The Legacy of Uncle Man

In the early 1990s, Othman ("Man" for short) and his wife, Zainun, ran a small roadside stall (known locally as a "warung") in the historic town of Muar in Malaysia's Johor state. At Warung Parit Raja, they sold two of Malaysia's most popular breakfast dishes: roti canai served with dal & sambal — and the traditional version of nasi lemak.

Their fourth son, Najib, joined the business as an apprentice, learning the art of making roti from his father ("Najib was the roti man, flipping the dough and flipping the roti") before the stall closed when his mother passed away in 1996.

In 2003, Najib and his family moved to New Zealand in search of a better future for the three children. Najib and his wife, Nor, started catering for friends using recipes from his mother, Zainun. They soon started selling at weekend markets and festivals, sharing Malaysian cuisine under the name Warisan Uncle Man (meaning "Legacy of Uncle Man") in tribute to his father.

An unexpected opportunity to establish a permanent restaurant arose and Najib seized it, opening Uncle Man's on Auckland's Karangahape Road on 5th June 2014.

Since then, both the menu and the business have grown. Uncle Man's will always be known for their perfectly flaky & fluffy roti but you shouldn't miss their Lamb Shank Biryani and Chicken Satay.

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The Next Generation

There are now five branches in Auckland (K Road, Manukau, Eastridge, Wynyard Quarter & Lorne St), all run by Najib's children: Amy, Azlan & Nadia.

While their father and grandfather were clearly both hard workers ("they were always on their feet (or mopeds) doing something") and instilled a great work ethic in them, it was their mother and grandmother who created the memorable dishes, some of which are still on the menu today.

Amy, the eldest of Najib's three children who runs the Lorne St and Wynyard Quarter branches, remembers her grandma's delicious Asam Pedas (a spicy & sour fish stew - "Asam" means sour and "Pedas" means spicy) when she was only 8 years old.

Azlan, the middle child who runs the other three branches, has memories of huge family gatherings back in Malaysia ("seven uncles and aunties on my dad's side with 23 cousins; and nine uncles and aunties on mum's side with 25 cousins all causing havoc every time we'd gather at either grandparents' house") where it felt like the whole village was in the kitchen preparing food in giant pots that could cater for 200 people.

Nadia, the youngest and administrator for all five branches, remembers her mother's Nasi Goreng Kampung (village-style fried rice, with anchovy, green chilli and belacan shrimp paste) from a young age and it is still her favourite dish of her mother's to this day.

Azlan says his father had an excellent palate and his mother's cooking improved while trying to satisfy his tastes. "Dad would always say that the food needs to be balanced and hit all the senses on the tongue."

"Our dad was always happy to work hard for his parents and I hope we can continue his legacy." "They were really hard workers, and taught us to keep going and the effort will pay off."

Amy, Azlan, and Nadia are proudly continuing their grandfather's legacy. It lives on in Malaysia too: Othman's youngest son (Najib's brother) has reopened the original stall in the exact same location!

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Menu Highlights...

Roti Canai

Roti Canai (pronounced roh-tee CHAN-igh) is a flaky layered bread of Indian origin (very similar to parotta). It represents the fusion of cultures in Malaysia, particularly the interaction between Indian Muslims (who brought it), the indigenous Malays, and later the influence of the Chinese, who brought new ingredients and cooking styles.

At Uncle Man's, the roti is made fresh to order which is essential for the perfect texture that's somehow crispy, flaky and fluffy at the same time. The roti is fluffed up after being pan-fried, creating layers of air that give it a light and airy texture.

Both Azlan and Nadia love it served the common Malaysian way of "kuah banjir" (flooded with gravy): "The roti soaks in all the dhal and sambal, which makes it so soft and flavourful", says Nadia.

It's best paired with "teh tarik" (pulled milk tea), which is another popular Malaysian staple at Uncle Man's.

Nasi Lemak

Often described as Malaysia's national dish, Nasi Lemak is a fragrant rice dish cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaf, traditionally served with sambal, anchovies, peanuts, boiled egg and cucumber. It's a staple breakfast food but can be enjoyed at any time of day.

Nasi lemak is often served with chicken curry, beef rendang or fried chicken, but those are very much optional extras and not part of the core dish. I often compare it to burgers usually being served with fries but fries aren't part of the burger.

Mee Goreng

Amy's favourite dish on the menu is the Mee Goreng (fried noodles) which she says is "delicious and authentic; exactly what you would get in Malaysia."

It's a very comforting dish and the serving size is very generous. Plenty of chicken, prawns and egg noodles - with a tasty sauce and wok hei, it's perfect if you're looking for something filling and satisfying.

Sambal

Sambal is a spicy chilli paste that is a staple in Malaysian (and Indonesian) cuisine. It can be made with a variety of ingredients, but typically includes chilli, garlic, shallots, and shrimp paste.

Uncle Man's central kitchen in Manukau makes sambal tumis (fried sambal) in large batches and distributes it to all the branches. The individual branches then use the base to make sambal ikan bilis (with dried anchovies) in smaller batches for the nasi lemak and roti canai.

The Branches

• Uncle Man's K Road in Auckland CBD
• Uncle Man's Manukau in South Auckland
• Uncle Man's Eastridge in Mission Bay, Auckland
• Uncle Man's Wynyard Quarter in Auckland CBD
• Uncle Man's Lorne St in Auckland CBD