Islam Food in Kowloon City

Islam Food in Kowloon City has a long-standing presence as one of the few Islam dining establishments in Hong Kong. I finally had a chance to visit it for some of its famous dishes. And I would certainly go back for more.

Some Basics about Halal

In most religions of the world there are dietary rules and restrictions for its believers. Even for Protestants the Old Testament does lay out some specific rules, and they perhaps still govern the Jewish people’s diet to this day. Islam is also very strict with the dietary requirements for its followers.

According to the Wikipedia, “The term halal is particularly associated with Islamic dietary laws and especially meat processed and prepared in accordance with those requirements.”

The obvious feature of halal is that pork is forbidden. Pigs are considered unclean under Shariah Law. The next two obvious excluded categories are blood and alcohol.

The strict prohibition of these categories certainly results in very limited choices for the Muslims in Hong Kong. As a predominant Chinese dietary preference here, pork is a major meat category; pig blood is considered a delicacy. Alcohol is also a standard marinate in food. This would naturally present some difficulties for Muslims in Hong Kong. Halal does not allow any “contamination” of unclean foods in the kitchen utensils. Therefore it is not simply a matter of not ordering a pork dish in a restaurant. If the restaurant serves pork at all, then all its utensils would be considered unclean.

In a strict adherence to halal requirements, one must begin with the right way of slaughter. First of all, there is a scripture to recite before the slaughter. Then comes the right way of releasing the blood completely in the animal, as the blood shall not spill over to the meat. The person who slaughters the animals must also be Muslim. This practice continues to this day at Islam Food.

Finally, because Islam prohibits alcohol, Islam Food does not serve any alcoholic beverages. Nor can diners bring alcohol for consumption on-site.

The lack of proper Islam food in Hong Kong has encouraged the first-generation owner of Islam Food to open an eatery that meets Muslim requirements.

The Story of Islam Food

Islam Food is a family-owned, family-run business that began in 1950. The Ma family are Muslim for generations. Like many of the long-standing restaurants in Hong Kong, those that started in the 1950s had humble beginnings. Islam Food was simply some kind of a “food stall” somewhere, and in more than one location. There was not even a proper name for it. The food offered was simple noodles, buns and meat-filled type of savory pastries.

In the 1980s, the business moved into a proper dining facility in Kowloon City, and it has since then established a notable presence and reputation in the community.

The Famous Dishes at Islam Food

Perhaps the most popular dish at Islam Food is the pan-fried beef pockets. I had high expectations on this.

Originally, the beef pockets were very big, and the Chinese name for it was “beef box.” It really did come in like a box full of meat. After customers reflected that the “beef box” was too big, they became “pockets” instead. The customers were looking to be able to try different dishes besides the beef pockets too.

I always enjoy food that has “juice splurt,” such as the Shanghainese Xiaolongbao. And the beef pockets did not disappoint. The juice flowed out as the first poke of my chopsticks. I placed my spoon below to catch all that goodness overflowing from the pockets. Beware and not to rush, for the pockets are served red hot from the pan. I thought it was perfect to dip the beef pockets into a little bit of black vinegar. The bite comes in a complex sensation of crispiness, juiciness, and the richness of flavors.

The next dim-sum style dish that I ordered was the beef pot stickers. Again, there was juice splurt in these delightful pockets of goodness.

Finally, I ordered a simple beef shreds in soup vermicelli with fried tofu to complete the meal.

What I did not order on my first try, but a must-order if you are to go, is the curry at Islam Food. The style of the curry there is Pakistani. The first owner of Islam Food began as a chef at the police station canteens. Since there were many Pakistani policemen at the time, he learned the right way of making Pakistani curry from these policemen. The spices are made to the specific order of what this restaurant requires by the supplier. And there are more than 70 spices in the curry at Islam Food. Needless to say, the original Pakistani curry would have been too spicy to Hong Kong people’s liking. Therefore there were efforts to tame down the spiciness to meet this preference. As halal, the selection of meat for the curry are beef, chicken and lamb.

What distinguishes this type of curry from the others is that the curry has bright orange or red color. The curry here does not have any coconut milk, instead there is a heavy use of onions.

How to Get There

The address of Islam Food is G/F, 33-35 Tak Ku Ling Road, Kowloon City.

Sources

The Wikipedia on Halal.

Interview with Mrs. Ma of Islam Food, The Golden Plaque, Metro Radio available here.