siew pau claims. All these matters boil down to a matter of personal opinion. However, once introduced to this steamy crumbly titbit, my opinion has been forever conformed. Siew pau’s are an acquired taste and the stretch of the country from Seremban siew pau fanatics may chew my ass off for the likes of a better variety. The Asian siew pau market boasts variations, hosting a range from steamed to baked. I have moreover been wondering about Seremban siew pau’s ingenuity as I cruised down the other week to visit our lawyer. I pointed out that famous place on the highway to my brother and asked him about it. None of us could confirm.
Kelana Jaya guards its own secret though. For those who live here, it might not be that big of a secret as Kaw Kaw Pakkopi has four branches to date. Two in OUG, one in SS2 and one in Taman Megah, which is my turf.
Kaw Kaw Pakkopi Siew Pau
Over the course of my return to Malaysia, a bright luring box of these delights appeared at the dining table. I took a bite of one of these siew paus and the mystery consumed me ever since. After asking mom dukes where this magical box appeared from, the responses were mixed. So, one day, as I was heading out to get bread flour at Chang Thung in Taman Megah, mom dukes pointed out the all revolutionary Kaw Kaw Pakkopi a couple of stores down. I grabbed her by the arm and dragged her away from the baking goods store towards the smell of freshly baked siew paus. A sense of perplexity overcame me.
We summoned the gentleman at the counter and nudged him to get started on the packing of the red boxes. First, the siew paus, probably a dozen. Next, the tau sar piah made from crumbly delicious mung bean pastry. The aroma circulating us was an olfactory representation of heaven for lack of a better word. Straight away, I throttled the car and headed back home, first for these gorgeous pics.
After getting a couple of satisfying shots in, I went in for the first bite. As your teeth puncture holes into the pastry, you feel a neutral unraveling of very sort flakes. They immediately dissolve as they come into contact with saliva. There is a taste of anticipation. The pastry only opens the door towards something greater and bigger: the filling. Subsequently, the dense char siu filling which is different from the steamed char siu paus is a little more caked as opposed to sticky. The element of sweetness unfolds and expands with every luxurious bite. Furthermore, there is that hint of Chinese five spice complementing the sweet pork. The delight is real!
Tau Sar Piah
Well, we needed some sort of dessert to complement the meat. So, mom dukes had decided to get a baggie of tau sar piahs for those at home who weren’t such fans of the siew pau (their loss really). In contrast, the tau sar piahs crumbled extensively with each bite. Fair warning, it does fall all over your pants and the table and a little dusting off after eating is required. All the way through, the tau sar piah breaks apart and crumbles and dissolves as your tongue comes into contact with the chalky sweet blocks of fried mung bean paste. However, this not being the best, as Penang is known for perfecting this magnificent tea time snack. Overall, it was a fantastic complement to the star of the show.
The Final Verdict
Well, Kaw Kaw Pakkopi is truly one of those places that come by and intensely surprise you. The quality of these treats were exceptional and the freshness is 100%. I however wouldn’t flex the tau sar piah so much, because honestly, I have come across better. Everyone will eventually have their own opinions about what hits their spot. So you tell me and fell free to chew my ass off if needed.
