Taste Of Peninsula Malaysia Cuisine Draws Crowd To Pasar Dayak Ramadan Bazaar

By Anasathia Jenis

KUCHING, Feb 27 (Bernama) -- The Ramadan bazaar at Pasar Dayak, Kem Penrissen here, continues to draw crowds with a variety of dishes from Peninsula Malaysia on sale throughout Ramadan.

A Bernama survey found that as early as 3 pm, the bazaar began filling up with visitors eager to purchase their favourite dishes for iftar and in addition to local fare, traders are offering popular dishes from the peninsular, such as nasi kerabu, laksa, martabak, roti john, and a variety of traditional kuih.

One of the traders at the bazaar, Izzat Farhan Jamaluddin, 37, from Balik Pulau, Penang, said the response he receives every year has been very encouraging.

Izzat, who sells Laksa Janggus Penang and special iced tea said visitors to the bazaar are keen to experience flavours that differ from local cuisine.

“Many are excited to taste food from the peninsular without having to travel there. Alhamdulillah, sales has been very encouraging, and we are able to meet the demand of loyal customers over the past three years at this bazaar,” he said.

For Nurkhairunnisa Abdul Aziz, 36, she and her husband look forward to introducing peninsula-style dishes to visitors at the bazaar.

She said the idea to sell peninsula-inspired dishes stemmed from her husband’s experience and interest in the cuisine of his home state, Kedah.

She said since they began operating at the bazaar seven years ago, their stall has received encouraging support from customers seeking dishes such as nasi ayam kunyit, daging kunyit, laksam, nasi kerabu, solok lada, nasi ayam geprek, keli and puyuh geprek.

“Most of the recipes and menu ideas are from my husband, and he prepares the dishes himself to ensure consistent quality and taste,” said Nurkhairunnisa, who is from Kuching.

In terms of pricing, she said they offer reasonably priced meals ranging from RM7 to RM13, making their stall a popular choice among fans of Peninsular cuisine.

The wide array of dishes available at the bazaar also evokes nostalgia for visitor Gareth Dawum, 35, who lived in Peninsula Malaysia for many years.

He said Penang laksa, kuih tepung pelita, nasi kerabu, and martabak remind him of the Ramadan atmosphere in Peninsular Malaysia.

“I worked in Kuala Lumpur for 15 years and enjoyed trying food from different states. During Ramadan, I would take the opportunity to visit other states to experience authentic cuisine, especially in the East Coast,” he said.

For Sergeant Jailaitul Akmal, 34, from Selangor, and Sergeant Elmeera Rosli, 36, from Melaka, the annual bazaar is eagerly awaited as they look forward to enjoying dishes prepared by fellow Peninsula Malaysians to ease their homesickness.

“When it’s cooked by people from the peninsular themselves, it really helps ease our longing for home-cooked meals. We don’t always get to return to our hometowns, so when we have the chance to enjoy our own cuisine here, it makes us very happy,” she said.

-- BERNAMA