‘Yu Chang Kueh’ remains as popular as ever

0

Yu Chang Kueh is among the best-selling items at the Sibu Chiang Chuan Association stall at the BCF.

Lim Hong Hui

SIBU: The traditional dessert of the Chiang Chuan Clan – Yu Chang Kueh (onion cake) – is not commonly found in the local market, but is still popular with the locals.

Local folk, however, know where to find it – at the Sibu Night Market and the Central Market.

Sibu Chiang Chuan Association chairman Lim Hong Hui said people rarely sell Yu Chang Kueh these days due to the huge amount of work required to produce in large quantities.

“The process is pretty tedious. Last time we needed to grind the rice, but today, we only use rice flour and mix it with water.

“Chopping the onions takes a lot of time. The liquid flour needs a certain thickness when steamed to get the taste and texture we want. Too thick and the cake will be hard,” he told The Borneo Post in an interview on Monday night.

He said one small plate of Yu Chang Kueh costs about RM1 or RM1.20.

“Not many people want to sell it anymore these days because the profit is not much,” he noted.

In the 1950s, Yu Chang Kueh could be found anywhere in Sibu.

Lim’s mother sold Yu Chang Kueh for a living, a trade Lim was able to pick up when he was just six years old.

“I am the eldest child and I used to wake up at 3am to grind the rice. That was my job. My mother would steam it and in the afternoon, she would take it to the market to sell,” he recalled.

During those days, one small plate of Yu Chang Kueh cost five cents.

Although life was hard back them, his mother used to teach others to make Yu Chang Kueh.

“I had asked her why let others learn the skill for they might take away our business. Later, I realised that my mother has always been kind, and it made her happy to see others having the skill to make a living,” Lim said.

Yu Chang Kueh is still one of the most loved desserts for the Chiang Chuan community, and they treasure it.

Lim said to ensure Yu Chang Kueh can be preserved, it will be sold every year at the stall operated by Sibu Chiang Chuan Association during the Borneo Cultural Festival (BCF).

“It is as popular as Popiah, another delicacy of our clan,” Lim enthused.

“Normally we order about 150 small plates of Yu Chang Kueh every night and it will be among the first items to be sold out.”

He said that the person made the dessert never sells Yu Chang Kueh on a daily basis, but only for the BCF.

“To ensure Yu Chang Kueh will not disappear, we include it in our refreshment during functions such as meetings.

“My mother used to make the Yu Chang Kueh for us. But she is now 93 years old and can’t do a lot anymore.

“Most of our association members know how to make it, and I believe Yu Chang Kueh will stay relevant in our array of delicacies.”