BESUT: Determined to preserve the East Coast traditional delicacy ‘nekbat’ from being forgotten, Fadhilah Abdul Ghani has been diligently making the dessert and selling it during the month of Ramadan.
She even promotes her nekbat on her Facebook account site and also provides Cash on Delivery (COD) and postal services.
“The postal services are for the Terengganu and Kelantan people who live outside the states because I know they must miss the delicacy. In order to maintain the quality, the nekbat has to be first dried before it is posted,” adding that nekbat can only last for three to four days in room temperature but up to a year if frozen.
Starting with a RM300 capital to learn how to make nekbat, Fadhilah, 36, can now smile proudly as her product is sold at various locations including wholesale markets and Ramadan bazaar in Besut.
“I don’t want nekbat to be forgotten. If there is no one like me to make it, future generations may not know this traditional delicacy,” she said when met at her shop at Kampung Pengkalan Nyireh here.
During Ramadan, she said, she would get orders for up to 5,000 to 6,000 pieces of nekbat a day with each being sold at 20 sen.
“Many ask me why I sell it at a low price because in other areas, it is sold RM1 for three pieces. But that is my way of encouraging people,” said the mother of two children.
Fadhilah started selling nekbat since Ramadan last year and is now assisted by her younger brother, Mohd Saifulbahri Abd Ghani, 27.
She said the high demand for the kuih was because it is an ‘exclusive’ delicacy that could only be found during the fasting month.
Besides being served during the breaking of fast, nekbat is also a popular dish served in mosques and surau after the Terawih prayers.
Although the making process is quite simple, it requires expertise in producing a delicious nekbat to satisfy customers.
“The batter is beaten using a machine and will be baked for 15 to 20 minutes. It is served with syrup which has been cooked with pandan leaves. It has to be eaten immediately because it will become soggy and will break up if it left longer,” she added. – Bernama
