HOME-MADE KAMPUA

Disclaimer: This post is loaded with pork! Read at your own risk!

Kampua is a Foochow pronounciation of a Foochow noodle which is close to wantan mee. It is found a lot in Sibu, Sarawak. I am a bigger fan of kampua than kolo mee. I know many people told me that kolo mee tastes better because they have more ingredients. I for one like kampua for what it is, no matter how much less ingredients it has over kolo mee.

In Johor Bahru and Singapore, you can't really find a decent store selling kampua. Those which claimed to be Sarawak noodles are either kolo mee (another type from Kuching, Sarawak) or lousy versions which claimed to be similar. I tasted some and they taste like shit.

The only other alternative is to prepare yourself. Of course, you need to import the noodles over since you can't really find similar versions here. I know the local mee they love to use for wantan mee tastes and behaves like rubberbands. I hate those and I wonder why people love them.

The most important ingredient is Foochow cooking red wine and pig's oil. However, I don't have pig's oil so I am using vegetable oil. I tried olive oil but it is just too dry and not very suitable. I know it is dry but I wanted to try it out but it just won't work. Perhaps a more higher grade will work. Then, the oyster sauce for the minced meat.

Some white vinegar to give that extra sour taste for the sauce. It is almost extinct in Sibu to have people still using this but I love to have kampua with vinegar. I know one kopitiam in Sungai Merah to use it, I'm not sure whether they still do or is still around doing the business now.

Black pepper for the minced meat.

The skin for the 'bien nut' (literally Foochow translation of flat meat) or you can call it wantan here.

Salt for some saltiness apart from the vinegar's sourness.

Small onions to be deep fried.

Some vegetable for the soup.

The flat version of kampua noodle.

The round version of the kampua noodle.

Minced meat to be used for 'bien nut' and rolled up meat balls. In Sibu, Sarawak, they also use char siew meat but I don't have that so substituting it with minced meat.

Chopped small onions ready for deep frying.

Chopped garlic for the soup.

Small onions after deep frying.

Frying the minced meat.

Wrapping minced meat in the wantan skin to make 'bien nut'.

This amount is sufficient for each wrapping.

This is how they look in huge numbers.

Minced meat rolled into meatballs for the soup. In Sibu, they like to serve pig's liver in soup with vege too. It tastes great but eating too much liver is not good for health.

Cooking the 'bien nut'.

The 'bien nut' ready to be used with the noodle.

The 'bien nut' in soy sauce and fried small onions.

Adding the salt, soy sauce and fried small onions ready for mixing with the noodle. Add some chilli sauce to add some spiciness to the dish.

Cooking the noodle.

Adding the noodle to the plate with soy sauce and other ingredients.

The flat noodle finished product ready to serve. Add vege if you want.

The round noodle finished product ready to serve.