Experiencing the best of Mukah’s local flavours

3 months ago 18

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Exploring Mukah, the writer highlights Tamu Mukah, a busy market with fresh produce and traditional snacks, and the welcoming Stabak Mukah coffee shop, known for its cosy vibe and tasty pulut panggang.

A Flavourful Adventure

Jalan Pasar in Mukah was bustling as early as sunrise.

According to locals, it is the busiest street in this coastal town, as most people visit Tamu Mukah daily to purchase fresh goods.

Besides this lively tamu, a nearby coffee shop where people enjoy their morning is another popular spot.

Cosy, inviting Stabak Mukah

Gerai Kopi Market Dana, known to locals as Stabak Mukah, opens as early as 4.30am.

After sunrise, it becomes crowded with patrons, mostly elderly people finishing their Subuh prayer, as well as fishermen seeking a meal before heading out to sea.

Despite being located on the busiest street, this establishment’s cosy and inviting ambiance draws people back time and again.

Its unique location on the banks of Sungai Gigit, also known as Batang Mukah by the locals, adds to the pleasant atmosphere.

Unlike most coffee shops in Kuching, where customers need to order their food and beverages, Stabak Mukah allows diners to enjoy any food already served on the table.

As a first-timer, I can genuinely say that you will want to try everything!

Pulut panggang (grilled glutinous rice rolls), cakoi (long golden-brown deep-fried strips of wheat flour dough), tapai (fermented glutinous rice), nasi lemak, fried mee hoon, and half-boiled eggs are just some of the dishes that await customers on the table.

My favorite? Definitely the pulut panggang — whether plain or filled, both have their own merits. The plain version is delicious when dipped in condensed milk, while the stuffed one is best enjoyed on its own.

I must admit that during my four-day work trip, I became so addicted to Stabak Mukah’s pulut panggang that I could not bring myself to visit any other coffee shop.

Even Disabela Tusin, a devoted patron from Dalat, said she makes sure to stop by this coffee shop for breakfast each time she visits Mukah to buy fresh seafood.

“It takes roughly an hour to drive from my village to Mukah town. I’ve been having breakfast here with my family since I was a young girl. We used to visit at least once every two weeks.

“What do I like about Stabak Mukah? Of course, its aromatic and harmonious blend of sweet and bitter coffees — they are truly divine. After all, happiness is a warm cup of coffee, right?

“This place is also my favourite breakfast spot because it serves a variety of delicious traditional kuih, and the selection changes every time I come here,” she said.

Meanwhile, one of the stall operators, Razali Junih, mentioned that Gerai Kopi Market Dana had existed on its original site in Mukah town since the 1960s before being relocated to its current location in the 1980s.

“We start operations as early as 4.30 in the morning.

“After the Subuh prayer, people returning from the mosque and surau, as well as fishermen who like to eat before heading out to sea, are usually our first customers.

“We normally close at 11am, but if there is an event in Mukah, we will reopen our stalls at 2pm and stay open until Maghrib, which is between 6.30pm and 7pm.

“We offer around 10 varieties of kuih each day, all provided by locals in the area. The most popular are the original and stuffed pulut panggang.

“On a typical day, suppliers deliver 50 pieces of each pulut panggang, but during festival seasons, demand can be up to five times higher.

“As for drinks, coffee is our best seller. On a normal day, I use up to three kilogrammes of ground coffee,” explained the 63-year-old to Sarawak Tribune.

Tamu Mukah: All-you-can-get wet goods

This place can be considered a haven for fresh goods, whether you are a mum, a cook, or anyone else who enjoys buying and restocking kitchen items.

Here, you can find fruits, vegetables, seafood, kuih-muih, biscuits, sesar unjur (smoked prawn), and even the plump, squishy sago worm, locally known as si’et.

When I was here, I enjoyed browsing the traditional biscuits section, hoping to find kuih gunting, a type of long, spiced biscuit.

I first tasted this biscuit and instantly fell in love with it while visiting my best friend’s house in Kampung Medong, Dalat, a few years ago.

I’m still searching for kuih gunting that tastes as amazing as the one my buddy’s mother made, or at least one that closely matches in terms of taste and crispiness. So far, I haven’t found it in Kuching or even in Mukah.

While in this section, I noticed a kiosk selling sago labelled by village names.

Out of curiosity, I asked the vendor about the differences between the types of sago.

He explained that Medong sago was the best because it tasted creamier and better than the sago from Sungai Ud, Balan, and Tellian due to its higher coconut content.

As for sago without coconut, he mentioned that Mukah people typically use it to make ikan pekasam.

Oh, I almost forgot! Tamu Mukah’s umai — a traditional Melanau raw fish salad garnished with thinly sliced onions and chillies, and drizzled with vinegar, salt, and calamansi lime juice — is another item you should definitely try if you visit.

Since the vendors here prepare their products daily using fresh fish, all the umai is guaranteed to be fresh.

You can choose from three types of fish: pirang, popot, and haruan. A container of pirang and popot costs RM12, while a container of haruan costs RM20.

According to a seller, umai haruan is more expensive because it lacks the delicate bones found in pirang and popot.

Additionally, haruan is frequently consumed by new mothers, especially those who have had a Caesarean section, due to its ability to aid in the healing of internal wounds and provide energy.

So, for those of you who have never visited Mukah or are considering a trip there, be sure to stop by these two must-visit places.

After enjoying breakfast and the refreshing river breeze at Stabak Mukah, you can shop for fresh produce at Tamu Mukah.

The ideal time to visit Mukah is during the Kaul Festival, usually held in April, as it features a variety of engaging events.

In the meantime, I would like to express my gratitude to Mukah Member of Parliament Datuk Hanifah Hajar Taib and her dedicated team for ensuring that my colleagues and I had a delightful and unforgettable experience during our work trip to this peaceful coastal town.