G
|
ongpiah, Gompia, Kompiah, Gong
Pian or Kompyang are names that embody how pronouncing words differently over
the course of generations can make it hard when it comes to spelling them. We’ll
settle with the more common (or at least I thinking it’s common) way of calling
them, Gong Pia.
This well-known Foo Chow snack
is most popular in areas where the dominant Chinese community is of Foo Chow
ancestry; and though there quite a number of places selling Gong Pia in
Kuching, finding freshly baked Gong Pia like in Sibu is not as common. Most shops
in Kuching apparently get their stock from a place known to most, only as No.
72.
No. 72 is one of those places
you only hear whispers about, unless of course you have inside information of
the Gong Pia world. The art of making Gong Pia in Kuching is not as widespread,
as according to the unnamed owner of No. 72 would place it – is not work for
the faint of heart. You will recognise her by how warm and friendly she is,
ever willing to spark a conversation in either Mandarin or Hokkien. Those who
know me well will correctly guess the struggle I had in communicating, so I am
glad that Julian is so good at speaking it.
If you are luckier than me and Julian,
you may be lucky enough to catch these craftsmen make their Gong Pia in clay
ovens resembling Tandoors. If you were wondering, we went there twice, and they
finished baking them before 7am. Although the classic savoury Gong Pia is made
up of simple ingredients, the measurements can be quite delicate and Tandoors
are still used today as the heat from them is necessary for its outer crispness
and soft inside.
The holes in the centre of the
Gong Pia have a rather interesting story to them, as they were made to be
strung together to be conveniently carried along by soldiers of China in the 16th
century. It was found necessary by the Chinese Military General, Qi Jiguang
that his men carry this around for food instead of preparing meals whenever
they camped. This was so that the Japanese pirates that he was fighting at the
time would not able to trace where they set up camp, as meal preparation would
give away their position from the smoke that would rise to the skies.
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| Freshly toasted |
As most of us will be used to, Gong
Pia is usually served fried, but if you have your own batch, I would recommend
oven toasting them for a less greasy resulting Gong Pia.
Another variation to the Gong Pia
is a sweeter softer kind that is also bigger in size. As you can see, this
particular Gong Pia is more delicate to the touch and has a rather starchy and
bready texture. This variation of Gong Pia is even more uncommon in Kuching,
which makes No. 72 one of the few places that still make these as well.
Trust me; you won’t be leaving No. 72 with just trying one
Gong Pia, as with how affordable the prices of classic Gong Pia are, you’d be
enticed to buy a bag. They are as follows:
RM2 for 7
RM4 for 17
RM5 for 28
RM10 for 35
RM2 for 7
RM4 for 17
RM5 for 28
RM10 for 35
If you are wondering, then my
answer is no. I don’t get the pricing system either. The sweeter variation of
Gong Pia will cost you RM3 for a bag of 6, but should you want a sweet filling,
you will need to make a booking with them earlier and it will most definitely
be a bit more expensive.
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| Forgive the tragedy of a hair do. It was really really early. |
Now I mentioned you leaving
with a bag filled with Gong Pia. What is a guy to do with a bag filled with
Gong Pia around 8am in the morning? Make some eggs with some Chinese Bagels
lathered with Roselle Jam of course.
This sweet tarty Roselle Jam can be
purchased from our friends in Wrap & Go, and you can find them on Facebook
by clicking HERE or reading an article I wrote about them a while ago HERE.
No. 72 is open daily except on
Mondays and begin selling from 6am to latest 8am or till they are sold out and
trust me, they usually do sell out.
ALSO! Seeing as these are basic Gong Pia's, I was wondering if it would be a good idea to make a separate post regarding the best places to go for the ones with filling. I.e, the ones that are filled with minced pork. Drop me a comment on either Facebook or this post if you guys have any ideas. Much love :)
ALSO! Seeing as these are basic Gong Pia's, I was wondering if it would be a good idea to make a separate post regarding the best places to go for the ones with filling. I.e, the ones that are filled with minced pork. Drop me a comment on either Facebook or this post if you guys have any ideas. Much love :)
Hi may i know where the exact location ? thanks!
ReplyDeleteAre there any places in Kuching that sell gong pia filled with minced pork?
ReplyDeleteExcellent and decent post. I found this much informative, as to what I was exactly searching for. Thanks for such post and please keep it up.
ReplyDeleteClay Tandoor supplier in Delhi
Clay Tandoor supplier