30 cents for a bowl of char chu mien or Foochow Fried Noodle Soup

The Sibu poultry market was in the two storeyed concrete building specially built and maintained by the Sibu Urban District Council and later the sibu Municipal Council. Also known as the Chicken Market to the Foochows it was quite a landmark. Many dating couples had their rendezvous there and many students enjoyed a bowl of noodles or some chendol and rojak there. I would have my weekly ration of chendol there with some school mates. We did not eat much of the rojak though as it was quite a Hokkien thingy for Foochow taste buds. But later, when we acquired the taste for it, we loved it.

The poultry market was totally wet as the poultry sellers would always wash the floor with lots of water from their red rubber hose. They would also make a lot of noise with their char kiet or er kok or wooden clogs.

Situated by the river bank of River Lembangan, the building had an upstairs where noodles, rice with cooked dishes and some clothes were sold. Most of the men would sleep in the stalls on their makeshift beds, together with their kitchen ware and stoves at night. I used to wonder how it was possible for them to have quality life with their families. I had read my fill of books about David Copperfield, Oliver Twist, Tom Sawyer, Little Women,etc. and had dreamed of having the middle class European kind of family. I found it hard to accept a family life that was only functional. I could not understand why a husband needed to earn money and provide for household expenditure if he was good enough, and the rest of his own money he could squander it on gambling and other vices.

This two storeyed concrete building or the riverside market building is no longer in existence. This building, had to make way for a humongous central and open air market of Sibu, especially designed by the architect of the Sibu Municipal Council in the 90's.

As the years went by,slowly, little makeshift huts were constructed around this open building, and they even covered the stream which flowed alongside it.These makeshift stalls sold everything, from umbrellas to fruits, from plastic sunglasses to Hong Kong made trousers and fashion wear. It was a good place for frugal Foochows to buy stuff at a bargain. But later on when these were deemed "eyesores", it took the council years to clear them up.

Back my reminicences of the poultry market. Chickens were kept in the cages and housewives would select them . The selected chickens were then slaughtered in front of the purchasers by very skilful women who were paid like 50 cents per chicken to slaughter. All the hot water, the cold water and the plucking of feathers actually caused these ladies to have a lot of sores on their hands. A tell tale sign would be red hands and a very dirty and blood stained skirt worn by them. One lady I remember looked particularly forlorn and destitute with all those tell tale signs. It is sad to think that some women live their whole life slaughtering chicken, day in and day out, without fulfilling their dreams.

One of them I heard was cheated by her own husband of her savings. All we can say is "what a skunk!" Perhaps in her old age, a good son would come and lift her out of her misery.

The other good thing about this market was the wonderful Foochow Char Chu Mieng stall. In many cities in Malaysia, enterprising hawkers have tried to imitate this recipe. But the best of this noodle is still found in Sibu. It is called Fried Noodles in Soup, or Mee Goreng Sup. It is almost too difficult to name. The Chinese name is just so easy to say and write. "Fry, Cook, Noodlea".

First the yellow noodles must be fried really well in a hot and smokey kuali. In those days, the fire came from a specially made Mei Hua brand pressure stove that the cook had to pump several times before a fire could be started.

When the noodles are dried fried this way, they are especially fragrant.

The noodles would then be lifted up and placed in a bowl. Then the cook would start making the soup, which had fresh fish, pig intestines,pig stomach, liver, slices of pork, ginger,fish balls, spring onions, mushrooms,etc. To this soup, the cook would add some secret ingredients and Pearl River mushroom soy sauce and pepper.

When the soup is boiling hot, the cooked noodles would be thrown in. Now the soup must be roaringly hot before the noodles are ready to be served to the customer.

Such a bowl of noodles would only set one back 30 cents in the 1950's and 60-'s. It is difficult to get that wonderful nostalgic taste nowadays. Every customer then was served individually, as each bowl would have exactly the same amount of ingredients. No stall owner in Sibu would cook a big pot of noodles and then serve the customers as they came in. This was not the acceptable style.