BY SAMUEL KARUNIA KORNO
KUCHING: Locals are spoilt for choice when it comes to Ramadan Bazaars where vendors are offering a delightful array of Sarawakian traditional ‘kuih’ (local cakes).
This yearly Ramadan event transforms the city into a lively tapestry of colours, scents, and sensations, inviting locals as well as tourists to indulge in Sarawak’s rich culinary heritage.
At the bazaar, there is a wide range of local dishes, traditional cakes, and beverages to choose from.
Families get together to break their fast, sharing laughter and cherished memories over plates full of sweet treats, creating a sense of warmth and togetherness that embodies the essence of Ramadan.
Here at the Kota Sentosa Ramadan Bazaar, one cannot miss stopping by several stalls offering sweet and delicious traditional cakes.
Paphi Rambli, 61, the co-owner of the Gerai Mak Siti, said that he has been joining the Kota Sentosa Ramadan Bazaar for the fifth time, offering a variety of traditional ‘kuih’ to customers who seek traditional delights.
“We sell traditional ‘kuih’ such as Curry puff, Kuih Bongkol, Kuih Angku, Kuih Basong, Kuih Tapai, Kuih Kosui, Nasi Manis, Kuih Seri Muka, and Kuih Puteri Ayu.
“All the traditional ‘kuih’ are handmade by us and people love them so much that some even preorder weeks before we even open our stall,” he told New Sarawak Tribune when met.
He said their specialty in the ‘Kuih Kosui’ entails steaming the grated coconut before topping it on the Kuih Kosui which makes it last longer.
Rambli added that the advantage of selling here is the close proximity to the Penrissen Army Camp which diversifies his range of customers from locals around Kota Sentosa to people who are from other states, who patronise his stall because of his handmade traditional ‘kuih’.
Besides Kota Sentosa Ramadan Bazaar, Medan Niaga Satok also offers delightful delicacies for both locals and visitors to indulge in cultural flavours.
For instance, at the Madani Ramadan Bazaar, hawker Kartini Nawawi, 59, is selling her famous ‘Pulut Sambal’ which is a glutinous rice added with spicy sambal and wrapped in banana leaves.
Kartini said she cooks the Pulut Sambal using only the traditional way and there are no preservatives added while no ingredients are altered in the process of making it.
“People tend to add cheese or chocolate to their ‘kuih’ but for me, I prefer to retain it using the original taste.
“I tend to focus more on using ‘Gula Apong’, coconut milk, and pandan leaves to enhance the original flavours We keep it purely traditional,” she said.
Throughout the first week of the bazaar, she managed to sell out all of her traditional cakes and the location of the Medan Niaga Satok is ideal for her business.
As for the Pak Abu Putu Mayung stall, its owner Sheila, 31, said that her stall offers ‘Putu Mayung’ which is a traditional Indian delicacy and rarely found anywhere here.
“The Putu Mayung is a sweet savoury treat which is made of rice flour and coconut milk topped with brown sugar and grated coconut,” she said.
She stated that the stall offers a much different variety of treats as compared to the others because the Putu Mayung is seldom found in Kuching.
“In just one day alone I manage to sell out around 300 to 400 pieces of Putu Mayung and my customers ranged from locals and visitors in search of local delicacies,” she said.
