Stall location : Lorong Kampung Pulo Hilir 8, Kampung Pulor Hilir, Kuching
https://goo.gl/maps/ew3X6sHuLMdeZ4DQ6
Distance from Kuching city center : 10 minutes by car, RM8 via GrabCar
Name & Contact Number : Razak, +60 17-507 5303
Facebook Page : https://www.facebook.com/putupiringibuk
Price Rating : $
Price : RM5 for 7 pieces, RM3 for 4 pieces
Opening hours : Currently closed due to COVID-19. Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. (until sold out)
Food represents the essence of one’s culture and identity, and nothing ever beats homemade food. Us Kuchingites pride ourselves in our local delicacies; Sarawak Laksa, Kolo Mee, Ayam Pansuh to name a few. However, the younger generations are slowly leaving behind well-kept family traditions and recipes in pursuit of their own aspirations. More often than not, the best hawker stalls and eateries in Kuching are manned by middle-aged aunties and uncles who have cooked for us for as long as we can remember. As a young adult myself, I can only imagine that very few of my peers would relish the idea of waking up at 3 a.m. , cooking and serving for hours on their feet before sitting down for a well-deserved break and meal, only to do it all over again the next day. Cooking is truly a labor of love and those in the F&B (food and beverage) industry can testify to that.
Putu Piring Ibuk on the other hand, is a home based business that was started by a group of young cousins. Before setting up their stall, their family prepared and enjoyed Putu Piring amongst themselves at family gatherings and special occasions. For those that are unfamiliar, Putu Piring (also known as kuih tutu) is a Malay snack that is more commonly found in West Malaysia. “Ibuk” in Bahasa Indonesia means “mother” and is used affectionately for mothers and aunts alike. Putu Piring is made of rice flour, grated coconut (santan) and palm sugar (gula apong). The filling is a wonderful combination of santan and gula apong and the process of making Putu Piring is more complicated than it seems. The softness of its texture and the sweetness of the filling all come together in this tender, pillow-like steamed kuih. It is delicate, fluffy and sweet and is traditionally served on pandan leaves.
Whilst there are many excellent family-run eateries in Kuching, Putu Piring Ibuk stands out to me because it was a started by the youngest generation in the family. It is not the continuation of their family’s multigenerational stall, but instead, the continuation of their family’s multigenerational heritage. It was not established out of duty and obligation, but instead, pride and love. Their family came together and decided to share their love with us by doing what they know best – making Putu Piring.
These youngsters have made quite a reputation for themselves in Kuching, especially amongst our West Malaysian friends; Putu Piring Ibuk has patrons coming all the way from Serian (61km away), and they even mailed out an order to Sibu to satisfy the cravings of a pregnant customer! Kudos to them for going the extra mile!
As they are all currently studying in secondary school or working full-time, Putu Piring is only available on the weekends. However, their stall is temporarily closed due to rising cases. We hope to visit them again soon! Razak can be contacted at +60 17-507 5303 as they are considering expanding into deliveries to cope with COVID-19 restrictions.
Beautiful Kuching 