food

A hidden gem of banana leaf rice in Brickfields

By YAP PIK KUAN
December 29, 2015

The curries and dishes at Moorthy's Mathai are spicy in a slow-burning kind of way. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Yap Pik Kuan, December 29, 2015.Brickfields is fertile hunting ground for those looking for good food as there are eateries around every corner.

I've previously written about my go-to Chinese food at Sin Kee, but when it comes to banana leaf rice, one of my top picks would have to be Moorthy's Mathai Indian Rice.

The stall is located in Money's Corner (where you'll also find the popular Peter's Pork Noodles). In 2012, owner Moorthy Rengasamy handed over the reigns to his nephew and took a short break.

He now runs another restaurant in Sunway Surian Avenue, catering to customers who still want a taste of his delicious fried fish and banana leaf rice without going all the way to town.

If you're not in the know, finding the food court is an adventure in itself.

Hidden behind the row of shops facing Jalan Tun Sambanthan, getting in from the main road is through a narrow passageway, mostly taken up by a fire escape, next to an open carpark. Once you find the "hidden" entrance, the stall will be the first thing you see.

A landmark along the main road is the Sports Toto shop as the "hidden" entrance to Money's Corner is located just next to it.

You can also enter from a side road, where you will also see the Pos Malaysia office directly opposite the alternative entrance. Just look out for Legend's Claypot Briyani House, Money's Corner should be next to it.

Rice is served on a banana leaf placed on a silver tray and you can take your pick from the numerous dishes on display a-la the "economy rice" concept we are familiar with. Vegetable sides include a refreshing cucumber and pineapple salad, moreish potato masala and fried long beans.

Try to pick as much as you can finish at Moorthy's Mathai Indian Rice as servings are huge and prices can rocket. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Yap Pik Kuan, December 29, 2015.The fried fish is the absolute star of the stall and a must-have on every plate.

Fried golden brown, the hefty chunk of meat looked very dry and could easily be mistaken for a piece of chicken but this was not the case at all. The flaky, white flesh was still juicy with a hint of natural sweetness and fragrant with the spices it was cooked with.

The fried fish may be my favourite at the stall but other dishes put up a good fight too. One of them was the spicy chicken varuval. The succulent pieces of meat were coated with a dry gravy full of punchy flavours from aromatics like curry leaves, chilli, cumin seeds, cloves and more.

Another close contender was the mutton curry. It was of the dry variety with similar bold flavours as the varuval. The only difference was that it was infused with the meaty smell of the mutton which was fork-tender.

Other dishes include fried squid with hints of turmeric and freshly fried chicken (go with the thighs, they're less dry). Thick chicken and fish curries are also readily available to flood your rice with.

This entire plate was RM21 which I thought was fair given the huge helping. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Yap Pik Kuan, December 29, 2015.I chose both the chicken varuval and mutton curry in one sitting, which admittedly, was too much for me. It's easy to pick and try the many dishes they have but I'd advise you to be more conservative with your selections as portions are huge and it can get expensive.

The basic vegetarian set is a very affordable RM5 but when you add on the other dishes, prices can easily go up to RM25. My plate with two vegetables and three meats came up to RM21 but with a serving so big, two can easily share.

If you're in the area, Moorthy's Mathai Indian Rice offers a very filling and satisfying lunch option. – December 29, 2015.

Moorthy's Mathai Indian Rice | Address: Money's Corner Food & Beverage Station, 78 Jalan Tun Sambanthan, Brickfields, 50470 Kuala Lumpur | Opening hours: 11am - 3.30pm daily | GPS coordinates: 3.131653, 101.686519 | Pork-free