Tuesday, August 31, 2010

A Strawberry with a bit of Kampua Touch @ Bandar Puteri Puchong

For Sibu folks who stay in KL or Klang Valley, missing your hometown signature dish which is Kampua and Bian Sip will be a sastifying meals once you have it. I had posted in my previous post on kampua mee found in Puchong area had moved to a new coffee shop.

Strawberry Restaurant Puchong

The Sarawak Mee in Puchong

There was some argument between the stalls owner with the coffee shop owner and that the reason why they move to new location. The new stall is located at Strawberry Cafe behind Station One Cafe at Bandar Puteri Puchong. The owner is not the young man which operates at Beryll Cafe but was his father and sister. The old guy was quite friendly when i spoke with him he knew i’m from Sibu. I ask him where is his origin and he told me that he came from Sibu and it’s almost 1 year plus he in KL taking over his son business. He told me that the noodles and bian sip skin are no more longer been flying in from Sibu daily but it was made at his house. He brought the machine from Sibu and make the noodles to distribute to other kampua stalls in Klang Valley. Not sure which other kampua stalls but i only knew 3 kampua stalls in Klang other than here. One located at Ming Tien Cafe Sunway, the other one located at Setapak (previously open at Forum 19 but closed and posted in my blog) and the last one is the branch of this same stalls open at Puchong as well.

Mee Poh Kampua

Kampua Noodle with Soy Sauce and Chili

Dry Bian Sip


After attending mass service at SFX church, me and my cousin decide to go eat kampua. So i ordered my kampua mixed with soy sauce and chilli while my cousin order mee poh kampua with soy sauce and chili. Beside ordering kampua, we order some bian sip or wantan mee they called it here in West Malaysia.
While we were waiting for our food, they were a lot of patrons ordering kampua and guess what, i can hear Sibu Foochow dialects spoken. Its feels like back home town.
So, if you craving for kampua when you are around Klang Valley, why not follow the map as shown below and now you know where to find it. Although it not as good as Rasa Sayang Kampua or other stalls in Sibu, at least you can find a noodles taste as close as the kampua stalls in Sibu.

The location of Sarawak Mee in Puchong

Thursday, August 26, 2010

A simple dish - Murtabak Maggie

Last nite, I’d made my own version of Murtabak Maggi after reading few recipes on how to prepared it in the internet. It look simple and the process  is almost the same as making an omelette egg. So, I went to the groceries shop located at my apartment to buy the ingredient which i lack with in my kitchen cabinet which is the Maggi Mee and Curry powder.

The finish product, Murtabak Maggie

So, to begin with, please ensure you have the following items:-

Ingredients ( for 2-3 person):-
  • 2 packet of Maggie Noodle (Any Flavour according to your preference)
  • 4 eggs
  • 3 fine chopped shallots
  • 2 packet of Maggie seasoning flavour (Come along with the noodle packaging)**
  • 8 fine chopped bird’s eye chilli pepper (Cili Padi if you like spicy, you may add more) **
  • 2 piece of beef burger patty  **

** Optional ingredient either to add or not
Note:
If you don’t want to use the Maggie seasoning flavour comes with the noodle, you may create your own seasoning  by adding 2 teaspoon of curry powder and add some salt and a bit of food seasoning (MSG). You may also try other type of dried noodles.

Method:
  1. Cook the noodle in boiling water and simmer it for 3- 5 minutes.
  2. Mix the ingredient of 4 battered eggs, the shallots, the chillies, burger beef patty and the seasoning flavour in a bowl while noodles is being cooked.
  3. Drain well the noodles and later mix it well together with the other ingredient which been prepared previously in the bowl.
  4. Heat oil in a frying pan and add the mixture. Cook over low heat till mixture is firm and flip it and fry the other side.
  5. Serve the dish while it’s still hot.
The cooked noodle inside the bowl.

Mixing all the ingredient

Frying it as easy as frying an egg omelette's 


You may customize the ingredient according to your preference and it’s an easy dish to cook. You should give it a try.

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Bazaar Ramadhan @ Bandar Baru Sentul

Each year when the Ramadhan month arrives, there will always be Bazaar Ramadhan mushrooming in each housing estate in a district. Bazaar Ramadan celebrates the many colourful bazaars of the annual fasting month (Bulan Puasa). Food appears to be an unifying factor as more and more people of different race and religion are seen mingling and shopping for food together at these places.

The sheer variety of mouth-watering delicacies, its cross-cultural appeal and the carnival-like atmosphere make this an unique Malaysian institution. Also known as 'Bazar Ramadan' or 'Pasar Juadah', the makeshift stalls usually open from around 4 pm to 7 pm daily, with many traders breaking fast on location. 
In KL, there were around 17 bazaars ramadhan and the lists are as follows:-
1) Taman Danau Kota, Setapak
2) Taman Setapak Jaya, Setapak
3) Wangsa Maju Section
4) Lorong/Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman
5) Bandar Baru Sentul
6) Persiaran Setiawangsa
7) Jalan Telawi, Bangsar
8) Taman Tun Dr. Ismail
9) Taman Dato' Senu
10) Sri Melaka Flat
11) Datuk Keramat Market
12) Gombak Market
13) Taman Seri Selamat
14) Taman Koperasi Polis Fasa 1
15) Bukit Indah Ampang
16) Pantai Dalam
17) Kota Agro Jalan Tun Razak
The Bandar Baru Sentul is the nearest to my place and it just a walking distance. For the last 5 years, the bazaar ramadhan and night market was held next to my apartment and this year, the local authority  decide to shift the bazaar ramadhan and the night market to new spot which is along the new stretch road connecting Jalan Pahang and Bandar Baru Sentul.
This year the bazaar stretch much longer, along the 220m stretch, you will amaze with variety food selling in both left and right hand side. Not all food are nice but there are some nice just you need to give it a try.  I won’t eat or drink on food I purchase from the stall unless I reached home to show my respect to muslims people.  

Murtabak Maggi in the frying pan.

The main attraction at this Bazaar. I wait for 30 minutes for my murtabak maggi.

Ikan Pari Sambal - Spicy and sweet

Kerang Bakar Sambal

The things that you should try at Bandar Baru Sentul bazaar are the Murtabak Maggi (Chicken or Meat), Nasi Kukus Power Ayam Berempah, Kerang Bakar Sambal, and Nasi Kerabu. There are few shop that you can try but for me, the Murtabak Maggi is the main attraction in this bazaar and you will see few people queing in line for it. Sometimes, at 6:00p.m all the murtabak had sold out.  On the day i went to the bazaar,  i brought my camera along and suddenly I became the main attraction. Some of the vendors ask me to take photo of their food or drinks but i was a bit choosy that time. I only took the food that really worth to take.

Nasi Kerabu

Nasi Kukus Power Ayam Dara Berempah

Murtabak Maggi


Some of the photos I can’t take as I was carrying few plastics bags with food which I purchase from few stalls. I only manage to take the food photo at home for blogging purpose. If I were with a group of friends carrying camera, for sure i won’t be shy to take more photo in the bazaar.

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Rasa Sayang Cafe @ Sibu

During my last trip to my hometown in Sibu, the main thing you will do is eat and eat. As me and my sis from kuching craving for kampua, me eldest sis told that there is a good kampua near to her working place near Pahlawan Commercial centre. The place is located near to new bus terminal. There are few blog talking about this place as example as this one.
As we reached at our destination, my sis told me during the weekdays usually it always packed with people and hardly to find any seating. So i guess we were lucky that day as it was eight of us including my niece. The shop name Rasa Sayang Cafe.
Most of us order kampua mee but my one i order with soy sauce and chillies. My mum was still thinking what to order and finally she make up her mind and order a bowl of Sarawak laksa.
It a bit hard to take the order from the boy who speak to us in Mandarin. Haiyo... i fell my mandarin but at least my wife understand and able to communicate. Paiseh...
Our food came and i hope it meets my taste buds. So i take few snap of the photo of the kampua mee and the Sarawak laksa. Not sure my kampua mee is correct but it missing the char siew meat. Instead it was replaced with minced pork meat.

The Kampua Mee from Rasa Sayang Cafe

Laksa Sarawak at Rasa Sayang Cafe

The taste is nice but still prefers char siew meat than minced pork. For the Sarawak laksa, my mum tol me it an average taste. Beside selling kampua, they also sell chicken rice and bian sip. Those frying food such as mee and kway teow is not available in this shop.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Tiong Hua Road Hidden Treasures (Kompia)

For Sibuian, Tiong Hua Road is located at a flood prone area which usually occurs at year end or when there is any heavy downpour.  Although the place is located in that area, there is a famous local delicacy which is the kompia and the “somboi limau” (sour plum with lime) drink.

Signature drink for the stall, sour plum with lime juice.

Cendol

This place exists since my elder brother era schooling at Sacred Heart Secondary School and the shop still operates till today. The tauke and taukenyiur is still the same but now the daughter is taking up the business with a help of one indon helper. Since my schooling days, i never see the tauke even smile at the customer and have sour face each time i had my kompia there with my wife.
Usually, there have 2 type of kompia either with pork meat or plain kompia. The specialty about this Tiong Hua kompia is the gravy. Nobody can beat the taste of the gravy. Never change since last time. I still remembered last time, after we played football at school. Me and my friends will walk to the shop and enjoy our kompia and drinks. Sometimes the tauke can’t stand with the students because we talked so loud and laughing.

The plain kompia with the special gravy

Kompia with pork and gravy. Previously, the meat is inside the kompia but now outside? ermmm...


When i visited the stall, i stumble with the white dogs still there and alive which always bark at the customer near to the kitchen. But now, it’s getting older and seeing the dog reminds me of the old memories there when I used to throw ice on it when we finish drinking somboi limau. At the backyard, i saw there are 2 younger white dog and 3 puppies at the backyard and i guess his continuous blood line.
So, if you happen to be in Sibu, please don’t forget to drop by at this shop. There is few post about this shop which u can find here. By the way, i heard in Sibu there is a halal kompia with gravy selling somewhere in the kampong side. Hope the shop still exist when i’m going back to Sibu.

Map and Location:


View Food Hunter in a larger map

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Melanau Seduan Traditional Marriage - Part 2

Ric family and friends from Spain

Continue on my second part of melanau seduan/nangka marriage custom, this is the last part of the ritual where the married couple need to cross the other side of the river to get rid of bad luck for the newly wed.
After the luncheon, we all went across the river via Igan Bridge. In the late 60’s or 70’s, the only modern transportation that can be used either using the penambang or we called it kapal tut tut (a small ferry at Jackfruit Village which connecting Sg. Bidut with Sibu town) or using own sampan. Even nowadays, the kapal tut tut still operating with RM0.50 for bicycle and pedestrian and RM1.00 for motorbike.
My uncle explain the ritual to the crowd.

That day, we use our own car and it was my 2nd time drove my uncle precious Pajero in my life. My uncle does not let anybody to drive his pajero unless necessary. The big group had depart early than us and as I was about to go with my wife, the elders ask me to ferrying the small kid with me and ask my cousin say use his dad pajero. I was reluctant but since need to carry more than 4 passengers, so I take my chance to drove the forbidden Pajero. All of us inside the Pajero were 8 of us and all the way across the river; the sound of kids is like in a school bus.
Finally, we arrive at the location and disembark from the car. Most of the family were there beside the road and had cause some traffic congestions as most as the passer by stop and asked what happen as seing a lot of ang mo beside the road.

My uncle waiting for the group to be ready

The crowd

My uncle, Penghulu Sahari perform the ritual of the cleanses. During my wedding, he also did the ritual for me and my wife but not in a big group. As I’m eager to learn more about the ritual, I decided to follow my uncle and to find the materials for the ritual.

walking along the path

Selecting the leaves

Only particular leaves been taken.

My uncle told me, that only selected leave from particular tree which grow near to river is use in this ritual. The number of leaves needed is seven leaves. My uncle gone through the bushes and select the leaves while I capture few shot of him selecting the leaves. Once the leaves been selected, the next task was to find soil. Although there were soils everywhere, he told me that need to find soil that green leave grows. As most of the area had been sprayed with weed killer, we walked till we reached near to the river bank and my uncle decide to collect the soil from there. Only a bit of soil been use and were place inside a brass bowl together with the 7 leaves and 3 nails.

Selecting the soils

Only a bit of soils been taken

The 3 iron nails inside the brass bowl.

My uncle than ask for the newlywed to bite on the nails which to strengthen their minds and souls. Once bitten, the nails later will be thrown in the middle of the bridge into the river. The leaves and soil, the newlywed need to take shower with it once return home.

My uncle explaining each of the items been use for this ritual.

My uncle ask my cousin to bite on the iron nail.

Both biting the iron nails and been put back in the brass bowl.

We were having fun that day and I learned more on my Melanau roots. Those passengers who with me that day need to return back to the village as one of my niece is restless. We didn’t joined the rest of the group to the longhouse at Bukit Aup and Bukit Aup Park after the ritual. But we were having fun in the pajero on the way back home where I drove 2 rounds rides around the roundabout and cause the kids happy.

Monday, August 16, 2010

Melanau Seduan Traditional Marriage - Part 1

Now our family have an alliance with the Spaniards after my cousin tied her knot with a Spanish guy. The wedding was held at my kampong way back in Sibu which known as Kampung Nangka or we called it Jackfruit Village by some young generation nowadays in FB.


Although there is language barriers among the Spanish and the Jackfruit Villagers, but we have one thing in common which is sports. Through sports some of my relatives can communicate with the spaniards such as mentioning the name such as Fernando Torres, Alonso, Xabi Alonso, Nadal and etc. Ric, my cousin husband can speak in English and he become the translators between his side and our sides. Some of them can speak in English but not that fluent and sometime we communicate with some sign language.

The wedding was held in a full Melanau Nangka/Seduan customs which also my uncle tries to preserve and showcase to the young generations on our lost cultures. As my uncle is the headman of the village and my cousin is the only daughter out of 3 siblings, the whole village under his jurisdiction and some VIP were invited.

My cousin dad, Penghulu Sahari Ubu with Ric dad welcoming the kampung folks for the wedding

A huge crowd attend the wedding

Some of the villagers came to the wedding.

YB Awang Bemee, the state representative for DUN Nangka

In Melanau custom wedding, there is a hierarchy in the community which will determine the number of gifts or “pikul (in Melanau)” needs to present to the bride and bridegroom families. There are 12, 9, 7 and 5.
Number of Gifts / Pikul
Reserve for
12
·         Highest hierarchy in Melanau community
·         This numbers of gifts is for those couple that getting married is having “Abang” and “Dayang” in front of their name.
9
·         Middle class hierarchy in Melanau community
·         Only applicable if both couple is a Melanau and in the same hierarchy.
7
·         Commoner hierarchy in Melanau community.
·         A melanau married with other race or the same hierarchy.
5
·         The lowest hierarchy in Melanau community.
·         In the olden days, this hierarchy is for slaves.

Me and my cousin have the same numbers of “Pikul” which is 7 pikul as both of us married other race than a Melanau. For Melanau, some of the pikul might be different from each other depends on the area. As for the pikul for Melanau Seduan /Nangka are as follows:-
  • .       Penyekap (Spear head and 2 golden rings)
  • .       Ulau Berien (A Canon, A Gold Bracelet and A Necklace)
  • .       Berien (7 pikul, 1 pikul = RM25)
  • .       Pakan ( Must be more than RM50)
  • .       Luquo (RM12.50)
  • .       Sersei (Amount is not fix depends on the bridegroom sides)
The Su'ruung Berien Items

In the olden days, the ceremony may take few weeks or months before the wedding day. The ceremony starts with few discussions amongst both bride and bridegroom family to be agreed upon on the amount and gifts need to be given. The bridegroom will sent a group of representative to the bride family to discuss on the wedding matters. Been told that the representatives need to know how to negotiate and answer few riddles before the discussion begins. Once the discussions been agreed upon, the representative will return to the bridegroom site to bring the news on the demand given by the bride side.


The brides' side representative

The bridegroom representative with their gifts

Start negotiating for the gifts.

Examine each of the items either it meet the elders requirement

Accepting the gifts from the bride side.

For this ceremony, it had been plan so 30 minutes later, the ceremony called adat Seru’ung Berien was conducted. The bridegroom will sent their representatives again to offer their gives to the brides side. Then the brides’ side will greet them and offer them to enter the house. Then they will discuss on the gift again either the bride side accept with the gifts offered. In the olden days, sometimes the bride side might reject the offer if the gift does not meet to their expectations. As this had been planned, the bride side accept the offer and their exchange the gifts accordingly to symbolize that the brides’ side agreed and the wedding can proceed.
Once the bridegroom representative returned back bringing the good news, now the bridegroom are welcome to go to the brides’ house for the wedding celebration. There are few customs need to perform when the bridegroom climb up the staircase where the elder will sprinkle the “beras kuning” or yellow rice as a blessing. Some chants will be performs so that all good things will follow.
The new generation of Jackfruit Village Melanau. All are mix blood.

Playing the traditional instrument

Playing the traditional instrument

Dancing according to the music beat.

My grandma assist Ric after sprinkle him with beras kuning.

My grandma accompanied Ric to the Pelamin where my cousin Anit waiting for him

Blessing from the elders.

Once the blessing, the bridegroom will be brought to the pelamin where the brides’ will be waiting for him. As both were at the pelamin, the elders will throw some beras kuning again and will chant for blessing from the ancestors.




The ceremony does not end there yet, the next step is to climb the main staircase three times which both bride and bridegroom will climb the staircase together. There will be a big flat stone down the staircase which both couple need to step on it. Not sure what it symbolize but need to ask details from my grandma as most of the times, any melanau ritual my grandma will involve. 


As nowadays, being brought in kampong style, i can see the younger generation in my village are not keen in learning their roots and hoping the new generation will adapt the traditional wedding on the big days. Like mine, my wedding was held in 3 event which is melanau traditional wedding on the first day, the second day was the church wedding followed with luncheon at my kampong and dinner reception at night. The preparation takes month to prepared but in the end, both me and my wife satisfied with it. To my cousin Anita and her husband Ric, congratulations and now the Jackfruit Village is having alliance with the Valencia Spain.