Kuala Pilah - Soft Shell Turtle Noodle

When you ask me if I know what is a Labi-Labi or Soft Shell / Freshwater Turtle, my first train of thought would be : "Oh Yeah! THEY SNAP at you!" That's because I remembered a story about a guy who went swimming somewhere and was unlucky enough to get snapped at his urm.. private area..@_@


Little did I know, they were sought after to be turned into Turtle Soup or Turtle Noodle Soup..Kuala Pilah town is deemed one of the famous place that sells them openly.. 

As much as the thought of having exotic food scares me.. I tried to put up a brave face and went along with this trip to seek out the famous dish..

There are quite a number of shops selling the same dish and we chose Pang Kee stall based on local "Kuala Pilahian" (I'm just making this up.. I've got no idea what do you call them.. LOL!) recommendation. Although I find more people go to Ming Kee's Stall..shrugs.. everyone has their own preference right... hehehe

Here it comes! A bowl of yellow noodle with the meat and parts of the gel-like parts that is most treasured by soft shell turtle meat lovers. Cost RM 6/bowl.

You can have it with rice noodle too...this is my bowl..and guess what? I "chickened" out..I transferred all the meat and the other collagen look like stuffs to the rest of them who enjoys it. I settled with just eating the noodle and drinking the soup..

It's like a typical chinese herbal soup that smells and tasted quite similar to Bak Kut Teh but with a hint of a different smell (has to be the turtle smell!).

The chilli sauce that accompanied the bowl of noodles.

Will I come back for seconds? Nope.. I don't think so... I just hope I don't get nightmares about turtles! 

To wash off the taste (and the "guilt") of having that bowl of noodle soup, walked over to a nearby Cendol stall.

Priced between RM 1.30 to RM 2.50, this cendol uses a different type of brown sugar.. not 'gula melaka" but I think it's "gula enau".

(But I still say the best cendol I've eaten is in Penang!! :P)

Other posts on this snapping turtles:

Iyouweblog : Fresh Water Turtle Noodles!

Karyn's Food Blog: Ming Kee Freshwater Turtle @ Kuala Pilah

Labi Labi , Claypot Style by Sarawakiana@2