By Wilfred Pilo
The aroma of freshly fried banana fritters wafting from the Lau family’s stall along Jalan Arang is enough to make anyone slow down.
Every morning, neighbours, office workers, and passing motorists stop by the family-run Arang Road Cucur Pisang stall for crispy, golden fritters and traditional kuih that have become a cherished part of their daily routine.
For the past six years, the makeshift roadside stall has been serving homemade fritters and local pastries, earning a loyal following among residents who believe a good day begins with a hot snack and a cup of coffee.
“It’s part of our culture. Sometimes, you just can’t go without fritters as a snack,” said 25-year-old Caroline Lau with a laugh as she packed another paper bag of freshly cooked treats during an interview with DayakDaily.
Caroline said the family business was founded by her father, Stephen Lau, who previously operated a coffee shop for about a decade.
“Through trial and error, my father developed recipes for homemade curry puffs, banana fritters, vegetable fritters, and carrot cake fritters. Since we started operating near our home, these treats have quickly won the hearts of our customers,” she said.
Today, Caroline, the younger of two daughters, helps keep the family tradition alive while waiting to begin her career after completing her degree at a local university.
Instead of staying at home, she said she enjoys spending her days serving customers, frying snacks and learning the family recipes passed down by her parents.
“We take turns looking after the stall. Who isn’t tired? We all are,” she said with a smile. “But we enjoy doing it together.”
She added that her parents prepare the ingredients fresh every day, share the responsibilities of serving customers, and work together to keep the business running smoothly.
The stall offers four to five varieties of fritters daily, with the crispy banana fritters remaining the crowd favourite. On busy mornings, many of the day’s offerings are sold out well before closing time.
For the Lau family, the stall is more than just a source of extra income. It is a place where they spend time together, catch up with regular customers, and proudly continue the recipes and traditions established by Stephen.
The Arang Road Cucur Pisang stall is located along Jalan Arang and operates daily from 7am to 3pm, except on Sundays. Advance orders can be made by calling 014-718 7273. — DayakDaily
