Diang Miang Ngu @ Sibu Central Market

This looks more like a stadium than a market, don't you think? I was told it is one of the largest market in Malaysia, it is definitely one of the best looking one I have seen in Malaysia. 

It is also very orderly and neat but still retains a feel of a market place. First there is the tamu area (you can't mistaken it for anything else because most of the produce are displayed on the floor like in all tamus with the vendors squatting) and then you have the market proper. First tamu I have been to that is fully covered and operates daily. That sure beats shopping under the hot sun.

Seems like a very common and popular item, the pickled kangkong. Quite a number of stalls offering them in the tamu.

No, these are not for cooking lemang. These bamboos are for the native's special dish, the bamboo chicken. They use coconut water (not santan) to cook this dish. Really like to taste it.

This is midin, but I really can't tell the difference between this and paku ferns just by looking, they taste much better though. 

Another edible fern.

I found these chickens all wrapped up and ready to go. First time I have seen dressed up chickens :-) 

When Terri called from KK, she told me to look for this dish call Diang Miang Ngu, I didn't quite get her so I repeated the words and L, who was next to me heard, nodded and said she knows. She said this is mostly eaten as supper but we didn't have any nights free to sample that. 

She thought the market place might have a stall selling it in the daytime. She gave me a run down on how this dish is prepared and the literal meaning of the three tongue-twisting words diang miang ngu which is 'wok side gruel'. 

Sure enough, we found the only stall selling this at the upstairs market place.

The

 cook was kind enough to let me squeeze into her tiny kitchen to take pictures while she prepared the dish.

 

This is a batter of rice flour and water (the gruel). 

She put some stock, black fungus and mushroom in this wok. I waited eagerly for her to lace the edge of the wok with the batter like what L had described to me earlier.

But no, she then heated another wok and started to cook the batter in it. When I asked why she did that she said it is faster and easier but...but... I don't want fast and easy.. I want a spectacular show!! Oh man, I felt so cheated.

  

Here was my diang miang ngu in two separate woks... :-(

When the gruel set she just flipped it over to the wok with the boiling soup which by now she had added minced meat and fish balls.

The final product. The noodle was very smooth and tasted good but I still felt cheated.

We ordered a plate of fried rice cake too. Not bad, good wok heat but still light, the rice cake had just the right bite.