Have you ever tried beef broth using fire wood in the city? It's not easy to find one in
Singapore, UK, USA and other first world countries.
Army soldiers or those on expeditions and the scouts would have used fire wood to cook their meals in the woods? But in the city?
Beef Broth cooking in big deep pots for hours using fire wood.
Years ago, North Borneo used to have no problem with woods because of our thick jungles. But nowadays wood are harder to find because of their shortage or restricted suppliers due to our country policies for protection of our forest. One of reasons is due to habitat destruction.
Even though certain trees are considered endangered species, deep in the forest/jungle/woods on certain part of Borneo and many part of the world, in the middle of no way, cooking using fire wood still exist.
In the city of KK (Kota Kinabalu), I came to know a place recently which sells Rojak and Soto using fire wood in the city. My childhood classmate was the first to introduce me to this special place. Since then, I came back occasionally for this food. I was surprised at the location because all these years, I didn't even know it exists and it's only 5 mins from our International airport! It's the Munajat Soto (soup) Stall.
Such food reminded me, cooking as a child with my mother using fire wood.....in those days that's what we used, nothing else but wood. Then later to kerosene stove, gas stove and now induction cooker.
The advancement of technology in cooking stoves made cooking easier and cleaner. No scrubbing of pots' bottom like I used to do with ashes in the 60's so that the pot looks good and clean. But the taste of food using fire wood is a lot different compared to other stoves because fire wood enhances the taste of food.
Munajat Soto Cafe
Puan Asma, owner of the cafe, has moved to this village since 2002 to continue this kampung(village) style business . It was passed down from her mother selling the same menu in a different village. Puan Asma has 7 children, whom 5 of them run the cafe together. The stall is popular in that village area and nearby government offices. They have their own regular customers. During lunch time, seats are full.
The stall opens at 7.30 am every morning till 2 pm and closed every Saturday to put out the wood to dry under the sun. The wood has to be dried so that they're less smoky and burnt easily during cooking.
Even though the number of customers has increased, Puan Asma is worried for the future. She knows that wood is getting harder to find. The prices of wood are more expensive than before but she carries on with the business because most of her customers come back for her food.
Wood for "sun bath"
Dried fire wood ready for use
Authentic Smoking area surrounded by trees. Seating area made of tree trunk
Soto Ayam - Chicken broth with rice noodle and chicken.
6 Ringgit small bowl and 7.50 Ringgit for big bowl
Rojak Ayam - Yellow egg noodle with cucumber, fried bean curd, slices of chicken with sweet peanut sauce accompanied with a small bowl of chicken soup.
6 Ringgit small bowl and 7.50 Ringgit for big bowl
There is no bus or train to bring you here. You need a car or use "grab"/taxis
11.30 am
Menu
Lunch time
A simple village style cafe selling only Rojak and Soto
How to locate.......
The next junction, after the junction of RTM (Radio Television Malaysia Broadcasting Building), turn left and then first left again then first right.
In google map, the place is called Warung Kayu Api means Warung fire wood but the stall name is Gerai Soto Munajat
As I was browsing Utube in July 2023, I happened to see a video on utube posted by Sjane World. There u can see more clearly about this stall.
I was pleased to see this video. As an elderly I won't be able to do this. Younger generations are more productive for such technology. 😁 You can also subscribe into her channel that linked from her video. I, myself subscribed too😁
.jpg)
.jpg)
