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Nasi Dalca Khalis, Penang

December 17, 2021 by thokohmakan

[Halal] Hi Nasi Dalca Penang!

The first stop in our Penang trip is the popular Nasi Dalca Khalis at Bayan Lepas. 

This shop is well-known for its generous amount of fried onions (bawang goreng) heaped on every plate of rice! 

What is Nasi Dalca Penang?

Nasi Dalca is essentially nasi minyak (scented rice cooked with spices) served with dalca curry. 

This dish is a true amalgamation of the different cultures in Penang. 

Nasi minyak has its roots in Palembang Indonesia, while the dalca curry is obviously inspired by the South Indian dhal (lentil) curry.

Founder Khalis puts a new spin by adding kampung ayam (free-range village chicken) into its dhal – which gives it an extra umami kick.

While Khalis is only in his 30s, the recipes are inherited from his grandmother – a native of Bayan Lepas – and further modified by his mom. 

Nasi Dalca Penang in Bayan Lepas

  • Ayam masak hitam

There are at least 15 dishes offered at any given time. 

  • Ayam masak hitam
  • Ayam goreng

Some of the popular dishes include Kurma Kambing (mutton kurma), Ayam Goreng (fried chicken), and Ayam Masak Hitam (chicken in black sauce).

Famous for its bawang goreng 

  • Each plate is topped with bawang goreng
  • Bawang goreng


The main highlight has to be the bawang goreng, which is served with every plate of nasi minyak.

The fried onions are cooked with curry leaves and pandan leaves until crisp and caramelised. 

At least 100kg of fresh red onions is used daily for this – which befuddles the mind. 

However, do go early if you want to eat the bawang goreng – as they often run out. 

This is not surprising as each plate is automatically served with a fistful of bawang goreng on top of the rice. 

Good dalca!

  • A big pot of dhal curry
  • Ming’s plate – rice with dhalca, turmeric cabbage and chicken leg

We ordered two plates of nasi dalca. 

For Ming’s plate (RM12), she ordered the dhal curry with a serving of ayam kampung leg and turmeric cabbage. 

While ayam kampung are usually known to be tougher than regular farmed chicken, this whole leg was surprisingly tender.

The chicken leg must have been cooked to tender in the dhal for hours. It is also very tasty – having absorbed all the flavours from the curry.  

The dhal itself was creamy, with plenty of lentils used to yield a thick consistency. We found the dhal to be very balanced – not too heavy-handed on the spices like cumin and mustard seeds, with sweetness coming from the potatoes, eggplants, and carrots. 

Bawang goreng and mint sambal

  • The bowls of mint sambal and bawang goreng

As for the main star – the bawang goreng is superb! It is very flavourful and umami-rich – and really elevates the dish to the next level. It complements all of our dishes on the plate. 

Max really enjoyed the fried onions, although Ming would have preferred it to be more crispy. 

  • Each plate is served with the mint sambal

Each plate also comes with a spoonful of sambal pudina (mint sambal) on the side. This was a lovely touch – as the slightly tangy and piquant taste helps to mellow out the richness of the curries. It reminded us of mint chutney usually served with thosai.

Mix all the curries! 

  • Max’s plate – mixed curries, ayam masak hitam, daging masak hitam

While we liked the dhal, the best way to enjoy nasi dalca is to mix all the gravies ala Nasi Kandar style. 
This is exactly what Max did for his plate.

The curries just melded so well with the rice – creating such a rich and umami-bomb of flavours! 


The curries are very savory and not spicy at all. We like that they were not overtly sweet like the curries of Kedah. 
We definitely recommend dousing your plate with all the different curries.

Tender ayam and daging masak hitam

  • Daging hitam

While there were so many tempting protein dishes, Max ultimately opted for a leg of Ayam Masak Hitam and Daging Masak Hitam.

The beef was superbly tender and flavourful. 

However, we definitely preferred the ayam masak hitam as it was just tender and flavourful – with a strong hint of soy sauce and spices.

Max’s plate only costs RM10. 

A hearty meal

We thoroughly enjoyed the meal! This was truly a great first stop on Penang island. 

We arrived at 1pm on a Friday afternoon with little queue – an opportune time as Muslims were praying at the nearby mosque then. 

However, we suspect that the crowd will eventually build up after prayers – as we’ve seen the workers prepping rice in anticipation of a crowd.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

We advise you to visit Nasi Dalca Khalis early on a weekday to avoid the crowd. 

Follow us on Instagram

Follow us on Instagram for the latest food adventures and recipes. Check out the video below on Nasi Dalca Khalis.

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A post shared by ThoKoh Makan (@thokohmakan)

More recommendations in Penang

For more food recommendations in Penang, check out the link below.

  • Recommendations in Penang

Here are some our favourites:

  • Our must-eat when in Penang – the best duck koay teow th’ng!
Loh Kei Duck Koay Teow Th’ng, Penang
  • The famous Ali Nasi Lemak Bungkus with a kick-ass spicy sambal
Ali Nasi Lemak Daun Pisang, Penang
  • One of our favourite cafes in Penang – Lunabarcoffee
Lunabarcoffee, Penang

Learn how to cook Dhal

Learn how to make your own dhal curry with our recipe below.

  • Dhal curry recipe
Chetna’s palak dhal [Recipe]

More pictures of Nasi Dalca Khalis

Nasi Dalca & Briyani Khalis
Address: 487, Jalan Dato Ismail Hashim, Kampung Masjid, 11900 Bayan Lepas, Pulau Pinang
Hours: 12pm-4pm, 5.30-10pm Daily (Closed on Saturdays)
Phone: 019-594 4533
Order: geniuspos.com.my
Website: https://www.facebook.com/nasidalcabriyanibayanlepas/

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Filed Under: Beef, Halal, Hawker Food, Indian, Malay, Penang, Pork-free

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Who are we?

Thokoh makan profile

Hi, we are Max and Ming. Welcome to our food blog! We enjoy travelling and checking out new food and restaurants. We are based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. We also share recipes here.

So who is Thokoh Makan?

ThoKoh
noun. 1. an amalgamation of our family names.
2. an homonym (sounds alike) of the Malay word tokoh, which means leader or notable figure

Makan
verb. 1. to eat (translated from Malay) 

ThoKoh Makan
noun. 1. a blog dedicated to good food in Malaysia and beyond.

Contact us at thokohmakan@gmail.com

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