Customers waiting at an alley to savour a bowl of chendol, a delicacy consisting of coconut milk, palm sugar, rice-flour jelly and shaved ice in George Town. Chendol is one of the best-known desserts in Penang beside ais kacang and bubur. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Hasnoor Hussain, March 24, 2015.

The Lim sisters at their curry mee stall in Ayer Itam. The older Lee (second from right) deals with customers while the younger sister prepares the broth. They have been in business for more than 70 years and have no intentions of moving up from their ‘ground stall’. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Hasnoor Hussain, March 24, 2015.

Customers on their motorcycles waiting for their order at a stall in Jalan Chulia, George Town. As the name suggests, many street food stalls are on the roadside. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Hasnoor Hussain, March 24, 2015.

A man uploading pictures of a meal on social media. People snapping photographs of their food on mobile phones and sharing them on social media are the best free advertisement. –The Malaysian Insider pic by Hasnoor Hussain, March 24, 2015.

A foreign helper at a food stall serving bowls of chendol in George Town. The Penang government has banned foreigners from being employed as main cooks at hawker stalls in a bid to preserve the authenticity of its food culture. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Hasnoor Hussain, March 24, 2015.

Plates of wan tan mee at a food stall in Jalan Chulia. Wan tan mee was named as one of the 13 most popular Penang street food alongside assam laksa, char koay teow, curry mee, hokkien mee, lor bak, pasembor, chee cheong fun, mee sotong, char koay kak, oh chien (fried oysters), koay teow th'ng and nasi lemak. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Hasnoor Hussain, March 24, 2015.

A hawker area in New Lane, George Town. Among the famous hawker centres in Penang are Jalan Macalister, Gurney Drive, Pulau Tikus, New Lane, Swatow Lane, Lorong Selamat, Lorong Siti Abu, Jalan Penang and Jalan Chulia. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Hasnoor Hussain, March 24, 2015.

Bread is toasted in a charcoal oven at a coffee stall in George Town. Many hawkers still maintain the old methods in preparing food to ensure the taste is maintained. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Hasnoor Hussain, March 24, 2015.

A hawker taking out his tricycle from a store, 200m from his stall in Jalan Chulia. Hawkers prefer the tricycle since it is portable. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Hasnoor Hussain, March 24, 2015.

A hawker switching on a lamp which relies on electricity supplied from a nearby shop house in Jalan Chulia. Many hawker stalls are between a shop lot and road, thus the need to tap electricity from a nearby shop house or use generators. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Hasnoor Hussain, March 24, 2015.

A hawker at New Lane, George Town. Hawkers have to follow Health Ministry guidelines, such as wearing aprons and caps to ensure cleanliness. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Hasnoor Hussain, March 24, 2015.

A view of a mamak stall in Jalan Chulia. The roadside setting provides a casual dining experience. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Hasnoor Hussain, March 24, 2015.

A woman pushing her cart past new cafes in Love Lane. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Hasnoor Hussain, March 24, 2015.

People enjoying their food at a stall in Jalan Chulia, George Town. A humble setting and reasonable prices are a common feature of Penang street food. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Hasnoor Hussain, March 24, 2015.

People queuing up for a plate of nasi tomato at a stall in Batu Lanchang, Penang. Foodies are willing to wait to get a taste of the best food in town. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Hasnoor Hussain, March 24, 2015.