Dumplings made with century-old recipe beckon crowds in Indonesia's Kalimantan
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Dumplings made with century-old recipe beckon crowds in Republic of indonesia'south Kalimantan
Choi Pan is a steamed dumpling which recipe originates from China. (Photo: Kiki Siregar)
SINGKAWANG, West Kalimantan: Information technology was only 10am simply Mr Iwan Murtanto Tjhia was already busy running around his kitchen, steaming dumplings and coordinating with his siblings.
Iwan and his sisters Mdm Lily Tjhia and Mdm Tasya Elizabeth Tjhia ain an eating house in Singkawang, W Kalimantan, that specialises in just one item - choi pan, a type of steamed dumpling with shredded turnip and dried shrimps wrapped in translucent, chewy peel.
By late morning, more than a hundred people had flocked to their eatery, hoping to sample the famous bite-sized choi pan.
What is its unique selling point? A recipe from China that dates back to more than than a century.
"This is the oldest choi pan in Singkawang. Everybody here knows it," Iwan told CNA.
The Tjhia family unit hails from Fujian, China, only moved to the Malaysian peninsula more than 100 years ago.
When there was unrest in then Malaya, the family decided to migrate to Singkawang and built a business firm in the littoral city in 1901.
The first Tjhia who landed in Singkawang, Mr Tjhia Siu Xi, worked hard to exist successful in the new city.
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He built a armada to export local farming commodities to Singapore and soon became a well-respected human being in Singkawang.
Since more than 200 years ago, Singkawang's population has been predominantly people of Chinese descent equally workers of Hakka origin came to the area on the invitation of local sultanates to piece of work equally miners.
FAMILY DISH TURNED BUSINESS
The Tjhia family found a new home and a snack they regularly enjoyed at home, choi pan or as well called chai kwe or chai kue in W Borneo, became an important feature of the local culinary scene.
It was Iwan'southward mother who offset saw the business potential of their beloved dumpling. She fix up the business in 1979.
"My task was to go around Singkawang city to sell the choi pan," Iwan recounted.
Ten years later, people started buying the dumplings in bulk to resell to school canteens.
In 2015, the Tjhia family decided to cut out the middlemen and just allow customers to buy directly from the institution. Yet, the eatery accepts bulk orders in advance for special events and gatherings.
The popularity of Tjhia'southward choi pan inspired others to start selling their versions of choi pan, but the Tjhia'south remained the most sought-after.
Iwan's female parent passed away last December, but that has non stopped the siblings from running the business organization.
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The Tjhia's choi pan is available in 3 fillings - turnips, chives and bamboo shoots.
To make the choi pan, they first stir-fry the shredded vegetables with onion, dried shrimps and carrot.
The fillings are so wrapped in dumpling skin made of rice flour and tapioca flour.
Tasya and another employee, Ms Fatimah, is in-charge of wrapping the dumpling, which she said is non an easy task.
Since she has been doing the same job for 15 years, Tasya tin can brand a big plate of 300 choi pan in 20 minutes.
Lily, another sis, then places the choi pan into the steamer.
Iwan is responsible for steaming and then brushing the dumplings with a sparse layer of oil later.
The dumplings, topped with fried shallots, are then served together with soy sauce and sweet chilli sauce.
Each choi pan is priced at two,000 rupiah (United states$0.15) and the customers can make up one's mind how many pieces they want to consume. There is no stock-still portion.
On average, the family unit makes thousands of choi pan daily.
On busy days, the Tjhia siblings barely have time to get lunch.
When asked what keeps them going, Lily replied: "We are siblings. Then whatever happens, we have to stick together."
RECIPE MODIFIED TO SUIT INDONESIAN PALATE
When CNA visited the eating place a mean solar day before Chap Goh Mei, the place was full and huge crowds were queuing to get a seat.
Due to the crowds, but the turnip choi pan - the original variant and the bestseller - was available.
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During special occasions like Chinese New Year and Chap Goh Mei, the eatery is particularly crowded.
While choi pan in China may contain lard and pork, the Tjhias have modified their recipe to cater to the Indonesian palate, as majority of Indonesians are Muslims.
Tjhia'south choi pan has gained popularity over the years as more tourists come to Singkawang to witness the yearly Chap Goh Mei festival.
The restaurant and the family unit's traditional business firm, which is next to the restaurant, is regarded by some every bit a tourist attraction.
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The restaurant has been visited by famous figures such every bit Indonesia's Analogous Government minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Mahfud MD. It was also the shooting location of a motion-picture show starring the country'south top celebrity Dian Sastro.
Mr Ame Doda from Italy visited the restaurant for the get-go fourth dimension and was impressed by the sense of taste of the Tjhia'southward choi pan.
"It is delicious. This is one of my favourite food here. You have this in Malaysia too, just this one is special," he said.
Mdm Thora Smith-Krajenbrink, a 79-twelvemonth-old Dutch national of Indonesian descent who visited the restaurant with her family, said she was curious to try out the Tjhia's choi pan subsequently seeing it on TV.
"It's different to me because we swallow other types of food in the Netherlands," she said.
Choi pan, however, is not new to those from West Kalimantan's capital Pontianak, simply a adult female who simply wanted to be known every bit Ms Vivi said those served by the Tjhias taste improve.
"The choi pan's texture is different. It is chewy. And the fillings taste fresh and crunchy.
"But what makes it different is its chilli sauce. It is tasty and has a specific aroma. That'south what makes it stands out from the others," she said.
Lily said that flavour is non the eatery's only hugger-mugger weapon. The cardinal is hard work.
"We have to work meticulously and diligently. And we will continue to uphold these traits," she said.
Source: https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/asia/indonesia-dumpling-tjhia-choi-pan-singkawang-196236
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