SIBU: Technology and demographic preference for taste and flavour have allowed the ‘kompia’, or Foochow bun, to be mass produced for commercialisation in Sibu.
TRADITIONAL WAY: Wong putting traditionally baked ‘Kompia’ in a plastic bag for a customer. At far right is his wife Ling.
‘Kompia’ is a favourite bun synonymous with the Foochow community here dating back centuries ago.
Even though many bakeries making these buns now turn to modern technology such as using electric ovens, there are also many who still use the traditional method by using charcoal to bake the flattened ‘kompia’ topped with sesame seeds.
The Borneo Post Adventure Team (BAT) met up with a ‘kompia’ expert and traditional maker Ling Yik Ting and her husband Wong Hau Yong who run Fatt Bakery in one of the back lanes in the heart of Sibu to see how the well-known bun is made.
As Ling was busy with the afternoon customers, her 52-year-old husband told BAT that his wife had taken over her older brother’s business for 10 years and that she had been in the business since she was 17 years old.
He said that they use almost 100kg of flour to make dough for the buns daily.
The dough takes two hours to raise before being baked in the charcoal-heated oven for twenty minutes, adding they bake up to 200 buns at one time.
Wong said although most of their customers are locals they do receive orders and walk-in customers from other towns.
“Some of these customers are from Kuching, Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu because the aroma of charcoal baked ‘kompia’ is different from those baked in electric ovens,” he added.
Wong said the bun can last up to six months if frozen.
Both Wong and his wife are very optimistic that ‘kompia’ made in the traditional way will remain a favourite due to its distinctive flavour and aroma and are proud that their nine-year-old son is following in their footsteps.
Besides the traditional bun, the couple also makes ‘kompia’ with ‘kaya’ and other fillings to appeal to customers’ varied tastes.
The Wong family begins the day as early as 3.30am and closes at 4.30pm.