Being a local hotspot in the mornings, Pasar Besar TTDI is frequented by locals and expats from all walks of life. Be it for the farm fresh harvests, the fisherman's catch of the day or just a simple breakfast before heading off to work, this wet market brims with life every morning.
An afternoon in the market
The crowd just before noon is much diminished as compared to the early morning crowd but just as lively. Here locals are seen gathering to choose the fresh greens from the many little shop/stalls available, while some shop workers continue to peel and arrange their vegetables to be sold.
The market also boasts shop/stalls selling varieties of traditional ingredients used in medicine and cooking, readily available in packages or to be picked and chosen and then charged by weight. Idle shop/stall owners sit in their respective shops and chit chat amongst one another in the picture above.
In the upper floor above the wet market exists shops of a different variety, many providing sewing/embroidery services whilst selling textiles and other materials. Here a woman is seen in her workplace performing some alterations on a piece of material. Her vast arsenal of beads, sequins and coloured thread at her disposal is seen on the left.
A man collects "santan" or coconut milk from fresh coconuts using a large extraction machine of sorts and places them in bags. Once packaged, he places them in an open freezer to be cooled and eventually sold.
Local butchers also make their living here, side by side among other shop/stalls in the wet market area. The types of meats sold are typically halal, while the non-halal meats are sold on a seperate floor to cater to the non-muslim crowd. A malay poultry butcher in the photo above counts his earnings after a long morning.
Fishmongers lay out their wide array of fresh seafood on a bed of ice. Variety of fish, prawns, squids and crabs all sold at a per kg basis. Unlike at the larger markets, here customers can haggle for cheaper prices with the fishmongers and get better deals for fresher catch.
The food court in the upper floor of the market is especially popular during the breakfast and lunch hours, when working crowds from the nearby office buildings are out for their breaks. It has become almost a routine for variety of uniforms to show up here during meal times.
The "Original Jenny Hong" Soya Bean drink and Tau Foo Fah which one would usually be familiar in mobile form (a travelling stall in a van) has a main branch here, and is popular among market regulars. As observed in the picture above, the shop itself is familiar the fact that it requires "QUEUE STARTS HERE" signs.
Shop owners personalize their workplaces with pictures with celebrity customers and certificates of award and appreciation, showing off their pride in their work and experience in their fields.
