从锡米山通往加影市区的繁忙街道旁，一台三轮车流动摊位总在日头偏西时出现，夜幕低垂时消失，若不稍加留意便会错过。三轮车上方支起一片灰色帆布，为摊主及层层相叠的竹制蒸笼遮风挡雨。掀起盖子，随着水蒸气氤氲，形形色色的手工包子、点心散发出诱人香味。
每天早上的馅料制作及调味、发面、捏包子、蒸熟，皆由王成杰叔叔亲力亲为，其妻子从旁协助。即使各项流程费工费时，他们依然坚持当天现做现卖，绝不放置隔夜。加上王叔叔已年过七旬，依夫妻俩的健康状态将每日制作的数量控制在能力所及的范围内，不造成过度劳累。手工包点数量非常有限，吃不吃得上需靠机缘。
昵称“包佬”的王成杰叔叔，是三轮车包档的第二代传人。他的父亲曾在海南咖啡馆做煮炒，后来于1962年开始自主经营流动摊位。白天里一家大小齐心协力制作手工包点，傍晚时推着三轮车分别出没于锡米山顶及街道旁贩售，入夜则转移阵地到加影老街的两大戏院外。直到市区在发展洪流中改头换面，三轮车无法穿行于高速大道及高架天桥上，才在住家附近选择一个固定位置摆摊。
王叔叔年轻时曾远赴沙巴闯荡，婚后独立开设机械厂，却在金融风暴中陷入经济困境。他心怀无奈地回到老家，重新帮忙制作热气溢香的手工包点，便毅然决定跟随父亲的脚步，妻子也甘苦与共地一起维持生计。王叔叔不但继承了父亲的手艺，同时也沿用父亲的食谱以及三轮车摊位（现已换了第三辆），使其成为加影街上的一道独特风景线。
数十年来，王叔叔一家习惯了白天投入制作，晚间出摊的生活模式。一贯在傍晚六、七点才出摊。短则四十五分钟，长则两个小时半，手工包点必然售罄。近两年里，受新冠疫情影响，出摊时间被迫提早至下午四点半。通讯科技的发达也促成销售模式上的突破，王叔叔采用免下车服务（drive through）和电话预订，为顾客提供更大的方便。
王叔叔推着三轮车包档，在市井烟火气中把生活过得平淡安稳，不求飞黄腾达，只愿家庭健康美满。粗糙的双手已经习惯接触高温，仿佛练就铁布衫般灵活地从蒸笼中取出包子。对于品质热忱而执着的坚守，并没有在日复一日的劳动中蒸发。吃上一口热腾腾的手工包点，品尝朴素的新鲜味道，流入心里的是无尽温馨暖意。
In the evening, a tricycle appears beside the main road of Sungai Chua heading towards Kajang town, and disappears as the skies darken, passer-bys may not notice it without paying close attention. A grey canvas is propped up to protect the stallowner and the stack of bamboo steamers from unpleasant weather. Upon lifting the lid, the mouthwatering aroma of various handmade bao wafts through the vapour.
Each morning, the preparation of ingredients, mixing fillings, dough fermenting, bao wrapping and steaming are all done by Uncle Wong Seng Kit’s own hands, with the assistance of his wife. Despite the toilsome procedures, they persisted in making and selling fresh bao every day, without leaving anything overnight. As Uncle Wong is now in his seventies, to avoid negative impact on their health, the scale of daily bao production is adjusted according to their capabilities. The quantity of handmade bao is very limited, it is up to luck whether or not one get to taste it.
Nicknamed “the Bao uncle”, Wong Seng Kit is the second generation operator of the tricycle bao stall. His father used to cook in a Hainanese coffee shop, afterwards in 1962 he started his own business as a mobile hawker selling bao. In daytime, the entire family cooperated in making bao, then in the evening they would push two tricycle stalls onto the hill of Sungai Chua and beside the main road respectively. Later at night, they would operate in Kajang town outside the two big cinemas. Due to changes impacted by township urbanization, it became impossible for tricycles to pass through elevated highways, therefore they settled to operate at a fixed location near home.
During his youth, Uncle Wong worked in Sabah. After his marriage, he set up his own machinery factory which unfortunately went bankrupt in the global financial crisis of the 1980s. Upon returning home, he got back into the production of handmade bao, whereby he decided to follow in his father’s footsteps, with his wife willingly supporting him. Uncle Wong not only inherited his father’s skills, but also the recipes and tricycle stalls (now the third one in use), now an icon on the streets of Kajang.
For decades, Uncle Wong and family are accustomed to the lifestyle of making bao in the daytime and selling in the evening. The stall is usually open around 6PM, and the handmade bao are sold out between 45 minutes to two and a half hours. In the past two years, due to Covid-19 related restrictions, opening hours are rescheduled to 4.30PM. Technology advancement contribute to changes in business model, where customers may opt to drive through or place phone orders to their convenience.
Uncle Wong, pushing his tricycle bao stall, leads a simple and stable life. Instead of chasing after wealth, he wishes for family happiness and health. The skin of his hands are rough due to constant exposure to high heat, to which he has build up a certain level of tolerance. His passion and adherence to food quality did not evaporate over time. Take a bite of steaming hot handmade bao, sample the fresh taste of simplicity, fill the heart with endless warmth.
#有你UNI #UNIGallery #马来西亚有你 #有你 #UNI #uniness #uninessmalaysia
uni.gallery
uniness.gallery
文 Text/ 潘慧雯 Pua Hui Wen
© 2022 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD