Traditional Malay cuisine is heavily influenced by the Indonesian Islands and Thailand. Therefore, it is not surprising if Malay cuisine shows influences from those countries such as the influence of the Bugis and Javanese communities. Traditional Malay cuisine is mostly based on rice and glutinous rice. This is true, both are high in carbohydrates and make them the main source of energy for ancient societies. Ancient people worked hard to find sustenance and needed a long time in a certain place, so the preparation of dishes based on rice and glutinous rice became the main ingredient in producing food so that they remained energetic.
Below are some examples and lists of the dishes based on rice. We’ll go through traditional dishes made from glutinous rice in our next article.
1. Nasi Tumpang
In the Kelantan dialect, ‘Nasi Tupe’ is a famous dish in the state of Cik Siti Wan Kembang. It is used as a supply for farmers or fishermen to take to the ocean or garden because this rice is slow to go stale and lasts a long time. Rice is wrapped in a cone-shaped casing using banana leaves that have been washed. In the kelonsong, rice is alternated with side dishes such as fish goulash, cooked shrimp fat, serunding, omelette and cucumber. Nasi tumpang is very unique because it needs to be eaten when it’s cold but the variety of side dishes in one dish makes it have its own taste.
2. Nasi Beringin
This heritage food is a traditional dish of the Johor state community. The name banyan is taken in conjunction with the banyan tree. Around the 80s, in Muar, a stall was built under a banyan tree and that’s where banyan rice got its nickname. Banana rice is like nasi lemak because it uses coconut milk and is colorless and like oil rice because it is fried using spices and ghee. The use of ghee, pandan leaves and white cumin awakens the aroma and adds to the deliciousness of the cold rice. Banana rice served with pickles, red-cooked chicken, dalca and chicken or meat dates. Usually, banana rice is made into a special menu during wedding feasts.
3. Nasi Telur
Hearing the name nasi telur must imagine only rice and eggs. However, the real nasi telur is rice that is served with fish eggs from crushed fish. The battered fish roe is served as a decoration and served during family gatherings and royal occasions such as grand ceremonies, but not during weddings. This is so, according to Datuk Redzuan Ismail or known as Chef Wan in a television show, this menu comes from the Royal kitchen (Darina, 2019).
4. Burasak
This food called burasak is a traditional food of the Bugis tribe. It is not only famous in the state of Johor but also famous in the state of Sabah because these two states are close to Indonesia, so it is not surprising that the influence of Bugis is so widespread in both states. This food is also a special dish and is only prepared before Hari Raya. It is served together with ayam masak likku (lemongrass cooking), chicken cooked red and asam pedas parang fish. If you look at the shape of the burasak, it looks like a banana leaf because it is flat and wrapped in a banana leaf that has been peeled beforehand.
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Article written by Nurul Humaira’ binti Hasan.
