SIBU: A local delicacy that one must try while in Sibu is ‘kompia’ and despite the availability of many other cakes in the market these days, kompia is still a hot favourite among people of various races here.
The local version of the bagel, kompia is well-loved by the Fuzhou Chinese who settled here a century ago.
In the alleys near Sibu Central Market, kompia is made fresh daily at Sheng Kee 63.
The shop, which opened in 1963, is still doing good business selling kompia baked in a charcoal-fired oven that resembles a tandoori oven.
Dough is rolled, shaped and slapped onto the sides of the oven, then scraped out when the buns are done.
According to one of the kompia sellers, kompia, also known as a Chinese bagel, was a delicacy of the Foochow community, who were the earliest (Chinese) migrants to Sibu.
“It is a local delicacy one must try while in Sibu. It is not only famous among the Chinese community, but also a big favourite among Bumiputeras and tourists,” she said when met by New Sarawak Tribune.
“Kompia is prepared by flattening the dough with a rolling pin, then spraying it with a little water just before sesame seeds are sprinkled on top of each dough.
“The doughs are then stuck onto the walls of an oven to bake for 10 minutes,” she explained.
