SIBU: Wondering what to eat while in this town! The Resident Office is making it easier for visitors to know what and where they can find local delicacies.
It has come out with a reference book called, “A Guide to Sibu’s Most Favourite Food.”
The 180-page booklet is jointly written by two retired English teachers, Authur Wee and Chang Yi.
The photographs are the contribution from former journalist of The Star, Philip Hii.
The booklet, which is the brainchild of Resident, Sim Kok Kee, depicts many sumptuous delicacies of the Iban, Malay-Melanau and the Chinese community.
Sim himself launched the booklet on Monday night.
He said the idea of the book was mooted about one-and-half years ago during the Night Market Hawker Food Competition.
“The booklet is free. Those interested need only make a request to my office located at the Islamic Complex,” he said.
The well laid-out structured book approaches the common place cuisines in four or five-ingenious explainations, he said.
“It starts with a paragraph on a description of the dish. The next paragraph summarises how the dish is prepared. Thirdly, how it is usually served. Then last but not least, where each dish could be found or originates,” he emphasised.
Among the most famous Chinese food listed in the booklet included Kampua Mee (dry noodle), Bian Niik (meat dumpling, Mee Sua (longevity noodle), while for the Malay-Melanau are Pulut Panggang (sticky rice), Nasi Lemak, Kuih Cina (traditional Melanau biscuit), and Umai (raw fish delicacy).
For the Iban is the Ayam Pansuh (chicken cooked in a bamboo stem).
Overall, he said this literature gives one an experience of the great balance of Chinese, Malay-Melanau, Iban and mix-cultural dishes.
He highly recommends the book to anyone who wants to get a genuine taste of the Malaysian food culture on offer in his town.
Meanwhile, Hii said he was honoured to be given the opportunity to be involved in the publication of the book.
“It took us five months to complete the project,” he added.
