As we grow up and as time goes by, we would unknowingly phase out things that we once used to love or do. Being a Malaysian, food is undoubtedly an important element in our lives, if not the most important. Let’s take a trip down memory lane and reminisce the days where happiness is easily attainable with food.

1.Tok tok candy cart

When reminiscing about growing up in the 70s and 80s, tok tok candy is almost certainly a fond memory to many. The iconic “tok tok” sound from the act of breaking the candy into bite sizes is nostalgic to most Malaysian baby boomers and Gen X.

2. Putu Mayam bikes

The traditional Indian delicacy made of rice flour which is usually eaten together with brown sugar and grated coconut is certainly nostalgic to Malaysians of all ages. Putu mayam bikes are less commonly seen nowadays and finding a putu mayam uncle on the street never fails to bring me back to my childhood.

3. Sate ikan/Lokcing

This is such an integral part of my childhood and I believe it is to Malaysian of all ages too! I can still remember running out of my primary school after school just to buy 5 sticks of sate ikan to munch on while waiting for my parents to pick me up. Also known as lokcing, it is a traditional fish satay from Kelantan that is usually eaten with sweet chilli sauce.

4. Roti ice cream

This photo is self-explanatory! If you have never bought roti ice cream from the ice cream uncle outside of your school….. Where have you been?

5. Ice ball/Ais Kepal

This is the ORIGINAL ais kepal! With no milo, horlicks, rainbow sprinkles or any other fancy toppings. The icy ball of shaved ice is drenched with flavoured, coloured syrups and some even serve it with gula melaka drizzles! (Believe it or not, condensed milk was considered a luxurious food item back then)

This will surely bring back memories from the childhood of Malaysian baby boomers!

6. Roti motor

The superman of every neighbourhood! The honking sound of the horn and the familiar resonance of “roti! roti!” when the roti uncle roams the neighbourhood are nostalgic to most Malaysians. Sadly, this sight is not so common anymore and the popular roti krim is also pretty hard to find nowadays.

7. Goat’s milk motor

The susu kambing uncle! Susu kambing sellers roaming the neighbourhood like putu mayam uncle is no longer a common practice as bigger delivery companies and dairy products manufacturers have made getting goat’s milk easier.

8. Red bean ice

Contrary to the widely popular ais krim potong, this type of ice cream is more common among the Chinese community and is also a nostalgic food item in Hong Kong! People seems to call this ice cream differently, as it is also known as “umbrella ice cream”, “tortoise shell ice cream” or even “Chinese uncle ice cream”. This ice cream is a rare gem nowadays but fortunately, you can still find these at local pasar malam like Taman Connaught.  

So what’s your favorite childhood food/snacks that is no longer commonly seen or found nowadays? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section down below!