Isn’t it…

Is it the same or isn’t it? That is the question.

The Sibu instant kampua mee people have come out with this…

– the Kuching kolo mee.

Well, at least, it looks like Kuching kolo mee in the photograph with the char siew, the minced pork and yes, they do give you a couple of prawns as well at some places and a fish ball or two plus some blanched green vegetables, sawi usually.

The noodles are thinner and more curly than their kampua mee…

…and inside each pack, there are two sachets, one with the light soy sauce and the other with the garlic oil. Yes, I could see that it was garlic inside, quite different from the fried shallot oil that you will get for kampua mee.

While I boiled the noodles, I emptied the contents of the sachets into a bowl and added a pinch of fried shallots and chopped daun sup (Chinese celery) – I’ve run out of spring onions and there is none available in the whole of Sibu, shallots, that is, so I cannot plant some more.

I did not actually take note of the time but it did seem to take a little longer to cook. Anyway, once done, I drained it very very well before putting it into the bowl and tossing it well with the ingredients.

I added a few slices of char siew and garnished it with more fried shallots and chopped daun sup…

…and served.

So is it the same or isn’t it?

Well, one thing I can say for sure is that it is not in any way like our Sibu kampua mee. You can find kolo mee at the stalls here and many taste exactly like kampua mee, only that they are “dressed up”, disguised to look like Kuching kolo mee and they shamelessly sell them at jacked-up prices.

Having said that, if it tasted like Kuching kolo mee, I would not say that it was anything like my favourites in the city. Yes, I would say it was nice…

…and maybe if I cooked some minced pork and had some sliced chili pickled in vinegar to go with it, it might help bring it closer to the real thing. The prawns and fish balls are optional – they do not usually affect the taste of the noodles.

Perhaps I shall cook it again one of these days with all the “missing links” and see how that will turn out.

THE KITCHEN FOOD retail shop (2.304979, 111.847438) is located at Lorong Pahlawan 7A, off Jalan Pahlawan,  to the right of the branch of the UOB Bank there.