Traditional Food A Popular Choice During Ramadan

By Nabilah Saleh KUALA LUMPUR, June 14 (Bernama) -- The holy month of Ramadan, when Muslims fast from dawn till sunset, is less than a month away but to commemorate this blessed month, hotels and restaurants are gearing up to promote Ramadan buffets, with a majority offering traditional cuisine. Besides the increased religious obligations that Malaysians must fulfill during this period, they also like to satiate themselves with traditional food, and some will choose hotels and restaurants to break fast, or iftar, in a relaxed ambience. Despite the pricing, food lovers make a beeline for hotels and restaurants, because they treat the breaking of fast as a kind of family gathering, in which they get to eat together at the same time while friends also take the opportunity to break fast in the spirit of togetherness. It is with this spirit in mind that Prince Hotel & Residence Kuala Lumpur is offering a “Balik Kampung”-themed buffet, in a kampung (village) setting, especially for those yearning for those "good old days" when they were younger and enjoyed iftar in their villages. Featuring over a hundred kampung-style dishes, originating from states across Malaysia, the promotion is specially developed to provide a traditional Balik Kampung experience. According to the hotel's Malay food Chef, Shahrom Saari, the management and kitchen team designed the menu based on their many years of experience in preparing iftar meals for guests. They expressed hope that the Balik Kampung buffet, to be held at the hotel’s coffeehouse, Eccucino, would encourage family gatherings and provide a memorable dining experience for families and friends. "I want them to feel like they're not away from home, as they can enjoy the authentic kampung cuisine prepared for the blessed month of Ramadan in the hotel," Shahrom told Bernama during a Ramadan food preview held at the hotel, here, recently. Among the kampung-style dishes to be served during the period are kerabu pucuk paku (a type of vegetable salad), bubur lambuk (rich rice porridge), beef rendang with lemang (beef simmered for hours in coconut milk and spices eaten with glutinuous rice grilled in a hollowed bamboo stick lined with banana leaves), rendang tok, nasi kandar (steamed rice served with a variety of curries and side dishes), roti canai (flat bread), udang goreng berlada (shrimps cooked with chillies), satay (grilled skewered meat), ais kacang (concoction of sweet and colourful ingredients) and cendol (dessert consist of pandan-flavoured green strands in sweet coconut milk). A stall offering five different flavours of laksa (spicy noodle soup) will also feature along with the hotel's signature hot pot soup, the oxtail soup. Chef de Cuisine Jason Manson said stations or stalls preparing on-the-spot dishes, such as fried noodles, will also be there at the venue, since the concept is highly popular among guests. "Based on guests' demands, we are going to provide stalls serving fresh ikan bakar (grilled fish) with gravy. It is for the first time that we are offering this dish during Ramadan so as to add more variety to the selection of food we already have," he said, noting that the hotel’s Ramadan buffet last year attracted more than 6,000 tourists, mostly from the Middle East. Besides the kampung-style dishes, there will also be other dishes on the buffet spread, including freshly prepared Chinese, Indian and Western dishes, as well as Middle Eastern dishes such as kebab, shawarma, and whole roasted lamb kuzi. "As it is a holy month for all Muslims, understanding the preference of the Arabs is important to attract them to dine here. After all, Malaysians are known to be receptive to Arabic dishes, and they can always choose new and different dishes at the buffet," Manson said. The Balik Kampung buffet dinner is available every day from 6.30pm to 10.30pm, starting July 9 through Aug 8. From July 9-15, an early-bird special rate of RM78++ per person will be on offer at the Prince Room while from July 16 onwards, the buffet will be served at Eccucino, priced at RM108 ++ per person but children under 12 years of age will enjoy complimentary iftar. (photoBERNAMA) -- BERNAMA