BASIR’S RM7 BRIYANI SELLS OUT IN JUST AN HOUR!

PONTIAN, March 15 (Bernama) -- A briyani gam vendor at the Ramadan bazaar in Pekan Parit Betak has been drawing crowds by keeping his price at RM7 per pack, selling out within an hour every day.

Basir Hasan, 55, said the last time he raised the price was in 2022, when he increased it by RM1 after initially selling it for RM6 when he started his business a decade ago.

"Throughout this Ramadan, my stall opens at 4.30 pm, and by 5.30 pm, my briyani is usually sold out, thanks to a mix of online pre-orders and walk-in customers," he said.

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Basir added that most customers place their orders in advance and collect them at the stall, but he only packs the dish upon their arrival to ensure freshness.

"I learned the recipe from my father, Hasan Malilu, a well-known wedding caterer in Parit Betak and Benut. Before this, I worked as his assistant," he told Bernama recently.

Basir, who refers to his dish as "Classic Briyani Gam," ensures its authenticity by using a rich blend of ingredients, including various spices, yoghurt, almonds, and cashews, without compromising on quality.

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He also prepares his own 'garam masala' (mixed spices) and exclusively uses spent chicken for the dish, paired with premium long-grain basmati rice.

"The 'garam masala' must not be reduced, or the dish will lose its authentic taste. The same goes for using spent chicken, which needs to be marinated and slow-cooked for three hours using the 'buried' method, where it is cooked together with the rice.

"Alhamdulillah… despite the rising cost of ingredients, I am still able to maintain the price while practicing the concept of charity in business," he said.

Each day, Basir prepares 20 kilogrammes of briyani, offering not just chicken briyani but also beef and lamb options, priced at RM8 and RM9 per pack, respectively.

Meanwhile, customer Mohd Hamdan Safari, 62, praised the briyani for its authentic taste and well-balanced spices, making it a highly sought-after dish at the bazaar, especially at such an affordable price.

Another customer, Hussein Abdullah, 44, shared that after four failed attempts to buy the briyani, he finally decided to pre-order online to ensure he could taste it.

"Alhamdulillah, I finally got to buy it. The price is quite cheap compared to other places, where a pack usually costs more than RM10, so I’m really satisfied," he said.

-- BERNAMA