"I'm going to catch a chicken for you for your birthday."

Just one picture can bring back a thousand memories.


And today this picture of Rhode Island Red Chickens does just that to me.

You can find most of the Sibu or Miri wet market chickens of this breed which are physically sturdy and resilient. Furthermore they are fast growers and have more meat than other breeds. The hens lay huge tasty brown eggs. May be it was Rev. Hoover who introduced or chose the breed! Because it was after 1924 that this breed was introduced to the world from the USA. We will never know.

I do have sweet memories of backyard chicken rearing. My mother was good at it and we often had four or five of them with most of them freely walking in the yard. A few would sleep on the mango trees and one or two of the hens would have their coops. If we had a male bird we would enjoy the energetic and punctual crowing in the morning - announcement of the beginning of day. He would be the last to be slaughtered.

Whenever we had hens we would beg mum to allow them to lay eggs. We did have a few which laid eggs but most of the time they were slaughtered for food or given away as gifts to relatives. How handy it was to catch a chicken from the backyard and sending one (by bicycle) to an aunt's house for her birthday!

It was common Foochow or Chinese thing to say "I'm going to catch a chicken for your aunt's birthday." Translated it is "I need to buy a chicken as a gift for your aunt on her birthday." But it can really mean "going to the backyard and catching a chicken..."


Then I remember the one time when my father had to quickly grab his gun and run downstairs to the chicken coops and open fire!! There were three or four resounding shots and he came up huffing and puffing.

"Got the python!" He said.

I believe that was the only time I ever saw him making fast moves and behaving seemingly hurried. Most of the times he was very careful and measured in his movements. This was in Pulau Kerto in the Hua Hong Ice Factory.

The python was given to the ice mill workers who had a feast that night. Mother would not dream of having a single spoon of the snake soup. And we kids (then all below the age of 5) had already by then  curled up (coiled up??) in our wooden bed under the mosquito net.

Chickens always remind me of how well my mother got along with her own siblings and in -laws. She also had the opportunities to give gifts to her parents in law when they were alive. She would always remember their birthdays . And as was the fitting thing to do she would  always send a live chicken tied with a red piece of red cloth(a significant Chinese auspicious and blessing symbol)and two bundles of fresh mee sua.

This Foochow norm and token of love and appreciation would seal good relationships amongst the siblings and in-laws. More often than not it was always reciprocated too. Some definitely would have a poorer memory but all would be easily forgiven.


With these memories in my head I went to the wet market to have a look at chickens and ducks again. Failing to find anything interesting I went to Tamu Muhibbah and visited an old hawker friend of mine.



She had some small chicks for sale. Times are not so good for her. The Municipal Council is very strict on backyard chicken rearing in Miri and so her clientele has shrunken over the years.

She had at one time sold hundreds per week to mothers--in-law who would have to rear chickens for their daughter-in-law's confinement! Nowadays that kind of business seems to be a thing of the past especially in Miri. She thinks that modern young mothers are no longer as fortunate as young mothers of yesteryears when it comes to confinement.

Here are two photos I took of baby chicks - Bird's Eye View of Little Birds.

These Rhode Island chicks are RM2.70 each. They will develop their red and black plumes as they grow. Their meat would be RM10.00 per kg after four months of rearing. (By economies of scale the profit margin is too small for business.)

These chicks are RM2.40 each. They grow into the white feathered chickens which we know quite well.

So dear readers - the days of a relative bringing you a chicken for your birthday are over! Modern technology and urban administration have made so many of our social customs obsolete.

However I really wish I could rear chickens in my backyard and have chickens to give away.

But I do indeed have a good example of a great nephew. He diligently rears good confinement chickens for his wife whenever she is pregnant. She is indeed so blessed. Now that's a gold medal from me to him ....And he is a very busy professional. His Foochow roots are really good. (Smile).

There is a Foochow belief that if the chickens have more males in the brood then the baby would be a boy....More often it is very accurate!!

If one day you were be brought to a KFC outlet on your birthday you will remember that that is very Chinese - for we Chinese love to give chickens to the birthday girl or boy.

or at best we get sent  a cyberpicture of this:

What chicken stories do you have?

Disappearing Old Miri : Wooden Folding Shop Doors

I am going to start perhaps something called Disappearing Old Miri (DOM) in my blog.

It will consist of images I take of Miri - of things - of people - and of buildings which I think will soon disappear or fade away from our memories.

Before it is too late - here is one : those old foldable wooden slats which our elders designed as convenient walls and doors to protect the shop fronts. I don't think there are many left.

Behind these wooden slats or foldable doors are two units of small shops. Each shop is owned by a shopkeeper who has been serving here for more than 30 years. So it is really very historical to talk to them and ask them about their views - they have seen Miri growing and changing. But their shops remain quaintly aged but very unique.

Our memories are made pleasant by these.

These foldable doors only remind that in the olden days security and safety was just a padlock and chain. And wood was strong enough to keep thieves away.

How simple life could be.

Steamed Buns

The Steamed Buns story behind this photo(10 p.m. 20th Nov) started early on Friday morning.

At 8 in the morning I was ready with my renewed strength and very high spirits for pao making! Using a 30 year old aluminium basin for the dough  my Mentor taught me the rudiments of Chinese Steamed Bun making. I have made paos before but this is a special refresher course with new ingredients and new tips. New culinary kung fu that is!!

Like an experienced teacher her lesson plan was very well executed and well timed. She looked at the clock consistently and we worked without any stalled moments. I was her assistant all the way - never once did I feel excluded or demoralised in this project.

Her vegetables were laid out and prepared for me to grate with another great utensil: a grater made/improved to become a very practical and convenient gadget by her husband - it thus becomes an age-old Foochow wood based grater which I think Jamie Oliver would be envious of. It sits beautifully across the sink and the vegetables can be grated easily and captured by a bowl below. Cleaning thus becomes minimal. It is really a good piece of engineering work (which I think my blogger friend David Chin would agree.)



After grating the vegetables we fried the filling .

By the time we finished cooking the filling the dough is ready for kneading - everything by hand.
No hooks and no machine. (Sorry Chef Wan)

Here are the blessed hands which make the best pao - famous in Miri and even in England and Australia. More than 38 years of experience in pao making!!

My mentor has kept this old old flour sack as the tea towel for keeping the drying wind out of the rising buns. We must never allow the dough to dry up. According to her doughs are very sensitive (like babies) and any little disturbance would cause the dough to stop rising and the paos would turn out "kik kik" meaning depressed and dented.

Her daughter had a steamer whose bottom piece was burnt. She took the top layers and recycled them (on the left). Another child also burnt the bottom piece (right) and now the top layers are sitting beautifully on top of a kuali!! All the pieces have been in her kitchen for more than 15 years. How resourceful she is. I would give her a gold medal for recycling and saving our world.

Our now cooked buns - at 11 a.m. (The steaming took 25 minutes ) And we made 62 palm sized buns.

Pearly and Aminah relaxing  and eating the lovely buns after the cell group meeting at 10 p.m.. Yum yum.

Below Miss Ching (soon to be a bride) singing the praises of the buns.....Best in Miri.

Whisper : Would you like to have the recipe?


P/S I hope my friend's Monday TEA GANG in Sibu would enjoy these photos - since ML likes paos...I am opening a window for him to look at the beautiful hands which make paos in Miri!! ML - no paos this time - just photos....Cheers.

Soon to be Named - Manna Cafe in Krokop

The corner shop in Krokop has changed several times. It used to be a nice chicken rice place. But now at lunch time you can get very nice homecooked menu. And the place is very clean with nice tiled flooring and walls.The place is already attracting many Perodua customers and Petronas officers who come to "ta pau". There is also a stall for an array of kong lo noodles (mee or kueh tiaw). The kitchen also does very good fried noodles in a jiffy. I like a kitchen that is fast - furious and- food-delicious.

What made a lot of difference was when I had my lunch there I enjoyed a DVD of Beatles' concert on a widescreen Samsung TV.

This is the Iban lady cook who prepared the "economy" food at the back.


This is the Foochow Towkay Neo who makes all the great drinks with very generous pouring of evaporated milk. She was cheerful and interesting. As she was wearing a nice T-shirt full of sea shells she reminded me of holiday time on a happy beach - so relaxing and happy!! Seashells also remind me of happy and carefree childhood.



Although we ordered an Economy lunch for two - we also ordered the Original Recipe Kuching Laksa. This is indeed excellent - very original. The prawns are fresh and the towgey or bean sprouts very crispy. You must go and try ....Highly recommended.





Excellent green and tasty sweet potato leaves.

This is a nice dish of local white gourd cooked in the Iban-Chinese style. Very refreshing and tender.

This is the babi kicap (Iban style) with dried chilies.





This is my longtime friend (ever green and musically talented) Caleena who introduced the place to me - By God's blessings according to Kasida the towkay neo of the place - she has already named the new outlet as Manna Cafe. After more renovations the signboard would be up.

So look out friends - there's a special and warm place for you in a leafy and tree lined block in Krokop of Miri!!

And definitely we will be going there for more meals. Especially the Original Laksa from Kuching. The laksa paste is a special family from Kuching.

Safe Journey to Blogger All3

I promised All3 a dinner before she goes off to Cambodia. And I kept the promise last night.

All3 is a sprightly girl from Kelantan Terengganu (Hakka born but not Hakka speaking) and serves the education department as a Special Education teacher. Besides that she teaches Sunday School and helps with the Girls Brigade. I am very impressed and amazed by her personality as a Quiet Christian. She also plays the guitar and has been our "in-house" cell group musician for the last five years. How time passes quickly!!

She loves food as she comes from a family which values food and good cooking (her mum makes the best and biggest bak chang I have ever eaten!). And naturally amongst us Yummy food is a good conversation topic .

Several factors helped me decide to go all out for a homecooked meal for All3: several of my young teacher Foochow friends have been having a most challenging and hardworking year and they would be going home after this weekend. Elaine(a banker) is to be married and probably move to Sibu soon. And another girl who is Cantonese is transferred to Sipidan!! And it is the end of the year.

And because I would be having not just Foochow guests for the meal/makan I would have to consider cooking some kind of fusion food. What would be my choice of menu for such a variety of guests? What would give them something memorable and yet would be fairly easy for me  who do not have  so much time on hand? And on top of it all I would be doing all the cooking singlehandedly in about two hours?

Marketing is not a chore at all when you go with a friend.  Thus "shopping" with another retired friend  has become a nice mid week excursion. Furthermore my learning space has widened into the wet market and the vendors are very interested in "teaching " me!! (Another posting later)

Here are photos of my friends who came for this special home cooked meal. All ladies. And our dress code for the evening - t-shirts for a light hearted nice 'n' easy evening.

Very warm and affectionate gesture. Pearly putting a slice of meat into my mouth. Young people should do this more often!!This is a rare but very spontaneous photo. "This is really tender and tasty!"

Group photo - I usually say "Come to my table and I will lay out  a feast for you.."

This is my "Roots Soup" Red  Spring Onions(from my garden) Carrots and Potatoes and Bombay Onions. Notice the red colouring from the red onions. European Influence? It has meat stock.

This is my Foochow Style Deep Fried Belly Pork (marinated with fermented bean curd for 24 hours before frying)

This is the Blue Glutinous Rice served with Freshly grated coconut with gula melaka (Nyonya dish)







Nyonya fried grated coconut with gula melaka which goes with the blue rice. It turned out to be just a little brown and not black. I am afraid the gula melaka sold in the Miri Supermarkets do not give the "black" colour of the West Malaysian gula melaka. Or may be I have to caramalise some sugar before I add the gula melaka. I shall experiment on this for a while.

(A lovely photo of Pulut Tai Tai - Borrowed this from Cooking Momster)


Braised Mustard Greens (Xiao Wine will make it very green) - no garnishing for this dish...

Indian influence - Patcharee / Pajeri Mango (Mangoes from my garden)



Thai influence - Mango Salad (Sweet Mangoes from my garden)

It was a joyous thing - to cook for friends and to have friends come over( to cut and slice and mix just before dinner)....and of course the washing up afterwards. Elaine was working in her bank until 8:15 but we still had plenty of food for her when she arrived.

Iban influence - "Mock" Pansoh Manok. Chicken cooked in Bamboo recipe.

I was worried that the blue would not blend in nicely with the reds and the orange of the mangoes! But any way the colour scheme was alright and I used my pyrex glassware for the food. I put the greens on a antique plate with brown designs to brighten up the monotony. The table cloth was light yellow.

But at the end of the makan I was glad All3 and the rest had a good time - and we all wish All3 a good journey to Cambodia - Journey Blessings! And take lots of photos!