'Mie Aceh', now a popular alternative regional specialty

'Mie Aceh', now a popular alternative regional specialty

Lila Fitri Aly, Contributor, Jakarta

Poverty and the desire to make a better living prompted M. Yahya
Abubakar, a native of Paya Gajah village, Kuburan Anak Tiga,
Peureulak, East Aceh, to move to Jakarta in mid-1989 to try his
luck in the food business.

"I wanted to do better," Yahya said of his decision to come to
the capital. After six months' preparation, he put up a tent in
Klender, East Jakarta, near the Yogya Mall, where he sold mie
Aceh noodles, a regional specialty.

He was well prepared for the business, having helped to manage
his grandfather's food shop back in the village beginning when he
was 15.

Yahya also opened noodle stalls in Peureulak (East Aceh),
Sigli (Aceh Pidie) and Meulaboh (West Aceh), but customers
preferred more experienced noodle cooks and his businesses
eventually closed.

Those early days in Klender were not exactly smooth due to
Yahya's unfamiliarity with the area and people. At one point, his
cooking utensils and other equipment were stolen from his stall.

"There were only two mie Aceh sellers at that time, the other
doing business in Pasar Minggu," recalled Yahya, who eventually
opened a second stall at another location, which unfortunately
failed to take off.

Today, Aceh noodle stalls are mushrooming around Greater
Jakarta, totaling no fewer than 50.

Yahya has definitely felt the impact of the growing number of
Aceh noodle stalls. "Sales have dropped a lot compared with the
early years." He could sell 60 kilograms of noodles a day in the
past, now that figure is down to about 16 kilos.

But by staying open from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. and with a daily
turnover of Rp 500,000 to Rp 700,000, he can still employ three
people and support his family of five.

The number of Aceh noodle stalls in Jakarta reflects the
growing Acehnese population in the capital. There has been a
growing stream of Acehnese leaving their villages for Jakarta to
earn a living or to flee the violence back home.

And with the devastation of Aceh by the Dec. 26 tsunami, a lot
more people may be leaving the region. These mie Aceh sidewalk
cafes can serve as meeting places for Acehnese looking for a
taste of home.

Munira, the owner of Cafe Seulawah in Pengadegan, Kalibata,
South Jakarta, said opening a noodle stall was the easiest way
for Acehnese who had left home to make a living. They can start a
business along the roadside with only Rp 5 million in capital.

That, Munira said, was enough to buy ingredients, kitchen
utensils and some other small items needed to open a food stall.

It has been a difficult road for Aceh noodles to find
acceptance among non-Acehnese. Many people, upon first trying the
dish, for some reason suspect it of containing pork. Yahya said
Aceh's Islamic majority would never allow the use of pork.

After tasting the specialty, people begin to grow a taste for
it and now many of these noodle stalls in the capital have equal
numbers of Acehnese and non-Acehnese customers.

The dish can be cooked as boiled noodles, noodle soup or fried
noodles, at the request of the customer. Mie Aceh is only an
appetizer for the Acehnese, who usually have it in the evening
while relaxing and enjoying a cup of sweet tea or a glass of
cucumber juice.

Hailing from Banda Aceh, Munira set up Cafe Seulawah in 2003.
Seulawah is a well-known name among the Acehnese, being the
tallest mountain in Aceh Besar. Besides noodles, she also sells
fried rice and on Sundays the Aceh specialty gulai kambing
(curried mutton stew).

She said it was difficult to find a cook able to whip up these
Acehnese dishes.

"I can cook Acehnese food myself but cafes in Aceh are run by
men," said the young housewife. Furthermore, doing all that
cooking is hard work and takes a lot of energy.

Acting as manager, Munira employs a cook. But when the stall
is packed, she will pitch in and lend a helping hand in the
kitchen. In practice, women are very rarely or almost never found
working in eateries or coffee shops in Aceh.

It is unusual in Aceh for women to appear in public places,
according to the traditions of the province.

Nearly every region of Aceh, including Aceh Besar, Aceh Pidie
and Aceh Timur, have food specialties. Aceh Pidie's noodles, for
example, taste different from noodles from other areas of the
province.

"They use stronger smelling curry powder that contains cloves,
clover and cinnamon," added Munira.

East Aceh, geographically close to Aceh Pidie, uses almost the
same spices for its noodles. In an area in Pidie called Keling
village, where many people of southern Indian descent live, the
food not surprisingly has been influenced by Indian cooking.

Munira and Yahya both provide catering services for ceremonies
and meetings involving the Acehnese community. Selling noodles
for only Rp 5,000 a bowl, however, makes it unlikely either of
these entrepreneurs will be able to afford to open a restaurant
at a fixed address anytime soon.