Shopping

When it comes to shopping, only one place in Kuala Selangor comes to mind; Pasir Penambang. This modern village offers a wide range of edible products in the form of traditional snacks, dried seafood and Chinese biscuits. There are no shopping centers or complexes, but only traditional stalls and shops in townhouse dwellings. Even if you're not buying anything, just observing the local way of trade is a fascinating experience. Even the array of dried food and biscuits can be mind boggling to look at! Such traditional snacks are the only available products worth buying in Kuala Selangor, as you can't get them anywhere else at cheaper prices, even if they may be available in specialty shops around the cities. Many of the products sold in Pasir Penambang are Chinese in origin and form an important element of the cultural cuisine. If you want to buy some of the local catch, then the Pasar Pasir Penambang market in the center of town is where all the fish mongers are located. Each day, you can find fresh fish, crabs, squid, prawns and other seafood on sale, having been brought directly by fishermen. But for most visitors and tourists, the biscuits are the first things you should buy and try out.

Among the most popular biscuits are 'Heong Peng'; a small scone like pastry with sesame seeds and molasses, 'Kai Chai Peng', which literally means chicken biscuit as it is a cruncy but flat looking snack made with dried chicken meat and dough, 'Tau Sar Peah'; small balls of fried dough with mashed bean paste inside, and kaya puffs; a brilliant half-oval pastry filled with sweet coconut jam. Next up, you can buy some of the dried seafood. Small pieces of fish (sometimes whole if they are small enough), squid and shrimp (cencaluk) are salted and then dried in the sun until they achieve a crunchy texture. They can be eaten on their own or act as condiments to main meals. Squid meat is often processed into thin sheets which are then salted, dried and then coated with sugar to become a sweet, salty and tangy snack. More exotic dried products such as seaweed, abalone, scallops and sea cucumber are sold by weight and bought mostly by locals. Fish crackers, called 'Keropok', are another hot favourite and come in many different sizes, textures and shapes (but mostly flat). They are made by frying dough mixed with fish paste in hot oil and then left to expand in the hear.