Heritage food is an ideal symbol of the Muslim lifestyle in Malaysia. Inherited from locals and immigrants alike, heritage foods are often remembered and become staples of the festive season. Hari Raya is the best time to relive old memories with your guests with delicious dishes from lemang to lontong!
1. Lemang
The combination of glutinous rice and coconut milk makes it a favorite heritage dish in Malaysia. Wrapped in banana leaves to evoke a fragrant aroma, it is then poured into an empty bamboo trunk and burned over a fire. Served by cutting round, lemang is good to enjoy with curry or rendang.
2. Ketupat
Traditional ketupat is perfectly presented in woven coconut leaves that are beautiful to look at but very difficult to master. The rice will be put into a woven ketupat sarong and boiled until cooked. The beauty and uniqueness of the ketupat symbolizes how special this festival is.
3. Rendang
Originating from the Minangkabau ethnic group in Indonesia, this classic dish is cooked with coconut milk until thick and all the sauce sticks and coats the meat used, unlike other sauce dishes. Rendang is usually made using chicken or beef. Interestingly, rendang contains natural preservatives obtained from a combination of coconut milk, various ingredients and spices that allow it to last up to four weeks.
4. Bubur Kambuk
Lambuk porridge is usually prepared in the month of Ramadhan and this heritage dish is a favorite among many because its ingredients can be easily changed according to individual tastes. Among the traditional recipes that are often used is a combination of spices such as cumin, cardamom, cinnamon and black pepper. It changes over time with a variety of spices, vegetables and meat according to local tastes – for the state of Terengganu, for example, budu is added to bubur lambuk to increase its aroma.
5. Dodol
This traditional Malay holiday dish is made from coconut milk, Melaka sugar and glutinous rice through a very difficult cooking process. Cooked on the stove for nine hours, this sticky mouth-watering dessert needs to be stirred constantly to prevent it from burning. From this long process, a dish full of flavor is produced, making dodol a favorite of many including adults and children.
6. Lontong
Lontong is a dish made from a combination of rice, vegetables and meat. The classic lontong dish is usually served in an unsweetened coconut milk sauce. There are many variations of lontong according to local tastes. Various ingredients are added to lontong such as peanut sauce, tempeh and boiled eggs. This dish from Indonesia is served separately with the Himpit rice to prevent the Himpit rice from becoming mushy when soaked in the sauce for too long!!
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