A closer inspection reveals these to be “mee sua”, or vermicelli noodles. Ting and his wife, Tang Swee Nyuk, have been making this staple food at their residence for over 30 years.
Unlike store-bought noodles, which are mostly made by machine, Ting’s noodles are all made by hand, giving them a distinct charm.
When visited by FMT Lifestyle, Ting was cheerfully crafting up a batch. He is accustomed to visitors, as his place has become something of a must-see attraction for travellers to this part of Sarawak.
“I learnt how to make these noodles from my ‘sifu’ (master) who came from China. I’ve been doing this since I was about 35,” Ting, 72, told FMT Lifestyle.
Mee sua is a popular food among the Chinese community. They are often called “longevity noodles”, as their length is supposed to represent a long life.
As a result, they are often consumed during festive occasions such as birthdays, weddings, and Chinese New Year.
Ting and Tang rise at about 5am on most days to prepare their noodles, which are available in thick and thin varieties. They use about 20-30kg of wheat flour daily to create a batch.
The ingredients, which include wheat flour, rock salt and water, are mixed together in a large wok to form a dough. The dough is then cut into strips, smothered with oil and sago, and rolled to form noodle strands.
Next, these strands are wound around two sticks to preserve their shape and to maintain their chewiness. Thanks to their years of experience, the veteran noodle-makers are able to wind their mee sua strands with swift, dexterous movements. Watching them work can be mesmerising.
Once wound, the noodles are stored in a proofing container for a while, before being taken out to be dried. This is a highly crucial part of the process: factories have special machines to dry their noodles, but Ting’s daily batches rely on the sun.
“It’s very important that they get enough sun. If it suddenly becomes cloudy, or if the weather is bad, then we cannot use that day’s batch,” he said.
The noodles are hung for several hours, and Ting also helps stretch them to increase their length. Fun fact – these strands can go up to 3m long!
The stretching process is also much more difficult than it looks: exert too much pressure, and the noodles break apart.
Once the drying is complete, the noodles are coiled, cut and packaged. Ting sells packets of them at his house, and also supplies them to local vendors and supermarkets.
Making mee sua the traditional way is a rarity nowadays; few people are attracted to this business in this age of machinery and automation.
Ting and his wife also admit to age slowing them down, as their output is no longer as high as it used to be. Nevertheless, the pair hope their son will eventually take over their business, and that their craft will survive the march of time.
These noodles, after all, are associated with longevity. Hopefully, the traditional way of making them persists for a long time to come.
“Thank you for coming,” Tang said, bidding FMT Lifestyle farewell with a smile. “We hope you enjoy our noodles.”
Ah Sieng Mee Sua
Lot 376, Jalan Oya Lama,
Pekan Sibu, 96000 Sibu,
Sarawak
For location, click here.