Christmas in Sibu

My family and I were in Sibu from Dec 22 - 25 to celebrate my father-in-law's birthday. Roseline's siblings and their families from Brunei and Kota Kinabalu were there too. It was a beautiful family reunion. My parents-in-law were beaming from ear to ear when four of their six children were home to honor them. Though they did not openly express their joy, I could sense their happiness and pride.

The mee suah is a traditonal Foochow dish that is a must-have during birthdays to ensure longevity and vibrant health. The white noodles are served in chicken soup with bite-size chicken pieces, shitake mushrooms and boiled eggs. Foochow red wine is added for those who like a stronger soup base. This dish looks simple to prepare but I've yet to taste a perfect mee suah other than the ones cooked by my mother-in-law. As her favorite son-in-law (I think), my mother-in-law has given me her secret recipe; showed me how-to-do-it, yet I can't master cooking the favorite noodles of every Foochow!
For the first time it dawned on me that Christmas in Sibu was so special! I really salute the people of Sibu. They are overcomers! A week earlier Sibu was overwhelmed by a massive flood. When faced with another potential 'mother-of-all-floods', Sibu people were like a rock and carried on to hold three consecutive nights of Christmas celebrations. Someone I met at the padang told me it was a combined effort of all Christian denominations to make the project a reality. There was a stage where performances were held. My wife was excited to know that there were 100 participants for Praise Dance. Beautifully decorated Christmas trees and floats, and stalls of various kinds were erected on site. The presence of Jesus was warmly felt. God bless Sibu always!

Here's a clip at the padang on the night of Dec 23, 2007:
On Christmas eve, we attended a cantata in a very packed church. The Christmas musical by the Wesley Methodist Church ensemble was awesome! Dr. Rev. Tie King Tai delivered a very meaningful Christmas message of 'Amazing Gift'. He spoke on the challenges that Sibu people faced from beginning to the end of the year, and encouraged all to pray collectively for a better 2008. I was pleasantly surprised to meet my ex-athletics contingent manager Stephen Yeo whom I've lost touch since 1977! Stephen and his wife are now serving full-time in Cambodia. What a pity we missed taking a pic together.

Here's a clip of the Wesley Methodist Church ensemble doing the AMEN medley.

No visit to Sibu is complete without savoring the famous kam pua! This delicious dried-tossed yellow noodles is the envy of many, including the Kuching kolo mee that tries to claim to be Sarawak's signature noodle dish. It's a subjective topic that could be argued for a whole week without any resolve! I only know that my sons and I love it! Even my wife who is so disciplined on food choices caves in when it comes to kam pua! Don't be fooled by preposterous claims from eateries all over Sarawak or even in Singapore - yes, the authentic kam pua can be found in Sibu only. RM2.30 per plate now. Two thumbs up!

Last and certainly not the least - kom pia! We will never miss this guang bing whenever we visit Sibu. It's like French bread except that this bun tastes better with sesame seeds sprinkled on top. According to legend, the kom pia was the brainchild of the Foochow General Qi Ji Guang who strung a row of kom pia through a string that was worn across the chests of his soldiers. The intent was two-fold; 1) to replenish energy from the high carbohydrate content during long battles and 2) easy-to-carry convenient food. Wow, it's amazing they also thought about fast and convenient food back then. Nothing has changed on how's it been baked. The kom pia can be deep fried and stuffed with stewed soy minced meat. However the fried version is too oily for me. I prefer it plain served with stewed sauce or sardines added with sliced big onions. The kom pia is best eaten freshly baked. RM1.00 for 4 pieces. Last year? 7 pieces!

Can't wait for our next trip to Sibu!