By Wilfred Pilo
KUCHING, Dec 2: At just 25, Morrison Baleh may be a newcomer to cooking pork leg dishes, but his rich and flavourful creations are already drawing attention even from seasoned culinary connoisseurs in the city.
From his modest stall at the BDC Commercial Centre, aptly named ‘Jo’s Delicacies’ after his family nickname, this young and promising Iban cook serves dishes steeped in family tradition, each one a tribute to the culinary legacy passed down through generations.
Guided by his paternal grandmother’s cherished pork leg recipes, Morrison has spent the past three years immersing himself in the craft, mastering the techniques of balancing aromatics, timing and texture to produce the perfect melt-in-the-mouth dish.
He described his grandmother as a self-taught culinary expert who could whip up countless variations of local fusion dishes, each one a family favourite. Her passion, he said, is what fuels his determination to carry on the tradition, one simmering pot at a time.
“One of the dishes she fondly crafted and brought to the dining table is the pork leg. The family always liked it.
“So, three years ago, when I was unemployed, my grandmother encouraged me to enter the food trade and make her pork leg recipes.
“I learned how to craft her dishes and serve them at my stall; that’s how my journey in this craft began and continues until today,” he told the DayakDaily.
As a Sibu native, Morrison is proud of his culinary skills, especially knowing that his work honours his grandmother and relatives in Kuching, where he has lived for the past eight years.
“My family and many patrons have been kind and supportive, and I have dedicated myself to this craft, aspiring to establish it as a respected profession.”
He also takes pride in standing out within the food scene, noting that there are likely not many Iban vendors specialising in Chinese dishes such as pork leg.
“Some people might question why I’m not cooking Dayak dishes instead,” he said with a cheeky smile. “But this is the path I’ve chosen. Why not?”
Morrison shared that his signature dish; the pork leg rice, is a point of pride, and despite being relatively new to preparing such a popular dish, he remained optimistic about its competitive edge in taste.
On the challenges that come with the trade, he said he is undeterred and will keep improving and eventually grow into a well-rounded, knowledgeable culinary craftsman.
After three years of perfecting his pork leg dish, he believed consistency has been his strongest selling point.
“It’s just the beginning of my journey,” he said with a laugh. “And if things go well, there might be a ‘Morrison Baleh – the pork leg vendor 2.0’ in the future.”
Beyond his signature dish, Morrison also serves other crowd-pleasers, including ‘Nam Lu’ (braised three-layered pork flavoured with red fermented bean curd) along with several other favourites.
“All dishes are served with rice. My prices are very reasonable and affordable because I want people to experience my pork leg, which comes from my grandmother’s recipe. Most of my customers are from the working-class community, so I think it’s only fair,” he explained.
As for his stall, Jo’s Delicacies, Morrison said the name comes from his family nickname, ‘Jo’, and he chose it because it is easy for customers to remember.
“I understand that in Hebrew, Jo comes from John and means ‘God is gracious.’ I hope to serve my customers with the same grace, even though my culinary journey has just begun,” he said.
Morrison’s stall is at C3 Cafe, BDC Commercial Centre. It operates daily from 8.30am to 7pm, except on Thursdays. For more information, call 013-8823017. – DayakDaily
