“Selamat berpuasa” (Happy fasting) to all Muslim friends. Today is the first day of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar which is observed by Muslims all over the world as the fasting month to commemorate the first revelation of the Quran to Muhammad according to Islamic beliefs.
Fasting is a must for adult Muslims, except those who are sick, travelling, elderly, pregnant, breastfeeding, diabetic or menstruating. From dawn to sundown, Muslims abstain from food and drinks and at sundown, they break their fast with wholesome meals.
In Malaysia, Ramadan is welcomed not only by Muslims but also people of other faiths partly because of the Ramadan bazaars which offer a variety of scrumptious and mouth-watering local delicacies and drinks for the breaking of fast.
There are Ramadan bazaars in many Sarawak towns and cities, in areas under the jurisdiction of different councils. We, Malaysians, are indeed fortunate. Thanks to these Ramadan bazaars, we get to taste food prepared by Muslims of various races and from different parts of Malaysia. Thousands of dishes await customers at these bazaars.
If you love Nasi Kerabu, a Kelantanese delicacy, you don’t have to fly to Kelantan. Just visit a Ramadan bazaar and you might come across the bright blue Nasi Kerabu, which is usually served with fried chicken, vegetables, sambal tumis kelapa (hot relish made with fried coconut) and kerisik sambal ikan (fried coconut paste with fish sauce).
The endless spread of colourful, delicious and glorious food at the Ramadan bazaars is amazing. Besides enhancing ties between Malaysians of various faiths and races, these bazaars allow the stall holders to earn extra incomes which come in handy during Hari Raya Aidilfitri. The bazaars also help to promote Malaysian food to the world.
Very popular with the public in Kuching is the Ramadan bazaar near the Stutong Community Market at Jalan Setia Raja. Two tents have been erected there since last week. By late this afternoon, there will be heavy traffic in the area as Muslims and non-Muslims flock to the bazaar to check out the food and drinks on sale on the first day of Ramadan.
Meanwhile, at Metrocity in Matang, right in front of the New Sarawak Tribune office, there is a new Ramadan bazaar. Yesterday afternoon, some of the stall holders were already busy arranging tables for their business. It seems that food, glorious food is everywhere during Ramadan!
One of my favourite Ramadan bazaars in recent years is the one near the wet market at Kota Sentosa. Not only is the food there relatively inexpensive compared to those at some other Ramadan bazaars but some of the dishes, especially those sold by wives of army personnel from Malaya, are quite unique.
Ikan Pekasam (preserved fish) is a well-known recipe in Kedah. Two years ago, I was introduced to Ikan Terubuk Pekasam from Kedah at the Kota Sentosa Ramadan Bazaar. Do check out this bazaar if you are in Kuching.
Many hotels in Malaysia are also offering Ramadan buffets. But these buffets are not cheap and usually targeted at the well-to-do. In Kuching, some firms treat their staff to Ramadan buffets as a way of thanking them for their hard work throughout the year.
Late last month, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Dr Mujahid Yusof made an unusual appeal to the public when launching a “Ramadan Without Waste” campaign in Kuala Lumpur.
“I call on everyone to change their attitude and think hard before buying food at Ramadan bazaars this year so as not to contribute to an excessive waste of food which may also affect the environment,” he said.
According to the minister, the government had decided to launch the campaign because of the high level of food waste and large allocation for solid waste management each year. The government, he revealed, had to allocate over RM2 billion just for solid waste management in 2017.
Citing the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute’s report, Mujahid added that Malaysians were dumping 15,000 tonnes of food per day, with 3,000 tonnes being good enough not to be discarded in the first place.
“Worse still, the amount of food waste tends to increase by 15 per cent to 20 pct during Ramadan,” he said.
Mujahid has certainly given those of us who cannot resist the draw of Ramadan bazaars new food for thought. I am not going to think 10 times before buying food at a Ramadan bazaar but I promise not to waste it. I will buy food that is just enough for me and my family. What about you, my friends?
