FOOD FESTIVAL
Hari Raya literally means “Celebrate the fast” or “Feast of Breaking the Fast” and Aidilfitri also has a similar meaning in Arabic. As the celebration marks an end to the Ramadan month, the first day of the celebration would fall on the first day of the Sawal month. During the month of Ramadhan, you can find many bazaars or food stalls all along the roadside in Malaysia especially to sell all the Malay cuisine breaking fast (buka puasa). During this time, many restaurants and hotels offer Ramadan buffets.
Majority of families will have open houses, where many of delicious and tasty Malay traditional dishes and cakes are served to friends and relatives during this festival season. Open houses are part of the Malaysian culture that invites neighbours of other races, relatives and friends to enjoy the celebrations together.
Majority of families will have open houses, where many of delicious and tasty Malay traditional dishes and cakes are served to friends and relatives during this festival season. Open houses are part of the Malaysian culture that invites neighbours of other races, relatives and friends to enjoy the celebrations together.
Traditional Food
Muslims will buy large quantities of chicken, lamb and beef (pork is forbidden by the Qur’an) at the halal butcher shop that conforms to strict Islamic codes governing the slaughter of animals.
Malaysian celebration is complete without food. Delicious Malay food, usually spicy in origin will almost always be served at every dining table in every Muslim household.
KETUPAT
The most traditional and anticipated dish served during Hari Raya is the ketupat, a dish with sticky rice wrapped into triangular coconut leaf parcels held together with satay skewers and then steamed. The ketupat is often served with chicken satay and sauced with a crunchy peanut dressing and chunked cucumber adding balance to the rich sauce. Satays of all kinds are invariably served at Hari Raya, grilled on small coal-fired braziers with the wooden skewers pre-soaked in water to prevent charring.
Malaysian celebration is complete without food. Delicious Malay food, usually spicy in origin will almost always be served at every dining table in every Muslim household.
KETUPAT
The most traditional and anticipated dish served during Hari Raya is the ketupat, a dish with sticky rice wrapped into triangular coconut leaf parcels held together with satay skewers and then steamed. The ketupat is often served with chicken satay and sauced with a crunchy peanut dressing and chunked cucumber adding balance to the rich sauce. Satays of all kinds are invariably served at Hari Raya, grilled on small coal-fired braziers with the wooden skewers pre-soaked in water to prevent charring.
RENDANG
Rendang is a favourite festival dish, an elaborate and aromatic beef curry made with 13 herbs, spices and ingredients from the garden including: lemongrass, ginger, galangal, garlic, onions, coriander, fennel and cumin seed, pounded star anise, chilli paste, soy sauce, toasted coconut and finally coconut milk. The curry is slow-cooked for hours to tease out the complex aromas and flavours. For Hari Raya, it is not uncommon for Malays to cook a 10-kilo rendang for five hours in a massive wok set up in the garden, stirring the giant curry with wooden paddles. Rendang is commonly served with sticky rice and a crisp cucumber salad.
Rendang is a favourite festival dish, an elaborate and aromatic beef curry made with 13 herbs, spices and ingredients from the garden including: lemongrass, ginger, galangal, garlic, onions, coriander, fennel and cumin seed, pounded star anise, chilli paste, soy sauce, toasted coconut and finally coconut milk. The curry is slow-cooked for hours to tease out the complex aromas and flavours. For Hari Raya, it is not uncommon for Malays to cook a 10-kilo rendang for five hours in a massive wok set up in the garden, stirring the giant curry with wooden paddles. Rendang is commonly served with sticky rice and a crisp cucumber salad.
LONTONG
Lontong (compressed rice cakes wrapped inside banana leaves, rice cake eaten with coconut gravy) it’s a coconut soup with lemon grass and bamboo shoots, is another festival favourite. As is nasi lemak, a coconut rice served with dried and fried ikan bilis (tiny anchovies), prawn sambal and a coddled or fried egg, all wrapped inside banana leaves.
The beguiling perfume of saffron-infused biriyani rice, spiced with cardamom, cloves and all the spices of Arabia, also wafts delicately through Malay homes on Hari Raya, mingling with the flavours of sumac and pomegranate seeds, chicken curry made with coriander, fennel and cumin, served buffet-style from an elegant side board.
DODOL
Its a (palm sugar sweets) curry chicken, satay (skewers of grilled meats dipped with peanut sauce). Traditional dodol will always be one of the main dishes during Hari Raya. This sweet sticky toffee-like candy is equally popular in other parts of the world such as Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, the Philippines (especially in the Luzon and Mindanao), Sri Lanka and Myanmar where it is called “mont kalama”.
Whatever its name, the technique to making dodol is often similar, with coconut milk, brown sugar or gula melaka and rice flour as its ingredients.
Gone are the days when family members gathered around a huge wok, taking turns to stir the dodol mixture until it thickens.
Lontong (compressed rice cakes wrapped inside banana leaves, rice cake eaten with coconut gravy) it’s a coconut soup with lemon grass and bamboo shoots, is another festival favourite. As is nasi lemak, a coconut rice served with dried and fried ikan bilis (tiny anchovies), prawn sambal and a coddled or fried egg, all wrapped inside banana leaves.
The beguiling perfume of saffron-infused biriyani rice, spiced with cardamom, cloves and all the spices of Arabia, also wafts delicately through Malay homes on Hari Raya, mingling with the flavours of sumac and pomegranate seeds, chicken curry made with coriander, fennel and cumin, served buffet-style from an elegant side board.
DODOL
Its a (palm sugar sweets) curry chicken, satay (skewers of grilled meats dipped with peanut sauce). Traditional dodol will always be one of the main dishes during Hari Raya. This sweet sticky toffee-like candy is equally popular in other parts of the world such as Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, the Philippines (especially in the Luzon and Mindanao), Sri Lanka and Myanmar where it is called “mont kalama”.
Whatever its name, the technique to making dodol is often similar, with coconut milk, brown sugar or gula melaka and rice flour as its ingredients.
Gone are the days when family members gathered around a huge wok, taking turns to stir the dodol mixture until it thickens.
NASI PANDANG
(rice with a variety of dishes).
(rice with a variety of dishes).
DATE
Dates are also a popular snack during this time as it is believed that the Prophet Muhammad broke his fast each day by eating a date. Thus, it is also tradition for Muslims to break their fast each day by eating a date.
Dates are also a popular snack during this time as it is believed that the Prophet Muhammad broke his fast each day by eating a date. Thus, it is also tradition for Muslims to break their fast each day by eating a date.
OTHER FOODS
HARI RAYA(EID) FOODS IN BANGLADESH
Eid-ul-fitr is the main festival in Bangladesh. This is the happiest time of the year for every people in Bangladesh.
An special food called ‘Semai’ is the first thing to eat during Eid day after returning from the Eid prayer. It is a special noodles like food cooked with milk, sugar, and coconut. Many other sweet food is cooked beside many types of Semai on Eid day. Other special common food are meat curry and Khichuri, Biriyani (chicken, beaf, mutton) which is made with rice and lentil. Many other special food is prepared according to the ability of the families.
An special food called ‘Semai’ is the first thing to eat during Eid day after returning from the Eid prayer. It is a special noodles like food cooked with milk, sugar, and coconut. Many other sweet food is cooked beside many types of Semai on Eid day. Other special common food are meat curry and Khichuri, Biriyani (chicken, beaf, mutton) which is made with rice and lentil. Many other special food is prepared according to the ability of the families.