In Sarawak, ‘bubur lambuk’ (savoury porridge) is synonymous with the holy month of Ramadan. Come Ramadan, mosques and organisations will cook it and then give it free to the public.
Muslims love to break fast with ‘bubur lambuk’ which is literally translated as ‘scattered porridge’ because the porridge is made by throwing all ingredients into a single big pot.
The porridge is usually made with meat, onions, garlic, shrimps, coconut oil and certain spices including cloves, black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, aniseed, fenugreek and star anise.
What makes ‘bubur lambuk’ very special is that it is cooked on a communal basis and then the hearty porridge is distributed for free, ensuring everyone, especially the less fortunate, can have a decent meal when breaking their fast.
This practice of sharing reflects Islamic values such as charity and hospitality during the fasting month of Ramadan.
For many Muslims, helping to cook the ‘bubur lambuk’ at their local mosques and later helping to distribute it to the public, even passers-by, make it a cherished part of Ramadan. ‘Bubur lambuk’ cooked in the mosques is also distributed to worshippers as a meal to break the fast.
The communal cooking of the ‘bubur lambuk’ and its free distribution to the public are believed to have originated in Kampung Baru, which is located in the northern part of Kuala Lumpur’s central business district.
It is not known when the tradition started. But anyway, it is heartening to note that the lovely tradition has now spread to other mosques in Malaysia and Indonesia.
Although I am not a Muslim, I have eaten ‘bubur lambuk’ a few times, courtesy of my Muslim friends. It is indeed a delicious dish and reminds me of the porridge I have eaten in some of the food stalls in Kuching City.
If you have the urge to make your own ‘bubur lambuk’, look for the recipe online or consult your Muslim friends.
In Kuching City, the Sarawak Women’s Federation (PPWS) held its Bubur Lemak Distribution Programme early, namely, on the second day of Ramadan.
As part of its Ramadan initiatives, PPWS distributed 700 packs of ‘bubur lemak’ and additional portions of ‘bubur pedas’ to its members and local surau communities.
On hand to help the federation cook the porridge were Deputy Minister in the Premier’s Department (Law, MA63 and State-Federal Relations), Datuk Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali, PPWS members and community representatives.
Now, that was the first time I have heard of ‘bubur lemak’. Curious to find out more about this mysterious porridge, I turned to the internet.
‘Bubur lemak’ is described as a fatty porridge made with rice, coconut milk, lemongrass and bay leaves. It can be eaten with shredded chicken or beef, ‘sambal goreng okra’ or without any side dish. Its main ingredients are rice, coconut milk, lemongrass, bay leaves and salt.
As for ‘bubur pedas’, well, I have eaten quite a lot of it in my life, thanks to Muslim food stalls at the Ramadan bazaars and Muslim relatives.
I have even bought the seasonings a few times from a Muslim stall at the MBKS Stutong Market, too.
‘Bubur pedas’ is described as a spicy porridge that originated from the Malays of Sambas in West Kalimantan and was later adopted by the Sarawak Malays.
Again, like the ‘bubur lambuk’, it is traditionally served during Ramadan and other local celebrations.
‘Bubur pedas’ is a thick, curry-like congee that is packed with vegetables and meat. ‘Bubur pedas’ has special spice seasonings (‘bumbu’) made from sautéed rice, turmeric, galangal, lemongrass, mixed spices, coriander and cinnamon.
The seasonings are cooked with a delicious mixture of vegetables such as carrot, kesum leaves, long beans, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, sweet potato, local ferns and peanuts, topped with chopped beef, beef tendon and coconut milk.
Oh, by the way, I love porridge, any kind of porridge. That is hardly surprising because porridge has been part of Chinese cuisine for centuries.
It is considered by the Chinese as a deeply comforting food suitable for people of all ages including the elderly and young children because it is easily digested. My family members take porridge whenever we feel unwell.
Whenever I am tired of eating rice, I like to go for Teochew porridge which consists of plain porridge and a wide variety of side dishes like salted vegetables, fried eggs, minced meat, etc.
So far, I have not visited any Ramadan bazaar in Kuching because I dread the traffic jams around these bazaars. Maybe, I should visit the MBKS Ramadan bazaar at Stutong, which is not far from my house, just to check if any of the stalls are selling ‘bubur lemak’ or ‘bubur pedas’.
I’d love to try the ‘bubur lemak’ while I love ‘bubur pedas’, especially it’s cooked with jungle ferns and bamboo shoots. I hope they are on sale at the bazaar. See you there!
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of Sarawak Tribune
