Malaysian noodles - 29th July 2022

This is a Malaysian family business. It makes mee-suah noodles. It has a tradition.

Jie Fatt Noodle is the name of the business. It's 100 years old. It still makes the noodles by hand.

Ding Jhun Jie doesn't want to lose this family tradition.

Ding Jhun Jie: "This is part of our Chinese traditions, if it were to be lost it would be a real pity, it was passed down by our ancestors after all."

They use a machine to mix the flour and water. But they do most of the work with their hands. Ding Jhun Jie wants his children to learn this tradition.

Ding Jhun Jie: "Yes, I would worry that this noodle making profession would disappear, because it's a lot of work and it's very hard work. Not many young people nowadays would choose such a difficult job. If possible, I would teach my kids how to continue this work. It doesn't matter if they don't want to do the job. But at least, they would learn the skill, so it won't disappear."

In Chinese culture, mee-suah noodles mean long life. They're popular at birthdays. People often eat them with eggs, mushrooms, nuts, meat or fish.

Mee-suah noodles can bring good luck. Another name for them is 'peace noodles'. After a long journey, people usually eat them. Pregnant women often eat them, too. This makes mee-suah noodles popular.