Mukah's market on the river bank

The baked sago pearl is a speciality of Mukah and sold at the market. The fish is sourced straight from the boats docking nearby.

The market place in Mukah is situated in the hub of the old town on the river bank. A unique product on sale is the baked sago pearl. This baked variety is produced locally, under harsh conditions. The set up we saw involved a central 2 metre wide, waist - high clay flat top with an open fire underneath. The walls, ceiling and windows of the small room were black from the smoke and the temperature in there was sauna - like ( 60 + degrees C ). The process involves mixing the sago flour ( powder ) with coconut sugar, salt and water to form a paste. This mix is sifted through open - weave baskets to create balls. These are then put on the flat top and moved constantly to toast evenly. They are sold in packets at the local market and served with the Mukah fish speciality ( see LAM Bits ).