Sekinchan - the rice bowl of Selangor

My brother and his family visited us last weekend. We decided to bring them for a drive to the coastal town of Sekinchan and treat them to a seafood lunch as well as stock up on some fresh fish. The trip brought back memories of Niigata.

Besides being a fishing town, the area around Sekinchan has ideal conditions for growing rice. We drove pass acres of rice fields similar to the scene around Sakai. It was the season for planting the rice seedlings. Most of the planting is done manually although I noticed that some farmers have engaged foreign workers to do the hard work.
The pace of life in this area is so relaxed compared to the city. There were many local stalls along the road selling local grown fruits and vegetables. We could not resist stopping to buy the sweet melons, mangoes, pineapples and guavas.

We dropped by at one of the rice mills. My nephew, being a city boy, was fascinated by the husking machine. I guess this is the first time he has actually seen padi being husked.


After traveling this distance, we had to buy and bring back some freshly milled rice. One of the varieties sold resembles Japanese rice although I doubt that the quality is comparable to the famous brands from Niigata. Due to the hot and wet weather throughout the year, they can produce 2 crops per year.

I bought several bags of their best quality type so I'm pretty well stocked. Hmmm...I wonder whether I can produce my own local sake using this rice?