By D’Drift Team
KANOWIT, March 2: Think Sibu has the best kampua? Think again as Kanowit’s version is just as tasty, if not better!
But here’s the catch: not all kampua in Kanowit town is the real deal. The one offered at ‘Kedai Beruban’ (the shop of the white-haired one) by an enterprising Melanau lady, 37-year-old Wedelia Patrick, and her mother-in-law is truly the authentic Kanowit Kampua.
Established more than 40 years ago by Wedelia’s Chinese mother-in-law, the kampua stall at Kedai Beruban has been serving the locals faithfully for decades and has become one of the must-visit destinations of Kanowit due to how delicious the kampua is made there.
Cooked exactly like the kampua in Sibu, Kanowit Kampua is different mainly due to its distinctive sauce, which gives the dish a light brown hue.
But when you order a plate of kampua here, remember to ask for ‘red kampua’—that’s the secret of getting a serving of the famous Kanowit Kampua.
The sauce does not just give the dish an appetising appearance; it is the same special sauce that makes the dish taste divine, with the perfect balance of saltiness and sweetness.
But kampua is not kampua without a hearty serving of pork on the side and tasty garnishes. Kanowit’s kampua is elevated to a whole new level with succulent, flavourful barbecue pork, topped with a generous amount of chopped spring onions.
When asked if her reddish sauce was the same as that found in Kuching’s kolomee, which is a residual product during the roasting process of roasted or barbecue pork, Wedelia shook her head gently and said with a mischievous smile that “it was her family business secret”.
Apart from kampua, Wedelia also offers a unique tofu dish. At first glance, the ingredients, which consist of crab stick, wantans, tofu, fish balls, vermicelli, and some vegetables, might not seem impressive.
But here’s the Kanowit twist: it is served dry instead of soupy and coated with a special sauce that gives it a unique reddish brown tint.
There is also a special dish called ‘kampua kahwin’—a delightful marriage of kampua and wantan, all drenched in Wedelia’s family’s special sauce.
The dish is a crowd favourite as it offers a perfect blend of textures in every bite: the springy, perfectly cooked noodles and the tender, melt-in-your-mouth wantan.
The ‘kampua kahwin’, in a way, is more than just a dish; it is a reflection of Wedelia’s story. Just like her marriage, a union between a Melanau from Kampung Bedil and a local Kanowit Chinese, this dish symbolises the beautiful blend of cultures that defines many families in Kanowit, where intermarriages are common. — DayakDaily
