I do drop by this pasar tani (farmers’ market)…
…once in a while including that one time when I had the nice kueh chap at a coffee shop in the vicinity. I always felt sad each time seeing that it was such a nice market but there were less than half a dozen stalls open and nobody there to buy. I would browse around and pick up something once in a while and one morning, I chanced upon an old lady – well, she’s not young and neither am I! She was selling those ketupat lemak that I enjoy a lot and I bought all that she had, 10 altogether at RM1.00 each.
Hers were very nice, nicer than the ones I bought from that stall at Simpang Tiga here, available only on the eve of Hari Raya Aidilfitri. I thought those were nice but a bit too soft, somewhat over-cooked. Well, I got to know that there is a pasar Ramadan (Ramadan bazaar) here so I made my way to that part of town the other afternoon in the hope that the lady would be around selling her ketupat lemak so I would be able to buy some more from her.
There were not that many stalls at this one…
…most selling the usual stuff…
…and I saw this one at the end…
…run by the people from this Malay coffee shop that we used to frequent so often for their very nice nasi kerabu. There were a nurse and a few young guys, doctors/housemen from the hospital nearby standing in line to buy but no, I was not in the mood for it that day.
Yes, I spotted the old lady but no, she was not selling any ketupat lemak – she said she could not get hold of the leaves but she suggested that I could buy from another stall there…
I did see those earlier, somewhat cylindrical, not the usual square shape, and I did not know why they sprinkled all that grated coconut all over them. Ah well! Beggars can’t be choosers so I went back to buy those and thankfully, they were good – no regrets buying.
For one thing, I was glad to note that all the stalls at the market were occupied and there were people doing their marketing at that time of day, around 4.00 p.m. Maybe that is the usual time when everything will be in full swing to cater to the office workers after office hours, I wouldn’t know.
PASAR RAMADAN PERMAI (2.298564, 111.893951) is located at the Pasar Tani Permai, to the left of Jalan Permai as you turn in from Jalan Ulu Oya, a little to the right of the Sibu General Hospital.
...STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! 
I like the ketupat lemak. Great to eat on its own or with kaya and with a cup of hot coffee.
I love it too. Too bad not many people making it anymore.
ketupat lemak! i’m not sure i’ve ever had that before – it makes me think of nasi lemak in ketupat form 😀
It’s glutinous or sticky rice. I think it shouldn’t be difficult to make if one knows how to weave the shells – fill it with the rice, cook in santan with pandan leaves added.
Lovely lady to ask you to try from other stall. Glad the ketupat was alright.
Yes, I was glad too but that area is a little bit out of the way for me unless one stays in the housing area or goes to or works at the hospital.
I don’t know if you’re just a good photographer or if the food really does look fresher in the stalls over there than it does over here. Everything looks so yum in your pics.
It does? Maybe it is?