Chok Kee Porridge Cafe – Bestseller Chee Cheong Chok 

A warm bowl of “Chee Cheong Chok,” translated as Pig Intestines congee, is the tastiest carb-laden comfort food I can eat for breakfast every day.

I had two breakfasts at Chok Kee Porridge Cafe just for their bestseller Chee Cheong Chok!

Chee Cheong Chok is a thick, flavourful congee cooked with pig innards, and pig blood cubes and topped with crispy deep-fried pig intestines.

In the 70s and 80s, Chee Cheong Chok stalls are commonly found at wet markets, Kopitiam, and some Hawker Centres.

Chee Cheong Chok is a hawker food best enjoyed as a breakfast, dinner, or supper treat – hence most of the porridge stalls are open during those times.

Over the years, the number of stalls dwindled – much older retired or died, and their children were not interested in cleaning and preparing the innards.

Only the remaining few famous ones have stood the test of time as the business is passed down from one generation to the next.

Chok Kee Porridge Cafe remains to ply this delicious Cantonese congee with authentic Korchabi in George Town’s China Town.

Murf, who joined me on the eating spree, remembers the lady in the shop who was a little girl helping her father at the stall.

Push Cart Chee Cheong Chok

In the morning, my mom swears by the pushcart stall on Kuala Kangsar Road (behind Chowrasta Market).

I went looking for it but couldn’t find it and decided to do a site Reece of Chowrasta Market and the surrounding streets.

Instead, I found Chok Kee Porridge Café on Kimberly Street with a queue forming.

Chok Kee Porridge Cafe – History

Chok Kee Chee Cheong Chok stall used to be at Lebuh Cintra.

Penangites call Cintra Street as Jipun Kay and Jipun Heng Kay “Little Japan Street”.

In 2014, The Chee Cheong Chok stall moved to its own premises on Lebuh Kimberley.

The humble, simple, but a little worn shophouse has a history of how their forefathers started the business from a pushcart.

You can see some old photos pasted on the blue ceramic tiled walls.

Bestsellers, without a doubt, are the Chee Cheong Chok and Century Egg Porridge.

The Century Egg Porridge has a thick and creamy consistency.

For me, it was hard to order anything else other than my favorite Chee Cheong Chok.

We spoke to other regular customers, and they say both offerings are perfect.

Chok Kee Porridge Cafe – Chee Cheong Chok Menu and Price

• Pork Intestine Porridge RM7.00
• Peanut Porridge RM6.00
• Century Egg Porridge RM5.00
• Add On
• Fried Dough Sticks RM1.00
• Egg/Century Egg RM1.00
• Pre-Cleaned Pig Stomach RM25.00

What Chee Cheong Chok to Order?

Chee Cheong Chuk is a Cantonese-style congee with Pig Intestines as its main ingredient.

This might not appeal to you if you don’t eat offal and innards.

However, the owners have expanded to sell century egg and peanut porridge for those who don’t eat innards.

Pig’s innards mean the digestive system’s parts, including the stomach, small intestines, and big intestines (bowels).

The intestines are either deep-fried or boiled.

Sliced Char Siew (barbecued pork) is usually added to the porridge, with sliced spring onion as garnishing.

The white, smooth rice porridge is already flavourful – you can see cubed Pig Blood Curd (solid pig blood) floating in the porridge.

You can choose from two rice congee types – one with Pig Blood Cubes in the porridge or without.

Next comes the chockful of tasty star ingredients of Pig Intestines.

These crunchy morsels of Pig Intestines are sprinkled on top of the porridge before it is served.

Combine this in a deep bowl, and you have the result; an extra crunchy texture to the smooth porridge – an extraordinarily delicious Chee Cheong Chok.

Chee Cheong Chok Ingredients

• Boiled Pig Intestines
• Crispy Barbecued Pig Intestines
• Pig’s stomach
• Thickly slice Char Siew (barbecued pork)
• Cubed Pig Blood Curd
• chopped Green Spring Onions
• a dusting of White Pepper

Chee Cheong Chok Consistency

Everyone has a different preference when it comes to the consistency of porridge.

Not everyone likes the silky smooth Asian rice porridge called Congee, Chok, or Jook.

For the Cantonese people, making Chok is pretty standard in their household.

I have a problem getting the rice: liquid ratio right.

So, when I can eat flavored porridge – I love it all.

• Cantonese Chok
• Thai Jok
• Jakarta-Style Savoury Rice Porridge (Bubur Ayam Betawi)
• Fried Porridge

The consistency of the porridge varies depending on the amount of water or stock your add-in.

I like a medium-thick to medium-thin porridge – with the silky smooth starchy texture of HK-style Congee being the top favorite.

Some people like a thin porridge.

Others like the rice grain to remain mostly intact without breaking up.

The longer the congee sits, the thicker it becomes as it continues to absorb water.

So, stirring on a low simmer is what makes congee is thickened and creamy.

The consistency of the Chee Cheong Chok is smooth and delicate and stays firm even if you tapao and stir it – the Chok remains thick and creamy.

Chee Cheong Chok Star Ingredient – Deep Fried Roasted Pork Intestine

I could munch on these Deep Fried Roasted Pork Intestines, but the stall only sells it with the porridge.

The intestine is crispy, fragrant, and has a sweet finish without being chewy.

How to Prepare Chee Cheong Chok

Chee Cheong Chok looks simple, but the preparation is tedious.

Aside from the long hours of slowly simmering the rice in a flavourful pork bone broth – the labor is in the constant stirring and adding water to prevent the porridge from burning.

Believe me; porridge can burn at the bottom of the pot and spoil the taste.

Getting that smooth, tasty silky smooth consistency is the crown of a perfectly simmered porridge.

That aside, there’s more work involved in getting the pig intestines thoroughly cleaned out.

The boiled items are simple enough.

It is the Crispy Barbecued Pig Intestines that take the most work.

After cleaning, these are strung and grilled until dry, then deep-fried to crunchy crispiness.

Other Porridge You Can Order Apart From Chee Cheong Chok

The Peanut Porridge and  Century Egg Porridge were introduced to cater to customers who don’t take Pig Innards.

Both porridges have a long history as favorite Cantonese comfort food.

It is a nostalgic trip down memory lane for authentic Cantonese flavors for those who grew up eating this congee type.

Nothing mediocre about these two porridges but one of the simple, clean flavors a mother prepares for her family.

Chok Kee Peanut Porridge

Peanut Porridge has braised peanuts and lean pork as its focus ingredients.

It is served topped with crispy shallots and fried vermicelli.

Chok Kee Century Egg Porridge (Pei Tan Chok)

Another favorite is the Century Egg Porridge flavored with the Pei Tan and Salted Egg fragrance.

You can add the crunchy Youtiao to your porridge.

It is served with julienne young ginger.

Chok Kee Porridge Cafe – Chee Cheong Chok  Takeaway Taste

I tapao a portion of  Chee Cheong Chok for my mom in a tiffin carrier.

The congee is garnished with chopped spring onions, a dusting of white pepper, and a sesame oil drizzle.

The Crispy Barbecued Pig Intestines became softened as it is packed and separated with the Char Siu.

I took some time to return home as I was out for tapao food.

She enjoyed the taste of the smooth, silky porridge, which remained thick and creamy even after a few hours.

The Char Siew and the Crispy Barbecued Pig Intestines taste delicious.

Travel Tips: Chok Kee is a popular Chee Cheong Chok in Penang with locals and visitors.

They have quite a good following for the delicious porridge.

Go early, be patient, and do expect a little waiting during mealtime due to limited seats.

Chok Kee Porridge Cafe – Chee Cheong Chok Review

I went in two straight days and brought my friends to try.

Murf gave the taste a definite 10 out of 10 in authentic Korchabi taste!

Murf used to eat this as a child from the original site, a pushcart on Cintra Street, Penang.

Back in the day, the ingredients were Cubed Pig Blood Curd, boiled and deep-fried pig intestines.

If memory serves Murf right, Sliced Char Siew, a more luxurious ingredient, was added later.

Like a kid in a candy store, Murf wanted all the ingredients and got the huge white bowls chockful of more ingredients than porridge.

The flavor of a Chee Cheong Chok is smooth, infused with the porky smoky flavors of the crispy intestines.

We loved the porridge; there were enough ingredients in every spoonful and more.

Adding the white pepper and a drizzle of soy sauce makes the porridge taste even better.

It’s kind of like customizing your personal bowl.

As for me, I had my favorite combo of Crispy Deep Fried Pig Intestines and Char Siu – enough to make me a happy Congee Girl.

Chok Kee Porridge Cafe – Operating Hours

The stall opens early morning for business.

The banner signs state 8.30 am, and we showed up at 8.15 am; the shop was in full swing.

We are just greedy and show up early whenever there’s food.

The best time to visit is before 10 am if you want to beat the crowds before more people come to eat and tapao home for afters.

Once they sell out, you need to come the next day!

Chok Kee Porridge Cafe
Dine-in or Takeaway – Follow SOP
188, Lebuh Kimberley, George Town, 10200 George Town, Penang
Landmark: Next to Wei Min Medical Hall
Operating Hour: (Mon-Fri) 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m., (Sat & Sun) 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Phone: 016-480 0659

 

 

Blog Disclosure: This is a NOT sponsored blog post. All opinions are mine. The writer and friends paid for their meal.