A BELOVED street food staple in Melaka is popiah. Among its many variations, the Melaka-style lard version stands out for its rich, savoury taste. For Pua Yen Ling, this traditional dish is more than just food – it is a piece of Melaka heritage.
After the Covid-19 movement control order (MCO), Pua decided to bring this culinary gem to the Klang Valley, opening YL Melaka Popia at Restoran Hakka Legend in Taman Megah, SS24 in Petaling Jaya. “My mother loves popiah, and after the MCO, I started making it for fun. “The whole family thought it tasted so good that they encouraged me to go into business.
“Both my mother and I are from Melaka, so it was natural to bring our favourite popiah here,” said Pua. Unlike the typical lard popiah that often includes tofu and bean sprouts, YL Melaka Popia opts for julienned cucumber, making each bite crisp and invigorating. “The cucumber adds a refreshing element that you don’t usually find in other lard popiah.
” Pua’s popiah features a mix of peanuts, sweet sauce, sambal, cucumber, jicama (sengkuang), fried shallots, omelette and the unmistakable crunch from lard fritters. This combination creates textures and flavours that are satisfying and comforting. The Melaka lard popiah has julienned cucumber, jicama, chopped peanuts, sweet sauce, fried shallots, fried batter bits, omelette shreds, ‘sambal’ and lard fritters.
In addition to traditional offerings, YL Melaka Popia also serves an innovative mango popiah. This modern .
