Author: ycgallery

Grilled Fish in Broga

Fish wrapped in aluminium foil packets are neatly arranged on the brick stove, getting licked by bright flames from the charcoal fire. The chef is unable to see through the packet, and therefore can only determine whether or not the fish is fully cooked from the duration and degree of heating. When deemed ready, the foil packets are transferred to stainless steel oval plates and served to customers. Upon ripping open the steaming hot packets, one is greeted by the mouthwatering aroma and the delicate, tender flesh of a whole fish. The freshwater Tilapia fish takes about six months to grow from fish seeds to about one kilogram in weight, yet was caught, gutted and scaled, then cooked and served in the blink of an eye.

The grilled fish restaurant founded by Kok Sack Swee is situated within the hilly countryside of Broga, surrounded by verdant greenery, where one can listen to chirping birds and insects, view glimmering ponds, and embrace the tranquility and serenity. Uncle Kok lives in a small cottage on the plantation grounds. Early in the morning, he busied himself tending various fruit trees and medicinal herbs, as well as feeding the fish in the ponds. Although the work is tedious, he finds enjoyment in it.

Ancestors of the Kok family migrated from HuiZhou in GuangDong, China to Broga in the 1910s. Kok Sack Swee was a Broga lad born and bred. In his youth, he started his career in the agricultural sector, including a stint in oil palm cultivation at Kuantan, which he afterwards returned to Broga and developed fruit plantations. In the mid-90s, he started a fish pond in his durian plantation, and opened it to recreational fishing. As a way to attract more customers, Uncle Kok and his wife decided to offer cooking services.

Inspired by the relaxed charm of picnics, the freshly-caught fish are gutted and scaled, coated in homemade paste, wrapped in an aluminium foil packet, and grilled on a charcoal fire. Due to foil packets absorb heat relatively quick and distribute it evenly, as well as effectively retaining the food’s moisture, lending the grilled fish a delicate and tender texture. Captivating the customers’ taste buds with fresh ingredients, and charging a fair price, Uncle Kok gradually gained popularity. He is the first in Broga to offer grilled fish in aluminium foil packets, attracting foodies from near and far. 

In 2000, Uncle Kok shifted to the current premises inside a rubber plantation, built additional fish ponds, and established a grilled fish restaurant. His wife, sister-in-law, son, daughter-in-law, and daughter readily help with operations. The entire family work together to serve up the freshest delicacies. Earlier on, while at the old premises, his son, Kok Chee Yee, used to only help out during weekends. Upon Uncle Kok founded the restaurant in his 60s, Kok Chee Yee decided to stay home to help, and took over the reins shortly after.

Now aged 81, Uncle Kok is no longer in charge of the grill, but he is still actively helping in the restaurant. From time to time, he worked in the fruit orchard behind the restaurant, tending various fruit trees and medicinal herbs. Whenever regular customers visit, he would converse with them in the Hakka dialect. Sometimes he would help to gut and scale fish, chop vegetables, and wash the dishes. In the evening, after business hours, is his time to relax and play with his grandchildren.

Kok Sack Swee leads an idyllic lifestyle in the countryside, Kok Chee Yee also shares his father’s sentiments, keeping a distance from the hustle and bustle of city life, relishing in the natural environment and his culinary pursuits. Living a simple life, surrounded by beloved family members, is the epitome of happiness.

有你 UNI Production
Producer : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Michael Lerk
Drone : Daniel Lim
Video Editor : Amelia Lim
Copywriter : Pua Hui Wen

COPYRIGHTS 2025 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

Sak Dato Temple in Broga

Broga, which spans the states of Selangor and Negeri Sembilan, possesses a refreshing hilly natural landscape, as well as captivating local myths and legends that gave birth to a localized folk religion – Sak Dato.

In the mid-19th century, a batch of Hakkanese from HuiZhou in GuangDong, China, left their beloved hometown to become tin miners at Broga, which was still wilderness at the time. Upon settling down, due to being unaccustomed to the climate, along with poor living conditions, they suffer from illness. An indigenous man named Aman, who was warm-hearted and compassionate, always gathered medicinal herbs to help cure the miners’ illness. He lived in a stone cave along the path leading to the mining area, hence the miners refer to him as Sak Man. Word has it Sak Man vanished one day, and visited the miners’ dreams to inform them he had ascended to heaven, and was appointed by the Jade Emperor to safeguard the region. The miners went to investigate the stone cave, and found Sak Man’s remains in a termite nest. They buried him on the spot and erected a temple to pay respects to him.

Over the years, whenever confronted with difficulties, Broga villagers sought advice or herbal remedies from Sak Dato. Sak Dato is very efficacious, therefore villagers would send wooden plaques as a token of appreciation. In the early days, the temple was merely a shabby zinc hut, visited by local villagers. In 1991, FengShui master Chen WenGuo chanced to visit, and found that the temple was facing the wrong direction. After gaining Sak Dato’s approval, he reconstructed the temple into an auspicious facing direction. Master Chen offered help free of charge, under one condition: the temple committee must utilize money received from devotees for charity. The following year, upon completion of rebuilding works, the temple became popular and devotees flocked to visit.

As the number of devotees increases, 30% of donations to the temple are allocated to charity; the rest are used for beautifying the temple grounds, administration and maintenance purposes. The “Garden of Virtuous Deeds” Foundation was established in 1992, distributing relief funds to the poor and the ill in Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, and Kuala Lumpur on a monthly basis, consecutively up to the 400th session at present. Thanks to the continual generous support of devotees, there were no interruptions even during the Movement Control Order. At the same time, the temple committee also sponsors Home for the Angels Care Centre, which takes in orphans and children from dysfunctional families.

In 2012, the Sak Dato Cultural Museum was established to preserve historical relics of the Chinese community, and spread awareness to the public about the hardships and struggles of the development of Chinese education in Malaysia. The statues of the three key figures of Chinese education in Malaysia (Lim Lian Geok, Sim Mow Yu, and Lok Ting Yee) on exhibition are from The Four Houses Of Red in Gemas.

Initially, upon construction of the Sak Dato Temple, the British colonial government allocated 1.7 acres of land. Over the years, the temple committee gradually purchased neighbouring plots of land, expanding and beautifying the temple grounds so that people not only come to worship, but also to exercise and relax. The temple also attracted tourists near and far, boosting local economic activities. To date, the temple spans 38 acres, with 10 acres pending development.

Sak Dato Temple plays an important role in the Broga neighbourhood; not only a place of worship, it is also a place for healthy recreational activities, a cultural centre passing on the historical heritage, and at the same time contributing to social welfare and helping the needy.

有你 UNI Production
Producer : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Michael Lerk
Drone : Daniel Lim
Video Editor : Michael Lerk
Copywriter : Pua Hui Wen

COPYRIGHTS 2025 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

Hakkanese Glutinous Rice Cake: Tài Lǒng Cí

“Lift the pot lid!” Upon lifting the lid of the steamer, scorching hot gusts of steam escape. Smoke from the woodfire and the steam create a misty cloud-like effect, filled with the sweet aroma of glutinous rice and sugar. Fresh from the pot, glutinous rice cakes have a dark caramel surface while the inner layer is golden in colour, with a smooth and soft texture. Stir using a chopstick, curl up a morsel, take an eager bite despite its high temperature, a pleasant sweetness lingers on the palate.

Glutinous rice cakes are a must-have for Chinese New Year celebration, used for prayers or gifting among family and friends. In the past, almost every family will make glutinous rice cakes before Chinese New Year. In Hakkanese it is called Tài Lǒng Cí (big basket glutinous treat), because it is contained within a bamboo basket that is one foot in diameter. Line the bamboo basket with heat-treated banana leaves, mill the glutinous rice into semi-liquid form, add equal parts of sugar and mix evenly, then pour the mixture into the container and steam for at least 18 to 20 hours.After the steamed glutinous rice cakes cooled down, cut into long strips and put into a tiered bamboo basket alongside other festive gifts, to bring along when visiting family and friends.

49-year-old Lim Swee Lin, whose ancestry is traced back to HeXi Hakkanese village in southern China, is a fourth-generation immigrant, born and bred in Kepong, Kuala Lumpur. His mother, who learned to make traditional treats from both his maternal grandmother (from JiaYing, MeiXian) and his paternal grandmother (from HeXi), ran a wholesale business in Kepong from the 70s to the 90s. As he grew up, he would help out after school. Glutinous rice cake making starts from one month before Chinese New Year, in Lim’s teenage years, he would stay up throughout the night to help tend the fire, adding firewood or water when necessary. Under a subtle influence, he gained glutinous rice cake making skills.

Now a maker of micro landscapes, Lim frequently participate in artisan markets. In conjunction with the Chinese New Year themed You Ni Market 18.0, he decided to share the taste of Chinese New Year he experienced while growing up, replicating the hard and weary process of making traditional glutinous rice cakes to acquaint market-goers with authentic Tài Lǒng Cí. Lim insists on sourcing natural ingredients, using untreated wood (rubber and acacia) for firewood, opting to use bamboo tubes from edible species as containers, which he also line with banana leaves. Lim’s glutinous rice cake mixture is not made from commercially available glutinous rice flour and refined sugar, instead glutinous rice is soaked overnight and ground into semi-liquid form, and then add raw cane sugar which is rich in nutrients and minerals.

Piling firewood, starting a fire, and building a simple red brick stove are all muscle memory to Lim. Boil water in a large iron-cast pot, layer some wood in the pot and arrange the bamboo tubes filled with glutinous rice cake mixture on it, then close the lid. During the cooking process, it is crucial to maintain a burning fire, making sure that the fire does not die out as the weather changes. After steaming for eight to twelve consecutive hours, the glutinous rice and raw cane sugar mixture became fully incorporated and caramelization took place. The aromas of the bamboo tubes and banana leaves became infused into the glutinous rice cakes as well. Consuming while hot, sweetness is at its prime, yet more complex flavours may develop after cooling down.

As Lim takes up the challenge of making glutinous rice cakes on-site, to ensure that things go well, he sought advice from his mother, and engaged his son’s help while providing him with hands-on training. The making of traditional Tài Lǒng Cí passed over four generations, not only strengthening family bonds, but also a continuation of Chinese New Year celebration, wisdom and cultural heritage.

有你 UNI Production
Producer : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Michael Lerk
Drone : Daniel Lim
Video Editor : Michael Lerk
Copywriter : Pua Hui Wen

COPYRIGHTS 2025 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

Charcoal-baked Chinese New Year Cookies in Kampung Simee

Around 3AM, when the surroundings are enclosed in darkness, and most people are still sound asleep, the five-foot-way of a double-storey shophouse in Kampung Simee, Ipoh, is brightly lit. A few white-haired ladies are either seated in front of a rectangular charcoal stove or shuffling between two rows of round charcoal stoves (ten in total), busy making traditional Chinese New Year cookies. The aroma of cookies wafts alongside the red-hot smoldering charcoal, music plays from the radio in the corner, sometimes interrupted by lively chatter. They are busy as bees from before sunrise until sunset.

This double-storey shophouse has been around since Kampung Simee was founded, acting as a grocer and home to four generations of the Low family, where all members of the family would now gather. Ranked seventh out of ten sisters in the third generation, Low Siew Tiong sparked an interest in cookie-making from a tender age. Each year, as the festive season approached, she would help neighbours to make cookies after school. After becoming an adult, she suggested to her sisters that they all work together to make Chinese New Year cookies for sale. Unexpectedly, they kept it up for over forty years. Before getting married, they all lived under the same roof. After getting married, during the two months preceding Chinese New Year until New Year’s Eve, they would make a special effort to return to their old home, where they busied themselves with their annual cookie-making.

The charcoal stoves and cast-iron moulds resurfaced from the storeroom to make mouthwatering kuih kapit, egg rolls, and Indonesian style cookies. The inspiration for Indonesian style cookies was a local delicacy they tasted during a trip decades ago where they visited friends in Indonesia. Upon returning home, they come up with their own version: fry a thin round pancake, fill it with peanuts or meat floss, and fold it into a square. Egg rolls are the bestseller, coming in two varieties: hollow or filled with meat floss (inspired by a trip to Hatyai). Kuih kapit, Indonesian style cookies, and egg rolls may appear similar, but the makeup of each batter is different. The Low sisters stick with the same ingredients’ ratio, without making adjustments to suit consumers. They insist on using charcoal, as it instills a unique flavor which consumers love.

Kuih kapit is baked using the rectangular charcoal stove. The sisters work closely together, handling 20 moulds at the same time. From baking, folding, to packing, each step is carried out in an orderly manner. There are no fixed roles, they can swap with each other anytime. The round charcoal stoves are for Indonesian style cookies and egg rolls, which Low Siew Tiong can single-handedly take care of five at a time. The Low sisters, all of whom have genetically white hair, bustle around the shophouse and the five-foot-way. Apart from charcoal-baked cookies, they also make deep-fried honeycomb cookies, and the older sisters are in charge of oven-baked cookies, totalling up to over twenty types.

The making of cookies is not sophisticated, but the process is gruelling, especially as they get older, they endure sore limbs after work. The Low sisters could only accept orders according to their physical capacity, estimate the production time, and close orders one month before the Chinese New Year, focus on completing orders, then wrap up work to enjoy the holidays. In previous years, they used to work right up to New Year’s Eve, and the siblings pooled money to dine out together for the reunion dinner. What they look forward to the most is on the first day of the Chinese New Year, all members of the family gather at their old home and take family photos.

Year in, year out, the making of Chinese New Year cookies became a family ritual, where family members and neighbours help each other out, sit together, chat, and bond. Handmade traditional Chinese New Year cookies, whether gifted to relatives and friends, served to guests, or enjoyed by the family, carry a legacy of warmth and festive spirit.

有你 UNI Production
Producer : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Michael Lerk
Drone : Daniel Lim
Video Editor : Amelia Lim
Copywriter : Pua Hui Wen

COPYRIGHTS 2025 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

Chai Huat Hin Dried Seafood and Sundry Store

Laid out on makeshift tables lining the five-foot walkway of Chai Huat Hin Trading at Jalan Tun H.S. Lee are cartons of dry goods such as garlic, onion, and ginger; tubs of dried marine products such as dried shrimp and anchovies; and a wide array of nuts, beans, and grains. Pre-packed dried fish maw with hues ranging from pale yellow to golden mustard suspend from the retractable awning rail, while bags of dried bean curd skin, shiitake mushrooms, black moss, and other ingredients hang above the entrance. Even though situated far away from the sea, Chai Huat Hin supply the city with marine products.

Practiced since centuries ago, drying has proved to be an effective way to preserve and extend the shelf life of various types of marine products, as well as make them more convenient for storage and transportation. In everyday Chinese cooking, intensely-flavoured and less expensive ingredients such as dried shrimp and anchovies are typically used to lend a rich umami taste to dishes. Exotic dried seafood such as fish maw, sea cucumber, and abalone, can be soaked to rehydrate before being incorporated into a wide range of exquisite dishes carrying auspicious meanings.

As Chinese New Year approaches, the last couple of dried seafood stores standing in Petaling Street are bustling as customers flock in to stock their pantry in preparation for reunion dinner. Chai Huat Hin is exceptionally busy, as customers return repeatedly over decades, even though some of them might have moved to other neighbourhoods or migrated overseas. Many younger family members accompany their elders to learn how to identify and choose the ingredients. Friendly and knowledgeable staff members are on hand to assist, offering suggestions and tips on adding texture, flavour, and nutrition to their dishes.

Chai Huat Hin offers an extensive assortment of products, with wild fungi and game from natural origins and premium dried seafood such as abalone, sea cucumber, fish maw, oyster, and scallops. Another staple at Chai Huat Hin is the wide range of dry cured meats, including cured pork belly, Chinese sausages, liver sausages, duck gizzards, and the increasingly rare golden-silver liver sausage, which consists of pork liver stuffed with fatty pork. The store also sells sauces, seasonings, canned foods, dried fruits, and other items, making it a well-established one-stop shop for food ingredients.

The founder, Mr Lim Boon Peng, was originally a delivery driver, constantly on the go. After he got married, his loving wife, Mdm Tan Siew Keng, could not bear to see his always being exhausted. She pawned her dowry as capital, and got help from her father who ran a dried seafood store to introduce her husband to potential partners. Thus, Chai Huat Hin was founded in 1972. When the partnership dissolved 17-18 years ago, he was reluctant to retire despite being 60 years old, therefore he established his own trading at the current premises, maintaining the brand name Chai Huat Hin.

Running a dried seafood store is very challenging, with the greatest difficulty being the wide variety of products, which requires careful selection, quality control, and inventory management. The key lies in good coordination to ensure a steady supply without overstocking. The second-generation owners, Lim Bee Bee and her husband Mark, took over the reins after Mr Lim’s passing in 2016. With the support of veteran staff, Uncle Leng, who is like a walking encyclopedia, they are able to manage the business effectively and efficiently.

Traditional shops in Petaling Street offer customers ingredients they can see, smell, and touch, which is different from modern supermarkets and hypermarkets, giving those who are particular about quality peace of mind. Sincere communication and friendly service also provide customers with an enjoyable shopping experience while ensuring they get the right ingredients.

有你 UNI Production
Producer : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Michael Lerk
Drone : Daniel Lim
Video Editor : Michael Lerk
Copywriter : Pua Hui Wen

COPYRIGHTS 2024 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

Kien Fatt Medical Store

Kien Fatt Medical Store is the most long-standing traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) store in Petaling Street, established for well over 80 years, houses a Chinese herbal apothecary, a TCM clinic, and a pharmacy selling over-the-counter Western medicine all under one roof. Over the years, Kien Fatt Medical Store offers affordable TCM treatment and prescriptions for the public to help maintain their overall bodily health.

Between the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Petaling Street was a central hub for Chinese immigrants who came to Malaya to seek a living. It is where they eventually settled down and businesses sprung up to satisfy their daily needs. Back then, those who ran medical stores were typically well-educated and knowledgeable in traditional Chinese medicine. When Kien Fatt first opened its doors in 1942, a scholar was hired to manage the shop, who also doubled as an in-house TCM practitioner. Most of the Chinese labourers would come to seek help when they encountered health issues or needed someone to write letters home.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) originated in ancient China and has evolved over thousands of years, using herbs, acupuncture, and other methods to treat a wide range of conditions. Chinese herbal medicines are mainly plant based, but some preparations include minerals or animal products. They can be packaged as powders, pastes, lotions or tablets, depending on the herb and its intended use. The work in a Chinese herbal apothecary requires tremendous effort, the most challenging part involves memorizing hundreds of classic herbal medicine formulas, understanding the pharmacological and toxicological properties of each herb as well as multi-herb correlation to prevent undesirable side effects. For a start, one needs to learn to identify all kinds of herbs, and how to classify and store them. One then gets familiar with the Baizi cabinet (literally translates as 100 cabinets), eventually knowing the contents of each drawer by heart. Out of a large number of apprentices, only a handful persevered to become herbalists.

Generations of the Ng family have been traditional herbal medicine sellers, the first generation to immigrate to Malaya set up store in Rasa. The second generation, Ng Kien Poon and Ng Fatt Poon, sought work at Kuala Lumpur, amassed enough capital, and co-founded Kien Fatt Medical Store in Petaling Street, selling both Chinese herbs and Western medicines. In the 1980s, due to government regulations, they had to stop selling Western medicine. Instead they focused on herbal products wholesale and supply, becoming the exclusive distributor of Axe brand medicated oil. During the peak phase, their business expanded across Malaysia, and they have their own fleet of delivery trucks.

In the 1990s, the third generation heir, Ng Chee Yat, returned to Malaysia after having graduated from the UK, and took over the business. business. With his accredited qualifications as a pharmaceutical chemist, he set up a pharmacy at a corner of the shop. He then attained professional qualification as a TCM practitioner, and invited fellow TCM practitioners to set up a clinic together at the rear end of Kien Fatt’s premises. Realising the value and potential of TCM, they founded the KL Academy of Chinese Medical Practice, educationally collaborated with the Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine in China, to provide training and further education opportunities, provide alternative career paths for ordinary people, as well as raise public awareness and acceptance of TCM.

It is increasingly difficult for traditional trades to survive in Petaling Street, and Chinese medicine stores are no exception. Kien Fatt Medical Store still holds true to its core belief, offering effective healthcare solutions to the public without costing a bomb, which is truly remarkable.

有你 UNI Production
Producer : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Michael Lerk
Drone : Daniel Lim
Video Editor : Michael Lerk
Copywriter : Pua Hui Wen

COPYRIGHTS 2024 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

Sai Kee Hawker Stall

Upon entering the alley between Jalan Petaling and Jalan Sultan, the warm, comforting smell of delicious food makes one’s mouth water. Situated directly behind Kong Wooi Fong Tea Merchants, tucked beneath gray tarpaulin sheets, is the last remaining stir-fry stall in this alley – Sai Kee, which offers homely Cantonese cuisine made to order.

In the past, the alleyways around Petaling Street were filled with simple food stalls and temporary seating, offering a variety of affordable meals while also serving as community gathering spots. However, in recent years, such “Dai Pai Dong” hawker culture has gradually declined, and now the number of food stalls in the alley is few and far between. Despite the abundance of restaurants and cafés along the main streets, laneway hawkers are the go-to for comfort food.

The stall has always occupied the same spot since being established decades ago by Uncle Lai Seng Wai’s grandfather, who hailed from Panyu in Guangdong, China. At first it was an unnamed stall with no fixed menu, which served claypot chicken rice at one point, economy rice at another, and changed to serving Hokkien noodles when Uncle Lai’s father inherited the stall. Towards the end of 1969, the menu was revamped to serving stir-fry. Uncle Lai sees no reason for change when he took over the reins, therefore he retains his father’s cooking method and recipes.

Popular dishes include braised fish with tofu, sweet and sour pork, french beans with roasted pork, and fish paste soup, among others. All ingredients are freshly purchased and prepared daily. The signature fish balls are made from wild-caught mackerel, chopped, mixed, and beaten by hand to achieve a firm, chewy texture.

Bright orange flames momentarily shoot up as Uncle Lai Seng Wai ladles oil into a hot wok, engulfing the ingredients upon their being added. Uncle Lai stirs deftly with a stainless steel spatula, then instead of tossing the wok, he covers it with a flat metal lid and let the flames lick around the wok. Within a matter of moments, he removes the lid – the food is thoroughly cooked and ready to be served.

The fiery stir-fry is a technique that combines speed and precision, maintaining a high temperature throughout the cooking process. The intense heat elevates the flavors and imbues “wok hei” (breath of the wok), an enticing smoky savory aroma, to the food. The practice of covering the wok with a lid instead of tossing speeds up cooking, improving evaporation as well as flavor due to Maillard reaction. 

Among the Petaling Street community, the stall is verbally known as “Ah Sai” (scrawny lad), the nickname of Uncle Lai’s father due to his rake-thin physique. Later on, it was registered as the official name to be displayed on the stall’s signboard. The main clientele consists of long-time regulars whose families have been frequenting the stall over three generations. In recent years, the crowd consists of more office workers from the nearby area and tourists. 

Uncle Lai, who helms the wok at Sai Kee, displays his multitasking ability to handle four woks simultaneously during peak hours. He is also in charge of procuring goods from the wholesale market late at night after work, and picking up miscellaneous ingredients from the supermarket and wet market in the morning before heading to work. His younger brother Hoong Wye is in charge of taking orders, cutting ingredients and preparing steamed dishes, with the help of their aunt and a few workers. 

For Uncle Lai and his brother, helping their parents since a young age and taking over the family business in adulthood comes to them as something natural. They have been working together for more than 40 years, and as business partners in the past two decades, each taking care of their own duties, continuing the legacy of the alley’s bustling food scene. Unfortunately, there is no one to take over. The food industry requires constant, tireless work, and few are willing to accept the long hours and hard labor. Like many other food stalls that have gradually disappeared from the alley, once they can no longer work, they have no choice but to close.

有你 UNI Production
Producer : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Michael Lerk
Drone : Daniel Lim
Video Editor : Michael Lerk
Copywriter : Pua Hui Wen

COPYRIGHTS 2024 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

Flower Garland Maker in Petaling Street

At dawn, the sound of bells and conch shells from the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple on Jalan Tun H.S. Lee in Kuala Lumpur heralds the start of daily prayer sessions. At the same time, about a dozen flower garland vendors set up their stalls in the adjacent alley. Fresh flowers in pure white, bright yellow, and vibrant red are skillfully woven into garlands and displayed on stands, creating an eye-catching scenery. Occasionally stirred by a playful breeze, the garlands emit delightful fragrances.

The Petaling Street area is a cultural melting pot. While the majority of residents are of Chinese ethnicity, there are also many from other ethnic groups, each building their own temples in the neighbourhood. The Hindu temple and the Kuan Ti Temple sit across from each other, coexisting peacefully for over a century. A row of garland stalls are located next to the Hindu temple, providing convenience for worshippers from both temples to purchase garlands as offerings. Uncle Anamalay Nadaraj (Kartik) has been making and selling garlands in the Petaling Street area for the longest duration, working up to fifteen hours a day i conjunction with the temple’s opening hours, and rarely taking a break in over thirty years. During major festivals like Thaipusam and Deepavali, he even work overnight to fulfill orders.

Uncle Kartik was born into a family constantly filled with the fragrance of flowers. His grandfather planted various flowers in their yard, and from a young age, he helped to pluck fresh flowers in the morning, hence developing an interest and learning to make garlands from his grandfather and mother. After graduating from high school, he set up his own stall in Brickfields to make and sell garlands. By chance, he obtained a business license in the Petaling Street area and relocated there. Due to the different demographic makeup of the area, compared to the predominantly Indian community in Brickfields, he expanded his customer base to include people from all three major ethnic groups as well as foreign tourists.

Flowers commonly used for making garlands include jasmine, chrysanthemums, roses, and carnations. Hindus choose flowers based on the preferences of individual deities, while Chinese typically buy lotus flowers to worship Guanyin, and tourists often favor colorful orchids. In addition to flowers, Uncle Kartik’s stall also sells items like limes and incense, a one-stop shop for worshippers before they enter the temple.

Customers can customize the size and flower selection of garlands based on different occasions and usage, from small ones to hang in cars for fragrance, medium ones for welcoming guests or during traditional Indian weddings, to large ones used for entrance or venue decorations. Different colors and types of flowers carry different meanings across cultures; for example, red garlands are chosen for Indian funerals, while white garlands are preferred for Chinese funerals. In recent years, gifting garlands instead of bouquets at graduation ceremonies became a trend, which Uncle Kartik finds amusing.

By weaving garlands for over thirty years, Uncle Kartik’s family also flourished. As he is getting advanced in years, he has started hiring help. Unfortunately, few local youths are willing to work in this trade, so he brought in staff from his ancestral home in India. Uncle Kartik’s son helps in managing social media and online orders during his free time and runs errands for deliveries. Perhaps in the future, he will inherit this family business, allowing the vibrant garlands to continue spreading their fragrance in Petaling Street.

https://youtu.be/wsY9AtmPYtQ

有你 UNI Production
Producer : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Michael Lerk
Drone : Daniel Lim
Video Editor : Michael Lerk
Copywriter : Pua Hui Wen

COPYRIGHTS 2024 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

Seong Ying Chai Artisanal Bakery

Pastries are not just a type of food; they are also an essential part of life rituals. Whether for celebrations or important festivals, pastries are often given as gifts. In Chinese culinary culture, pastries are said to have originated during the Han Dynasty and was a general term for wheat-based products. Depending on the region and heritage, the methods of making pastries, their flavors, and shapes vary. After early generations of Chinese migrants settled in Malaysia, the tradition of Chinese pastries, or “Han bing”, became diluted through time and cultural integration. However, Seong Ying Chai, a longstanding establishment at Jalan Sultan in Kuala Lumpur, continues to keep the legacy of Chinese pastries alive.

The exact founding year of Seong Ying Chai is not clearly documented, but it can be traced back to a business license issued in 1935. In its early years, it was a Shunde cuisine restaurant, famous as one of the “Four Greatest Restaurants of Petaling Street alongside Bunn Choon, Seng Kee, and Yook Woo Hin. All members of the staff underwent rigorous training to master various skills, from cooking and pastry-making to performing arts, ensuring that everyone is a capable all-rounder. After the restaurant closed down a few years ago, the third-generation heir, Lee Kim Fook (Leonard), decided to shift the focus to the production and cultural preservation of Chinese pastries. The three most popular categories being bridal pastries, mooncakes, and new year cookies.

Seong Ying Chai keenly promote bridal pastries due to their profound significance. In the traditional betrothal ceremony, the groom prepares six or twelve gifts to the bride’s family, bridal pastries occupy two of them. This serves two purposes: first, to express the groom’s gratitude to the bride’s parents for raising her; in the past they were transported by carrying poles or bullock carts, the larger the amount of pastries, the greater the sincerity. Second, the bride’s family distributes them to relatives and friends to announce the joyous occasion of the marriage. The bride’s family also prepares return gifts for the groom’s family: for the pair of large pastries featuring dragon and phoenix designs, one is kept by the bride’s family and one is gifted back to the groom’s family; half of the small boxed cookies for distributing among family and friends also given in return to the groom’s family.

Mooncakes are the signature product of Seong Ying Chai, especially during the Mid-Autumn Festival, when the Cantonese have the custom of moon worship. Mooncakes were originally offerings to the moon, later evolved into premium festive gifts. In addition to traditional Cantonese mooncakes, Seong Ying Chai was the first shop in Kuala Lumpur to introduce Hong Kong-style snow skin mooncakes. In the 1950s, the second generation (Leonard’s aunt) learned from a master in Hong Kong and then developed their own unique flavors that are still cherished today. Many longtime customers, even after moving away from Petaling Street, still make a special trip to buy them before the festival.

In addition to mooncakes, “Gong Zai Bing” (mooncake biscuits) are also popular during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Made from leftover mooncake dough and fillings, mooncake biscuits come in various shapes, from deities to animals, which are attractive to children. In the era when Kuala Lumpur’s economy had not yet flourished, the average family could not afford expensive mooncakes, while mooncake biscuits were relatively affordable. The handmade piglet pastries are put into bamboo cages and hung high from the shop’s beams, and customers must tiptoe to cut them down.

With modern development, the significance of Chinese pastries and associated customs has waned, and the values and functions of traditional festivals have gradually changed. Having rooted itself in Kuala Lumpur for nearly a century, Seong Ying Chai carries the taste memories of generations, conveying emotions and blessings through Chinese pastries while continuing a rich cultural legacy.

[Set of Six Gifts] Traditional betrothal ceremony  

  • Dragon and Phoenix pastries
  • Small cookies in boxes
  • Rice crackers
  • Ingredients for making tangyuan (sweet glutinous rice balls)
  • Gold jewellry  
  • Dragon and Phoenix candles

[Bridal pastries fun facts]

  • The bride cannot eat her own bridal pastries, as this symbolizes consuming her own good fortune.  
  • The filling of bridal pastries is significant: red date paste mixed with pine nuts symbolizes sweetness and convey a wish for fertility; salted egg yolks should not be included as they imply marrying due to pregnancy.

[Gong Zai Bing fun facts]  

  • The piglet pastries in bamboo cages symbolizes prosperity, and are hung high in the shop, customers must tiptoe to cut them down, a gesture that carries a wish for continuous success.

有你 UNI Production
Producer : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Michael Lerk
Drone : Daniel Lim
Video Editor : Amelia Lim
Copywriter : Pua Hui Wen

COPYRIGHTS 2024 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

Bee Tai Bak in Lunas

Everything is still and quiet in the wee hours, except for a slight drizzle and gushes of cold breeze gently swaying the coconut trees. Upon driving into the narrow path among the coconut trees in the heart of Lunas, a few wooden houses are scattered around, of which only one is brightly lit. The kitchen is filled with steam, a world apart from the cold outside. A large pot of boiling water sits on top of the wood stove. A stainless steel perforated metal mesh encased in a wooden frame is placed across the pot, a pair of seemingly heat-resistant hands work deftly; the right hand kneads the half-cooked, thick rice batter through the sieve, while the left hand retrieves the cooked, snow-white rice noodles – Bee Tai Bak.

Bee Tai Bak is a term transliterated from the Hokkien dialect. It is a type of noodle that is round and slender, tapering to a fine point at the end. In the Minnan region, Bee Tai Bak is typically served as a sweet cold dish, while in Singapore and Malaysia, it is more commonly found as a savory hot dish, prepared either dry or in soup. The chewy and bouncy Bee Tai Bak is often tossed in a fragrant sauce or submerged in a delicious broth, accompanied by fish balls, dark sauce minced pork, barbecued pork in slices as well as chunks, with chili sauce adding an extra kick.

As the first rays of dawn illuminate the sky, customers begin to arrive, conscientiously parking their vehicles under the coconut trees to avoid obstructing others. Uncle Teh Guan Cheng and his wife Aunty Koh move from the kitchen inside the house to the stall in the back, busily serving bowl after bowl of Bee Tai Bak. Customers enjoy a hearty meal of steaming Rice Taimu in the soft morning light, plenishing energy to kick start the day. By 9:30 AM, the sunlight grows stronger, and those going to school or work have left, prompting Uncle Teh and his wife to close up.

Closing after merely three and a half hours of operation does not mean they can return to bed for extra sleep; instead, they seize the time to head out to purchase fresh groceries, preparing ingredients for the next day. Fresh pork needs to be marinated for several hours before being processed into dark sauce minced pork and barbecued pork. Barbecued pork is made from pork loin, which is the tenderest, best, and most expensive part of the pig. The chili sauce, which is free for customers to consume, is entirely handmade—from chopping the chili to simmering two large pots of aromatic sauce, each step is handled with delicate care.

This home-based Bee Tai Bak stall has stood in the same location for over 60 years without relocating. The previous owner, Mr Tan, ran it for 23 years, sourcing fish balls from Uncle Teh’s mother-in-law. Upon learning that Mr Tan planned to retire and sell the business, she suggested her son-in-law, who was a vegetable farmer, try his hand at it. After about six months of observation and research, Uncle Teh officially took over at the end of 1986, moving his family from Tasek Gelugor to operate this food stall in Lunas. Day in and day out, he and his wife work diligently, paying meticulous attention to each step from selecting and preparing ingredients to cutting and cooking, embodying the spirit of craftsmanship.

In this unassuming township, Uncle Teh and his wife embrace a leisurely lifestyle, living in simplicity while making each day busy and fulfilling. Before long, their young children are grown up and helping them out. The humble noodles from this village home under the coconut trees may one day succumb to the tide of development and eventually disappear, and now they seem closer to vanishing than ever.

有你 UNI Production
Producer : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Michael Lerk
Drone : Daniel Lim
Video Editor : Amelia Lim
Copywriter : Pua Hui Wen

COPYRIGHTS 2024 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD