Charcoal, history and seafood

A trip to Kuala Sepetang opens senses to its history

THE Taiping-Kuala Sepetang stretch is lined with stalls that display pitch black stumps. At a glance, I cannot figure this out. I pull over, get out of my car and walk over to a stall. Gee whiz! Standing on the ground are black stumps of charcoal about 60cm tall. Each is tied with a bright red ribbon to attract the attention of passers-by. The stall is selling charcoal pieces in organza bags too.

“What are these charcoal bags used for?” I ask the sweet old lady manning the stall. She replies that they absorb unpleasant odours and can be hung in bathrooms or placed inside a shoe cupboard.

After I pay the woman for my purchases, she tells me that a tour of a charcoal factory is being conducted, and points to a large aluminium-roofed building down a dirt road. A group has already gathered in the compound of the factory. I quicken my steps and join them.

A man is explaining how charcoal is produced. First, mangrove trees are cut from outside the Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve. They are transported by boat to the factory via man-made canals linked to the Sungei Kapal Changkul. Only mangrove logs with a diameter of at least 15cm are selected to be turned into charcoal and are cut into pieces measuring 1.5m each.

They are stripped of their bark and placed vertically on clay blocks inside the kiln, which resembles a giant brick igloo. The smaller logs which were rejected earlier are burnt at the opening of the kiln; the

Steamed golden snapper.

opening is the height of a man and is gradually sealed over a span of 20 days.

Finally, it is allowed to cool for a week. Voila! The logs have been cured — not burnt — to charcoal. I return to my car to continue to Kuala Sepetang.

sWEETs FROM TAIPINg

Earlier, I made a short stop at Taiping to photograph old buildings. After that, I

Matang Museum is a treasure trove of artefacts.

A “Japanese soldier” in Matang Museum.

tried the Bismillah Chendol in Jalan Barrack, which has been operating since 1993. My chendol pulut kacang topped with red beans arrived in a plastic bowl at my sidewalk table.

The greenish chendol slivers was fragrant with screw-pine flavour, and the sweetish red beans played its supporting role well. The pulut had soaked up the aromatic syrup like a sponge and every bite was squish-and-chew, oozing surprising depth of flavour.

Next, I walked to Jalan Chung Thye Ping to sample Ansari Chendol, another well-known outlet. This Mamak spot also serves pasembur. Again, I tried chendol pulut kacang. First slurp of the palm sugar-coconut milk syrup smothered my taste buds with an intoxicating caramel-like aroma. The slightly salty pulut provided a contrasting taste. There was also a weak smokey undertone. Both Bismillah and Ansari have their respective strong points.

As I headed out of Taiping, I passed the Masjid Al-Ikhwaniah at Simpang. It grabbed Kuala Sepetang was formerly known as Port Weld, after Sir Frederick Aloysius Weld, who was Governor of the Straits Settlements from 1880 to 1887. The first railway line in the country - built in 1885 - connected Kuala Sepetang to Taiping. my attention because its minaret reminded me of a castle tower. The dome is in soothing blue and exhibits a yellow band of geometrical designs.

Inside the prayer hall stands three lancet-shaped arches buttressed against one wall. They are adorned with Islamic calligraphy or khat. Atop the interior of the entrance doors are panels inscribed with khat in gold against a blue background. Yellow pillars supporting three front porches complement the decorative panels, which are of the same colour as the facade walls of the building.

AN AFTERNOON BY THE RIVER

Enroute to Kuala Sepetang, I whizz past a sign that says Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve before Restoran Mee Udang Mak Jah comes into sight. However, I give it as pass as I’ve eaten at its Wangsa Maju branch in Kuala Lumpur.

As I enter Kuala Sepetang, I recall reading from the Internet that the town’s abandoned railway station still displays a