My friend, Jimmy, in Bintulu sent me an sms on Monday asking me to go to the Sibu Bus Terminal at 2.30 p.m. that same day to collect something that he was sending me by bus. Gee!!! I’ve never received anything sent to me by bus before…so I went to the terminal around the stipulated time to collect the special delivery.
The bus arrived a little late – at around 2.45 p.m. and I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the parcel. Knowing Jimmy and the kind of person he is, it was, of course, so very nicely packed and sealed and tied and everything but I did not expect a consignment note – not very different from Poslaju’s…
…and the freight charges came up to only RM7.00. That certainly is a whole lot cheaper and you do not have to wait till the next day to get it.
Now, what did he send me? There was this tub…
…of very very nice cincaluk (fermented shrimps)…
…and in the other tub…
…the best of the best Bintulu belacan (dried prawn paste)…
Gosh! It’s so expensive these days, the price going up to over RM50.00 a kg. I really must be very careful when eating it these days and not indulge like there’s no tomorrow…
Thanks so much, Jimmy…and by the way, very nice labels, you have there!!!
...STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! 
Me first! I love those!
Hahahaha!! Then, we’re two of a kind. 😉
I also received a block of home-made belacan from my student the other day. He told me his mum, working in Bintulu, made it.
Yes, everybody in Bintulu knows how to make, it seems…and if you know the person making, you can be sure it’s clean…compared to buying at random at the market. Bubuk is in season right now…so supply increases. Unfortunately, the prices do not seem to decrease at all… 😦
I love cincaru, long time have not savored it already, i guess was like 20 over years already, wanna no the reason for my abstinence, simply because my mom once told me how they make it, so……..cos her friend was so called manufacturing it, and she also went to her house to …ok ok enough said but then again, i really enjoy it.
small, poor, cincaru was cheap, very apptitizing to go with a lot of rice.
Cincaluk – I thought cincaru is fish or something? You’re telling me. Went on tour in Pangkor…and so them drying the ikan bilis, the salted fish, the dried fish satay (the pieces on satay sticks) and saw the swarm of flies – really pengsan! And the smell! Eyewwww……! But the Hokkiens say, “La sap ciak, la sap pui!” I like!!!! Yum! Yum! 😀
Foochow say, “La char siak, la char duai” means more or less the same as Hokkien. I like those things.
Oh? Many Foochows not into these – like my father, true-blue Foochow. Would not want to touch them at all.
With Pos Laju or other courier, they will send to your house. With buses, you have to go to bus terminal to pick them up. If it’s things not urgent and you are willing to pick them up yourself the next day, there is always the lorry and it’s only RM5 for a much bigger parcel…..say…..20 kg? So pros and cons.
I see…
Poslaju, I usually have to collect as I’m not home when they deliver. Not their fault – their service is good – like afternoons, they would send to my house, knowing that I would not be at work.
Never sent things by land transport, so I dunno. 1st experience – did not expect it to be so impressive, sending by bus. Even though one has to collect oneself, it is a really good alternative, I must say.
oh i learn a new Malaysian term here… Cincalok or cincaluk is our version of Bagoong!
but how come it’s expensive out there
Yup…I know you have that in the Philippines too. Ah well…we are very close neighbours. In fact, we’re closer to you than the other half of Malaysia on the mainland.
oh i know…. it is not so expensive here since Philippines is surrounded by water and we have lots of them here… that’s why ehehe…
I love Bagoong or cincaluk a lot
perfect dip for fried or boiled eggplant, green mango, and a partner of one of Filipino dishes known as Kare Kare
Kare Kare sounds Maori, New Zealand ethnic language. LOL!!! We just add cut chillies and squeeze lime and use as a dip with cut cucumber and eat with plain white rice. VERY nice! I think here, there are bottle factory-made ones that are cheaper but of course, they are not as nice as these special homemade ones. Unfortunately, these are a lot more expensive owing to the high demand.
I only ate cincaluk when I was young and if not mistaken, at my kindy time when my grandfather was still able went to go to the market and buy it. That was the only time I tasted the cincaluk and until today, I still remember the taste or aroma of cincaluk steamed with three layer meat… the taste was fantastic. Until today, I can find the cincaluk giving the same aroma and taste as what my late grandfather bought.
You mean you can’t find…or you can find??? There is very good cincaluk if you know the sources but of course, it may not be so cheap. Perhaps it’s the recipe – what you father added, how he cooked it… Too bad nobody ever learnt from him – that’s the problem these days. All the best-loved dishes would just die out eventually as the younger ones are not bothered to learn – they prefer burgers and KFC anytime… 😦
Talk about belacan… as what I know, the nicest belancan is from Bintulu. Once you try the belacan Bintulu, you will never like ordinary belacan sold in the supermarket or hypermarket. My mum does not like the belacan due to her allergy, but my family like it very much. That’s why most of the time, the belacan at my parents’ house is sleeping inside the fridge until all my siblings are at home and then we make sambal belacan to eat with cucumber or those things for ulam or stir fry with paku, kacang etc.
Oh? If you have good belacan, no need to let it sit in the fridge. Just pass to me. Hehehehehe!!!! 😀
I don’t know whether my sister have the supply anymore. As I know the belacan that I mentioned is finished recently. I will go to check with her since now it’s the belacan season in Bintulu.
No lah…I have a lot to last me for quite sometime… Just joking.
Haha.. I forgot to check too… last week when I was at the dentist clinic , I called her up… asking her whether she is going back this weekend or not but ended up chit-chatting and joking.
At dentist, still can talk so much… LOL!!!
While waiting my turn, I called up.
I would usually surf the net on my hp while waiting for anything… Time will fly by so fast – don’t feel it at all! 🙂
I think is ordinary cincaluk but with love my grandfather cooked. I think that is the extra recipe he put.
That’s usually the case…
I agree… the extra ingredient called love from elders.
Ya…when my daughter’s home, my cooking seems better. Maybe when she’s not home, I just do it chinchai chinchai… Hehehehe!
hahaha… like my mum.
All the same… 😉
errrrrr…no thanks…KT got a lot. Have you tried those from there before?
You must come to Sibu and talk to my regular roti canai guy – he’s from Penang mainland. We were talking about ulam and I asked him which belacan he liked best- from which state? He said…the belacan from Bintulu – after eating that, no belacan in the peninsula would be good enough… I rest my case. 😀
Wow!…the best of the best from Bintulu…cincaluk and belacan…both are my favourite. My mouth is watering right now …looks simply divine. Having cincaluk for lunch and dinner today. Guess you will start working with your wok to cook something with the belacan…hehehehe!!!!…Enjoy yourself….
Steamed pork with cincaluk already…but I already had a post on that. I hope to try something different…maybe this weekend and then I can post on it. Hehehehehe!!! 🙂
Walau… so nice! There was a lot of shrimps in Miri this year. Yes, getting very expensive. I wish I can make some myself.
You should! Now that you’ve retired and have a lot of time, you can try… At those prices, you will be rich in no time at all. Don’t forget to let me sample, ok? 😉
Wahhhh… belacan… sedappp! But no thanks for the cincaluk… never developed a taste for em.
I did not like it before either…but more recently, I grew to love it a lot. Cilaka…and now that I like it, it has become sooooo expensive. Tsk! Tsk! 😦
😦 What can do… these days apa barang pun mahal. Barang anak lagi mahal… sobs… haihh… have to make do with what we have lo… 😥
Jimat, jimat…ikat perut sikit… Many things we can do without, no problem if we spend wisely.
wow…so so nice of your friend!! you really have wonderful friends around.. cikgu… the kindness seems to go round and round …
Yes, yes…I’m blessed with so many nice friends…and of course, I’m very nice myself too. Would make a great father-in-law, don’t you think? Muahahahahaha!!!! 😀
TSK TSK TSK… tak habis habis… later Melissa see she willl pengsan!
Hehehehehe!!!! Mana tau…mungkin ada jodoh? 😉
OMG! Belachan soo pricey nowadays?! Thks for reminding,m also eating them like no one’s biz! LOL! ooooh n cincaluk,mine is bottled from Selangor, tonite i will cook 2 version,sweet n sour pork for my angmo kids and cincaluk for ourselves…..thk goodness still hve quite a lot of belacan left from Pollie’s. If u ever manage to get hold of belacan recipe, do please post it up in yr blog. 🙂
The bottled ones are just so-so lah. Nice but nothing to shout about. Nothing like the real thing from Bintulu! Yum!!! Pollie has the recipe, I’m sure – she used to make…sometimes, very nice, sometimes too salty… Hahahahaha!!! 😀
Cincalok! EH, not sure of the spelling though. It’s rather salty, so don’t go eating too much of it at one go bro.
Ps. you have such nice friends.. you must be a super nice guy.
You’ve met me before, what? Don’t you think I am super nice? Wink! Wink! 😉 Ya…especially at the current prices, can’t afford to indulge in these stuff anymore – must eat sparingly… 😦
My father used to like the stuff but I shy away from it, like touhu theo (fermented tofu). Not into things that have a strong odor about it.
My missus loves the fermented tofu…not me…but nice for frying pork too. Cincaluk also nice… Must fry one of these days.
Forgot to say, in Foochow it sounds like some kind of chendol (chalok). Unfortunately the flavor is something else altogether.
Foochow, what to expect. And “midin” ends up sounding like “million”! LOL!!!
Love the packaging…so cute!
That’s Jimmy for you. Everything he does has to be nice, just perfect. LOL!! 😀
so jeles of you…so many good friends surrounding you. whatever comes around goes around, rite?
I guess so. Do unto others what you would like others do unto you… 😉
yummzzz.. i can think of cooking so many dishes w the cincaluk n belacan. my current fav dish is cincaluk omelette which is soo sooo easy to cook and appetizing !
My dad use to chide me for liking all the stinky – belacan, cincalok, blue cheese, petai. he cannot understand how i could swallow such stinky stuff.. luckily my hubs is understanding 😀
I’m ok with cincaluk omelette, not really crazy about it. Just cooked that the other day.Would prefer to ulam with cut cucumber or steam pork belly or minced pork with it… YUM!!! My cincaluk fried rice’s also yummy! Will try fried pork with cincaluk one of these days and post on it…. I like that too! 😉
Wow..this is indeed special delivery, delivered by bus. 🙂
Very cute packing!! But i don’t like both cincaluk and belacan. I know you’re going to say i am typical foo chow again. hahahhahaha…Yes i am.
Hehehehe!! Sama gang with my father! LOL!! 😀
Aiyakss… Annie dunno what you’re missing. belacan very nice. I’m drooling liao! LOL!
Don’t encourage her. Fewer people eating the stuff, better! Less demand, price will not go up so drastically!
wah!!!!!!! cincaluk! I miss cincaluk! 😦
Ya…Malacca people, sure love cincaluk. But Tan KimHock’s ones…cannot compare lah. Hehehehehe!!! 😀
wow..I did not know Jimmy know how to make belacan and cincaluk…next time I buy the shrimps and send to his house..haha……u let him know – OK..
Yes – a kilo of belacan is RM50 or more. and a bottle of cincaluk is RM4.50…packed in small Carlsberg bottle.
Stella – I have packed half kilo for u, send thru Tsa..her bagg. allowance is 20kg n she still has a lot of other things to bring home.
I don’t think he makes them himself… LOL!!! If I’m not mistaken, he buys them from a student’s mother. What I know is Mdm Loo from his same school makes very nice cincaluk – she gave to me once. I think she has retired though – dunno where she is now. You used to make your own belacan…what happened?
Wow, the cencaluk looks beautiful! Too bad I don’t know how to cook with it…
Good , good…no need to know. Then the demand would not be so great and hopefully, the prices would not keep shooting up… LOL!!! 😀
Now I know where to get the best belacan….I have only been exposed to belacan from Penang all these years..my friends here are crazy about cincaluk but I’ve only tried those from Malacca..looks like I have been missing out on lots of good stuffs 😉
Oh? If you are ok with those, I would suggest that you stick to them – they’re a lot cheaper. These are not so affordable really… 😦
This is real ekpres service within 4 hours arrival but you got to collect it personally from the bus terminal. Those days my dad used to sent by parcel taxi too.
Oh? And I thought it would be some bag or box that my friend would leave in the bus beside the driver’s seat and I would have to get on the bus while on transit and collect it. Didn’t expect it to be so professionally done. Really impressed.
Have not acquire the taste of cincaluk but love the black ‘dirty and filthy’ stuff belacan. You are right dirty eat dirty fat, say what you like how they prepare them those days haha. Think now more hygienic I guess?. Those with skin problem should stay away from belacan Chinese say “poison”.
It’s not the belacan. It’s the prawns. People with allergies must stay away from all seafood – prawns, crabs, cockles, clams, oysters…except maybe, fish.
Arthur,
Your friend Jimmy needs another friend or not?…hehehe, just trying my luck:)
Your geragau over your side of the mountain sure are humongous compared to the semenanjung ones. Yummmm…I bet they smell heavenly, I like!!
Nice, very nice. I think I must save some in case you come over in September…and then, you can enjoy that while you are here. 😉
Oh cencaluk is really nice, and acquired taste though since my mat salleh bro-in-law spat it out when he tried.
How do you eat yours? I make a pesto out of it with finely chopped shallots, lime juice, cut cili padi and sugar.
+Ant+
We usually have it with cut chillies and lime. Ya…I think I’ll add sliced shallots next time. Will surely enhance the taste. 🙂
No wonder! I was wondering why Daniel asked what cincalok was earlier…he’s torturing himself on your blog again. Not today’s post – he said “it looks kinda yucky”…LOL!
Itu original Cina Api-Api… LOL!! Wait! I just got back from dinner with KNB. Wait till he sees my post on what we ate – he’ll be drooling so badly he’d wish he had a bib! Muahahahaha!!!!
let me guess………butterscotch prawns?
Nah! Just about shows how long you have not been to Sibu. I don’t go there anymore – quality going down, prices going up! Just went last Sunday – in-laws invited, niece back from KL…and so disappointed with the food. Dunno about the price, niece paid… 😦
errr… okie… not really like belacan. but yes for cincaluk. lol
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Looks like you’re the opposite of everybody else.
that’s indeed quick and cheap!
Ya…and seems very safe too. I wouldn’t mind using the service to send things within the state.
it’s appetizing but be careful…hypertension and cholesterol come to mind 🙂
Ok lah…not eating it every day.
very nice and cute labels!
You should see the person – equally nice and cute! LOL!!! 😀
Ahhhh I’ve been craving for cincaluk and mum kept telling me got season to buy one
Ya…if I’m not mistaken, it is usually around this time of the year….but I hear there’s this red tide, Sabah side. Hope all’s ok around Sarawak. Otherwise, no good freshly-made cincaluk…or belacan. 😦