KUCHING: Food has always been at the core of Chinese festive culture.
During the Mid-Autumn Festival, mooncake is a must-have snack that represents family reunion.
At the Dragon Boat Festival, people are accustomed to eating rice dumplings as a way to commemorate the ancient poet Qu Yuan, who died for his nation.
Rice pudding, also known as sticky rice cake, is considered an auspicious food to consume at Lunar New Year. Its Chinese name is nian gao in Putonghua or nin gou in Cantonese. Nian is ‘year’ or also ‘sticky’, while gao is ‘cake’. Together they indicate a wish for a ‘higher year’ ahead.
Although the three major Chinese festival foods are equal in cultural value, they vary greatly in commercial value.
Soon Huat Leong general manager Teo Kheng Har said sticky rice cake also known as ‘kuih bakul’ generated less revenue due to the keen competition among cake makers.
He explained that making rice cake was simpler and involved fewer ingredients than mooncake, so many small bakeries and housewives would also make supplies. But it was tedious and time-consuming.
“It’s hard in terms of the demand and value. Sticky rice cakes usually sell for between RM3 and RM11, depending on size.
“At this time every year, you can find rice cakes sold in every corner of the city, from street shops, restaurants to big hotels.
“We cannot expect it to generate sales volumes as big as mooncakes, which are only available at big bakeries and hotels. That is why we are making it in small quantities using firewood to steam … maybe 20 or 30.
“Honestly, I cannot make much money from this since it takes too much time. For me, it’s a statement of our food philosophy rather than a business,” he said.
According to him, their sticky rice cakes will be snapped up by friends and customers at his family-owned shop in Padungan a couple of weeks before the Lunar New Year, except this year.
“A little bit slow,” he said.
The rising cost of raw ingredients has not dissuaded him from selling his sticky cakes at an affordable price.
“I know times are bad and many people are on a tight budget. Instead, I decided to live with a lower profit margin,” he said.
Meanwhile, Tian Sia Food Industries finance executive Clarissa Lee, when contacted by New Sarawak Tribune, said the hike in prices of raw ingredients such as flour and sugar has become an annual challenge for the company.
“Not only our company, but the entire supply chain becomes costly … one price goes up, others tend to follow.
“I don’t have the numbers yet but it is roughly 30 per cent,” she explained.
Her company makes and sells sticky rice cakes before the Lunar year mainly for the Kuching market.
She was also aware that some of its sellers had been bearing the weight of rising costs for weeks.
“Because they can do so, that is the only reason. They must be afraid of losing their customers. Likewise, I hope customers will understand the situation they are in,” she said.
She added that ‘Nian Gao’ is significant in Chinese households during Chinese New Year.
When asked what stickiness of the cake meant to her, she said it signifies sticking the family together as Chinese New Year is all about spending time with family.
Her views were echoed by Stampin Confectionery manager Kitty Tan Li Xian.
“Ingredients like sugar, flour and glutinous rice all cost more now. These items have increased a lot in just a few months. And don’t forget the labour cost.
“We import flour from Thailand through an agent. If we do it directly, we really don’t have the volume. With the shrinking of the ringgit, it means expensive imports and logistics. After all, everything is paid with US dollars.
“We have no choice but to raise the prices and we produce it strictly based on demand. The market price is RM6 compared to RM5.50 last year,” she said, adding that she has been in the trade for over 30 years.
A lover of traditional food since her childhood, she said the little cakes always reminded her of happy moments celebrating the festival with her family.
Tan who is also familiar with the phrase “nian nian gao sheng,” which means to rise to greater heights year after year, said: “I hope that’s the case for all of you, whatever you cook,”.
