SABAH’S HERITAGE FOOD GALORE AT RAMADAN BAZAAR SABINDO PLAZA

TAWAU, March 23 (Bernama) -- With over 100 food and beverage stalls, the Ramadan Bazaar at Sabindo Plaza is not just a bustling marketplace that fosters harmony by bringing together people from various ethnic backgrounds but also a platform to showcase Sabah’s ethnic culinary heritage.

For Amjah Bacok, a trader selling 42 types of traditional kuih (desserts), food represented a cultural heritage, but traditional dishes were becoming less common as trendy, hipster meals gained popularity.

To ensure these age-old recipes were not forgotten by future generations, Amjah said she also offered traditional Bugis kuih like ‘pisang talemmek’, ‘barongko’, and ‘bolu peca at hisstall.

“Let them taste and learn about our heritage. For example, we sell ‘pisang talemmek’, a traditional Bugis delicacy usually served at weddings or kenduri akikah (a celebratory feast for a newborn). The main ingredients are pisang raja and peanuts.

“Another popular item is barongko, made from finely blended pisang berangan, along with other ingredients like coconut milk. The mixture is then wrapped in banana leaves and steamed,” he told Bernama.

Amjah, 57, who has been in business for over 17 years, said his stall also offered Bugis dishes such as kapurung (a dish made from sago) and bubur pisang ijo (green banana porridge).

“All the food sold is prepared by my wife, with help from our two children every day. Each packet of kuih is sold for RM3, while bubur pisang ijo, kapurung and barongko are sold for RM5,” he said.

Another vendor, Ika Ramli, 37, said her stall featured traditional Bajau and Suluk favourites such as ‘putu ubi kayu’, ‘latok’ (seaweed), and ‘kilau’ (a raw fish dish marinated in vinegar with mango).

“In the peninsular, they have ‘putu piring’ or ‘putu bambu’, but here in Sabah, we have the traditional ‘putu ubi kayu’. This dish sells quickly and is popular among people from various communities. We get the ingredients from Semporna.

“We also have grilled fish like ‘ikan kayu’ (tuna), ‘ikan putih’ (whitefish), ‘belais’ (rabbitfish), and ‘cencaru’ (torpedo scad), plus ‘udang galah’ (giant river prawns) and grilled squid. All our seafood comes from Semporna. Selling putu without grilled fish just wouldn’t feel right!"

“We also sell grilled fish, like ‘ikan kayu’ (tuna), ‘ikan putih’ (whitefish), ‘belais’ (rabbitfish), and ‘cencaru’ (torpedo scad), as well as ‘udang galah’ (giant river prawns) and grilled squid. All our seafood comes from Semporna. It wouldn’t be complete to sell putu without grilled fish,” Ika said, adding that she had been selling at the Ramadan Bazaar for over five years.

According to her, the price of grilled fish ranged from RM15 to RM17, depending on size, and this year’s response had been very encouraging, with daily earnings reaching up to RM800.

Meanwhile, visitor Mohd Alim Basa, 35, said the bazaar had a lively atmosphere, not only because it was frequented by people from various ethnic backgrounds but also due to the wide variety of food, ranging from traditional dishes to Western and Korean cuisine.

“I’m originally from Perak and work here. There are several food stalls offering traditional dishes from Sabah's ethnic groups, which is quite interesting. I’ve already tried barongko and bubur pisang ijo, which are delicious desserts, especially when eaten cold. The prices are also very reasonable,” he said.

-- BERNAMA