Kompia Sibu (Jason Bakery)

A local delicacy that one must try while in Sibu is “kompia”; a variant of it is also available in Sitiawan, Perak. However, the ones sold in Sitiawan are larger in size.

That’s because kompia, also known as Chinese bagel, is from the Foo Chow community, early Chinese immigrants in these two towns.

In fact, the biscuit, pronounced locally as kompia, which is a Hokkien word, was created in the 16th century in Fujian Province, Southern China when it was common for the local men to go into a two to three-day ‘war’. The bagels, about ten to twenty pieces of them, were strung together into a necklace, for convenience in settling the hunger pangs of the warriors, while they were away doing their duty in protecting their village.

At Jason Bakery, we were able to see for ourselves how kompia is actually baked, very much like the baking of heong piah.

The pieces round-shaped dough are stuck to the sides of the round oven, which are also directed at with a hot blower for quicker baking, usually done in just ten minutes.

There are many varieties of kompia these days, including those with sesame seeds and cheese-flavoured. Kompia snacks are sold here at Jason Bakery at 40 sen each, or RM1 for four.

Kompia is available at Jason Bakery daily from 6.30am onwards until they are sold out, usually before noon. The shop is closed one day a month, the second or third Wednesday of the month, unless the proprietors are on vacation.

Jason Bakery
Add: 69, Rejang Park Shopping Centre, 96000 Sibu, Sarawak.
Tel: 016-8695000

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