Maidin Sup Kambing was established in 1970 and is now in Lorong Ara Kiri. — Photos: YAP CHEE HONG/The Star
FIRST-TIME diners at the Maidin Sup Kambing stall will likely be asked if they prefer to have the “gearbox” (bone marrow) or the “piano” (lamb ribs) soup when they order.
Mutton soup stall owner Sheikh Maidin N. Abdul Razak is known for his playful nature among regular diners.
“I call my lady customers ‘darling’ even when their husbands are around. Just to even things out, I call their husbands ‘handsome’.
“That’s how I break the ice with people,” he said.
Sheikh Maidin (right) is assisted by his son Muhamad Sultan.
It was his father, the late Abdul Razak Naina Maricar, who started the business in 1970.
Back then, a bowl of mutton soup cost between RM5 and RM7. Now, it’s RM25.
Having worked as his father’s assistant since the age of 11, Sheikh Maidin took over the business in 1990.
Heir apparent is his son Muhamad Sultan Ariffien, who is helping out at the Lorong Ara Kiri 3 hawker centre stall in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.
For decades, Sheikh Maidin operated his stall at a junction of the street from 4pm to midnight.
In 2022, he moved to the hawker centre.
The mutton soup is rich and aromatic. Diners can opt for a choice of shank, ribs, tongue or stomach.
“We thought we could operate as before but around 10.30am, diners were already turning up.
“One thing about being in the food business is, if diners turn up only to find that you are closed on a workday, it is unlikely they will return,” he said.
Instead of waking up at 8am to go to the market daily like before, Sheikh Maidin’s day now begins at 4am so that he can open for business by 10am.
Though he closes at 8pm, he says his day does not end until midnight.
In addition to the stall’s signature ginger-herbaceous mutton soup, Sheikh Maidin added an array of Indian dishes to cater to the lunchtime crowd.
The only thing Sheikh Maidin said he would never change is the recipe and cooking methods of his mutton soup.
His soup pots contain free-range chicken, lamb marrow, ribs, tongue and stomach.
The herb-and-spice mix which his father perfected is what makes the soup special.
“Just the dry spices alone, there are 100 types. For herbs, it’s 20. The recipe is a closely guarded secret.
“Cumin, fennel, cinnamon, ginseng and longjack (tongkat ali in Malay) are among the ingredients,” said Sheikh Maidin.
The spice-and-herb mix give his soup a thick consistency, not potatoes or cornstarch, he said.
Just like the meats, the herbs and spices are bought fresh from the market.
They are then sent to a flour mill in Jalan Ipoh and ground.
The mutton is not frozen but sourced fresh from a farm in Bestari Jaya (formerly known as Batang Berjuntai), Selangor.
Meat, herbs and spices are then cooked over a slow fire using charcoal for four hours.
“I don’t believe in using gas fire or a pressure cooker,” said Sheikh Maidin.
He said his soup would lose its lustre if he changed his cooking technique.
Sheikh Maidin said he intended to keep operating from the hawker centre for as long as he could.
“I have no plans to extend my business. Just like there is only one Bank Negara, there will only be one Maidin Sup Kambing.
“I strongly believe this is the only way to preserve taste and quality.”
Sheikh Maidin said one way to do well in the food business is to truly enjoy what one does.
“When you love your business, your customers will come.”
The stall is open daily, unless there is a family emergency.
