Malaysian delicacies gaining popularity among Aussies
Published on: Friday, April 12, 2019
By: Lorena Binisol
MELBOURNE: Malaysian delicacies are gaining popularity among Australians, thanks to the initiative and daring move by some Malaysian small-time entrepreneurs who are willing to venture outside the country.
Food delicacies such as Ayam Bakar (roasted chicken), Ais Kacang (sweet dessert), Jeruk (pickles), Satay, local Malaysian cakes and even durians can be easily available at the Victoria Market in Melbourne.
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The popular market is frequented not only by the locals here but also foreign visitors and it is open six days in a week except on Monday.
Some Aussies who are more adventurous are seen opting for culinary delights such as the Nasi Lemak, Fried Char Kuey Teow, Mee Laksa and some other flavourful Malaysian delights. Some Aussies are known to crave for the creamy yet pungent (to some Western palate) for durians too!
A leisure walk on a Sunday morning along Victoria market delighted the writer where she saw several hawker stalls operated by Malaysians selling all-time favourites where many local Australians are patronising as well.
Apart from the food, there were also a lion dance performance to entertain the visitors who came to the market.
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It was not known as to why there was a lion dance on that Sunday morning as usually such performance is only common during Chinese New Year, said a resident there.
Nevertheless, the writer saw many people patronising the area where durians are being sold. It could be either that some of them are really craving for the thorny fruit or simply curious about it.
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At another place, where the Southern Melbourne market is akin to the Donggongon daily wet market in Penampang, there is a small grocery shop called Asian Groceries which is owned by a Malaysian Chinese from the peninsular, Sam Chow.
Having been residing in Melbourne for over 30 years, Sam said life in Australia is certainly much better where facilities and benefits are concerned.
After completing his studies in New Zealand about 40 years ago, he came back to Kuala Lumpur to start his career and a family.
However, he encountered many setbacks. So, this prompted him to choose Australia to settle down as he wants to provide a better education for his children.
“I still love Malaysia as my birthplace, but I have to think of my children,” he said.
Previously, he used to work for a corporation, but today Sam has retired and is happily running the small grocery shop at Melbourne market.
According to him, more Asians (including from Malaysia) are coming to reside in Melbourne.
“There are many public facilities and services that benefit the people here. We can hop from one place to another by free tram (ride) on designated areas.
“Our children could continue with their higher education with government assisting with the expenses. The public toilets are clean and the mentality of the people here are a lot better with regards to cleanliness and conservation of the environment,” he said.
A walk to the Yarra river brought a pleasant sight to the passers-by. It seems that the place is crowded with Asian-looking people. At a glance, it did not feel like I was in Australia, said the writer.
On another perspective, the writer thought that Melbourne is an advanced and modern city and that there should not be any poor people there.
But then, she saw beggars sitting by the roadside begging for money (not for food).
As she asked why there are beggars in the city, she was informed that some of these people choose to be homeless to avoid from having to pay for household expenses and other bills.
To them, begging in the street for a little money so that they could get by their daily lives is a lot better and less headache, said a resident there.
“These homeless people are also receiving some allowances from the government. But they misuse it by buying alcoholic drinks instead of food,” said the resident.
So, even if one does not work in the city (like the homeless), they are still able to get by because the government looks after their welfare. How nice!
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