JUADAH TRADISI TURUN TEMURUN PELENGKAP PERAYAAN

Ketupat beras daun kelapa

Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
dan Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Adha.

Tidak lengkap rasanya ketika menyambut hari raya, baik Hari Raya Aidilfitri mahupun Hari Raya Aidil Adha jika tidak ada hidangan juadah tradisi yang diwarisi turun temurun.

Juadah yang paling istimewa itu adalah ketupat beras daun kelapa, ketupat pulut daun palas, lemang, rendang daging atau rendang ayam, urap kelapa dan sambal tumis udang.

Ketupat pulut daun palas

Cara menyediakan dan membuat juadaah ini
sebenarnya memerlukan kemahiran yang harus dituntut turun temurun dari nenek moyang hinggalah kepada cucu cicit.

Inilah keunikan juadah tradisi Melayu yang dihidangkan pada hari-hari perayaan khasnya pada hari raya.

Ketupat Beras Daun Kelapa

Seseorang perlu terlebih dahulu tahu menganyam kelongsong daun ketupat yang diperbuat dari daun kelapa muda.

Lemang

Rendang daging atau rendang ayam

Kemudian, ada tekniknya untuk megisi beras yang sudah direndam, dimana ia hanya perlu di bawah paras kedua bucu daun ketupat yang sudah siap dianyam.

MokDah mengambil masa yang lama untuk belajar menganyam daun ketupat dari nenek hinggalah kepada ibu. Sayang betul anak-anak sekarang ramai yang tidak minat belajar, lebih mudah beli yang dah siap.

Proses merebusnya juga memakan masa antara 2 hingga 4 jam bergantung kepada ketupat sudah cukup kembang dan padat atau tidak.

Urap kelapa

Ketupat Pulut Daun Palas

Seseorang juga perlu tahu untuk melipat kelongsung ketupat daun palas berbentuk tiga segi.Nampak mudah, tapi kalau tak tahu tekniknya tak menjadi.

Cara menyediakannya:

2 kg pulut (pulut susu)
2 1/2 kg santan pekat
sedikit garam
daun palas:

Basuh beras pulut dan tos.

Masak snatan dengan api perlahan, kacau sehinga mendidih.Masukan sedikit garam dan biarkan mendidih dan kecilkan api. Masuk pulut dan gaul sebati dengan santan. Bila sudah separuh masak dan snatan dah kering, turunkan.

Bila sudah sejak masukan pulut kedalam kelongsong.

Rebus semula ketupat palas tersebut dalam periuk bersama santan cair yang sama paras dengan ketupat, biar hingga kering.


Lemang

Untuk lemang pula prosesnya lebih rumit dimana buluh lemang harus disediakan terlebih dahulu dan dialas dengan daun pisang.

Cara menyediakannya:

Sambal tumis udang

* 1 kg beras ketan
* 1 liter santan kelapa
* 1 sudu teh garam halus
* 1 pelepah daun pisang yang muda sikit
* 1 batang buluh lemang yang sudah siap dibersihkan dari buluh bambu

Rendam beras selama 4 jam dan kemudian toskan. Kemudian masukan santan dan garam, Masukan beras kedalam buluh lemang anggaran 3/4 (tidak terlalu penuh) dan panggang dengan menggunakan kayu bakar atau arang, lemang perlu di puisng-puisngkan.

Proses memasaknya juga memakan masa dan perlu banyak kesabaran kerana ia harus dipanggang di bawah bara api sehingga masak.

Rendang Daging atau Rendang Ayam

Terdapat berbagai jenis rendang yang boleh dimasak terpulang kepada selera masing-masing, diantara rendang tersebut adalah rendang pedas, rendang minang atau rendang negeri sembilan, rendang tok dan rendang padang.

Selain daripada rendang daing atau rendang ayam, ramai juga yang sudah mencampurkan rnedang daing dengan paru dan hati. Terpulang pada selera masing-masing.

Bahan asas kesemua rendang ini pada dasarnya tidak banyak beza, kecuali ada beberapa bahan tambahan serta cara menyediakannya.

Keluarga MokDah gemar kepada rendang minang.

Rendang Minang

Cara menyediakannya:

1 kilo daging atau seekor ayam
Santan pekat dari dua biji kelapa
3 sudu besar kerisik
1 keping asam keping
1 sudu besar jintan manis
1 sudu besar jintan putih
sedikit garam

Kisar bawang 1 labu bawang besar atau 3 ulas bawang merah, 3 ulas bawang putih, 1 inci kuyit hidup, 3 cm halia, 2 barang serai, 3 hiris lengkuas, 15 tangjau cili kering dan 5 biji cili merah dan sedikit cili padi. Tiga helai daun kunyit dan lima helai daun limau purut dihiris halus.

Panaskan minyak dan tumis bahan yang dikisar hingga keluar minyak, Masukan serbuk jintan manis dan jintan puith, kemudian masukan daging (sebaiknya direbus dulu) atau ayam. Bila ayam telah kecut atau daging hampur empuk masukkan santan pekat, kerisik, garam, asam keping dan bahan hirisan.Kacau hingga kering.

Urap Kelapa

Bagi orang Melaka, tidak lengkap hidangan ketupat rendang jika tidak ada urap kelapa sebagai penambah selera.

Urap kelapa di perbuat daripada kelapa muda parut dan dicampur dengan hirisan bawang merah, daun kunyit, serai, daun limau purut dan udang kering tumbuk serta sedikit garam.

Kesemua bahan ini sangai atas kuali sehingga kering.

Sambal Tumis Udang

Bagi keluarga MokDah, sambal tumis udang adalah pelengkap juadah. Anak-anak MokDah suka makan ketupat nasi daun kelapa bersama sambal udang dan urap sahaja.

Selamat menjamu selera.

@11.09.2016

KAMPUNG BARU – MY TOWN VILLAGE IN THE HEART OF KUALA LUMPUR

The famous scenery of Kampung Bharu no

Assalamualaikum Warabmatullahi Wabarakatuh

It's been a while since I last updated my blog. But today I felt compel to pen some important points about my village, the infamous Kampung Baru.

Sprawling over 223 acres, Kampung Baru is a renowned Malay town village in the heart of Malaysia’s Federal capital.

Most Malays who migrated to Kuala Lumpur would have resided in Kampung Baru before they settled down elsewhere in the Klang Valley. They would have called Kampung Baru their home in their quest of starting a new life, finding a job or furthering their study.

Kampung Baru is a very unique town village. I would deem it as a modern settlement yet its inhabitants still practice and adopt the the Malay culture and tradition. Nevertheless, as the basic facilities and infrastructure are in place, it is very convenient should one wishes to move around the Klang Valley.

Although I was born in Malacca (my grandmother's hometown), my village and hometown has revolved around Kampung Baru, As far as I can remember, the two houses in Jalan Raja Uda are the houses where I grew up, got married and started my own family.

My grandfather was a town boy. Originated from a mixed Malay-Chinese marriage family, he was born and bred in Kuala Lumpur.

I was made to understand that my great grandfather whose parents hailed from Sulawesi was one of the earliest occupants of this town village, formerly the home of tin mine workers. My guess is that my great grandfather, Haji Abdul Hamid, who was then a trader, met my great grandmother, Nyonya Khadijah, a well-known individual for those who patronised Kelab Sultan Sulaiman, at Kampung Baru.

Establishment of Kampung Bharu

In 1899, the Selangor British Resident agreed to the establishment of Kampung Baru, starting with 223 acres of land between Sungai Klang and Jalan Batu (Batu Road).

 Sultan Sulaiman Club, favourite venue for UMNO Meeting

In 1900, the Malay State Government and the state of Selangor started to develop Kampung Baru, converting it from a village for tin mine workers to a Malay Agriculture Settlement (MAS).

Sultan Sulaiman Club and The Clan

When one spoke about Kampung Baru, the Sultan Sulaiman Club is an important landmark for the villagers and Malay community. It was built on a land donated by HRH the Sultan of Selangor in 1909 to provide a proper place for community activities, thus replacing the small hut build by the villagers in 1901.

My geat grandmother, Nyonya Khadijah

It is here at the Sultan Sulaiman Club, the Kampung Bharu folks held their community and social activities and also a favourite place for UMNO to hold their meetings.

Sultan Sulaiman Club is not only an important landmark for Kampung Baru but also for our family. This is the place where our great grandmother, Nyonya Khadijah (a Chinese convert who later married our great grandfather), served as the caretaker.

The HMS Clan

My Grandfather, Haji Mohd Salleh . Seated on the rights is
 my grandmother Hajah Salbiah  (on her lab is my father ) and
 on the left is Hajah Hamidah, my grand auntie 

Among Kampung Baru folks, if anyone wants to know which clan we come from, we will just tell them that we are the grandchildren (cucu-cicit) of Nyonya Kelab and chances are people will know the answer. Now, we the fourth generation address our selves as the clan of HMS (Haji Mohd Salleh Abdul Hamid) after my grandfather’s name who is also a well known person among the Kampung Bharu folks and also Mosque members.

Not forgetting my grandmother, Hajah Salbiah bte Mat, she is another respected lady in Kampung Bharu and always sort out by the community if there is a feast or wedding coming up. She was a super cook and has creative hands, both for food carving and also the “hantaran” (engagement/wedding gifts) especially  the “sireh junjung” (the main item in any Malay engagement/wedding ceremony).

My Kampung

As far as I can remember, I grew up in Kampung Baru until I got married and moved to Petaling Jaya in the 1980s. .

Our first house, the wooden bungalow at Jalan Raja Uda .
As far I can remember it was renovated two time.

Our two family houses are still standing tall in Kampung Baru but all my siblings and most of my cousins  – except for my sister  – have moved out of Kampung Baru and reside somewhere else within the Klang Valley.

The first house at No 20 Jalan Raja Uda was a

My parents had their wedding ( Haji Idris Haji Mohd Salleh and
mother, Hajah Maimon Omar) at the house

a huge wooden bungalow with another house attached to it (for rent). Once this house was the place for our ancestors and family to gather especially for feast (kenduri), Hari Raya, weddings and functions. My parents and his siblings all had their wedding at this house. The second house – a modern three-story bungalow – which bears the No 13 address is located just opposite the road.

In this  big wooden bungalow, that I seldom wanted to be left alone should my grandparents or auntie were away. 

From front door entrance right through to the :family private
chamber/areas, just before the kitchen

The house, which traditionally known as "Rumah Abu" (main house for family) was built with unique features. 

You will be amaze to see the architecture of
the "rumah Melaka". The moment you step at the front door, if the other doors to the different chambers/areas are open, one can see right through the whole bungalow until the area for house family, just before the kitchen.

As guests walk in, they would be welcomed 

"Rumah Melaka" guest chamber/area is very  open and airy 

at the welcome area with sofas to sit before being invited into the house.  Than the guests are invited into the guests area, which is a long open space with some sofas at one corner. The other corner is a dining table that can fit in 12 people. The guest area is always open with many small windows around to make the room airy.

A radio and also a gramophone was place in the center of the room. .

Guests who were not family member were confined to this guests area only.

Family Member Area

As we enter to the next area through two big doors, there is a large open space where one can see Chinese antique furniture with tables, chairs and cupboards filled with many traditional silverware. This area serves as a place for family members to gather when they come for a visit. There are no sofas, but only carpets and mats with a low table for our family members to sit around and have their meals when there is a feast or during festival like Hari Raya. The area are ventilated by a few long windows around.

There are three big rooms, including the master bedroom with Chinese antique bed, cupboards and tables.

Stairs to the attic

House Family Area

From there, we enter into another area which is exclusively for the house family members. The space are equally big with a room for the maid, cupboards to keep all kinds  of plates, cutlery, casserole dish, saucers, cups, teapot and glasses which is enough to cater for a small feast. It has an open space with a Chinese antique chair-bed for my grandmother to take a rest  or a nap during the day time and for us to  sit around to chit chat or to do our daily chaos like folding and sorting the daily wash  clothes, ironing or sowing.

From this area one can climb up a wooden stairs to the attic. This is one unique place for the family to store many things. The attic is also a favorite place where I use to play with my siblings and cousins when they come for a visit or for the teenage girls to "hide" from the elders and boys during feast, weddings or functions in the house.

Batu Giling" for Pounding Spice

"Batu Giling" for pounding spices

Next is the kitchen area which is is divided into two – big kitchen and the small kitchen. The big kitchen has a modern stove, food store, cabinet to keep cooked food and a special rack to place our daily use plates,  cups, saucers, cutlery and glasses,  a big water container  (the Malay call it kolah air), washing basin and two big serving areas (pangkin - a big table like made of wood) which is also the place for us to have our daily meals.

Most house family members prefer to eat at the big kitchen.

The small kitchen is solely for traditional cooking, using fire woods and so are the pots and pans are traditional in nature (some are made from clay and also copper). 

It is here that I first learned how to use the batu giling to pound the spices. I love to meddle with my grandmother's batu giling whenever she is at work, until I learn the art of pounding spices. My grandmother is very particular that one must follow the protocol of pounding the spices, what to pound first, from the fresh turmeric, the prawn paste (belacan), salt, onions and chili as it will make the pounding work easier and smoother.  We believe the traditional methods of preparing the spices for cooking made our dishes taste better than using the ready made powder spices. Today the batu giling has become a museum artifact since it has been replace by the modern blenders and with so many ready made spices in the market.

Activity Under the House

Not to forget, the area under house, which serves as another activity area for the family due to the height of the house and it is more airy. 

Our family loves to sit around at this area during the day to have coffee, either with family members,  neighbors and kampung folks. 

My  grandmother use this place to dry the flour, sugar, nuts and spices for her cooking. She also hang dry her sarong here to avoid the direct sun. I also utilise the area to do my homework and group study.

At one corner we keep a big store to place all kinds of cutlery,  casserole dish, plates, saucers, cups, teapot, glasses and big pots and pans enough for a big feast which is for rent to the community.

Our Second House – the First Three-Story Modern Bungalow Like Town-House

The three story bungalow (town house)

This is the first three-story bungalow (resembling a town house) built by my grandfather who was a quantity surveyor. There are four separate houses on the ground floor which were rented out, while the second floor is made up of a two-story house for us to stay. This house attracted many people when it was first built as it resembled the most sophisticated house in Kampung Baru at that time. I’m proud of my grandfather's farsighted vision to have a modern house for his grandchildren and great grandchildren.

There's not much I can say about the features of the bungalow, no different from any ordinary house today with leaving room, dining room, bedroom and kitchen equip with modern furniture. After the demise of my grandfather, I persuaded my grandmother to move to this three story bungalow. I am too excited to stay in this new modern house. Naive at that time, when we moved to the new bungalow,  all the antique furniture and heritage are left in the tradisional "rumah Melaka"

Given the chance again.  I would always choose to stay back in our traditional "rumah Melaka", now that I have learned to appreciated the heritage left by my ancestors. 

All our houses are now in a rundown condition and we have no plan to rebuild them since the government has announced plans to develop Kampung Baru in line with the re-development of Kuala Lumpur. Me, my siblings and cousins are the right owner of the land where the house was built, left by our grandfather. However, we no longer stays there – have long moved out of Kampung Baru to live around the Klang Valley.

The Kampung Bharu Development Plan in progress - the future

Soon the old Kampung Baru will transform into a developed township in line with the development around the golden triangle and the busy central business district (CBD) with the Twin Towers in the backdrop.

I don’t know about others but Kampung Baru will linger on in my memories. I already missed the good old days when I was young. I have no regrets of growing up in Kampung Baru – only memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life.

However, in moving forward, we are equally excited to see Kampung Baru transforming into a modern township that will make my future generation and I proud.


20.08.2016

FRIENDS KEEP YOU ALIVE

Assalamualikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.

Today, Saturday 20 February 2016, I felt so much blessed when I got to meet many of my longtime friends including colleagues and ex-bosses. Very long ago, they are like a family to me when I was a journalist working at Utusan Melayu (from 1967 to 1992), one of the most respected Malay newspaper at that time, situated at Jalan Chan Sow Lin, Kuala Lumpur.

This gathering happen through a WhatsApp group known as Buletin Suara Keramat (BSK) Utusan with members comprising of ex staff of the editorial department of Utusan Melayu. 

More nostalgic when today's gathering  took place at ZAM Newsroom Cafe owned by our ex Editor-in-Chief, Tan Sri Zainuddin Maidin who created the atmosphere of the editorial department as the deco for his cafe.

My special thanks goes to Tan Sri Johan Jaafar, also Utusan Melayu former Editor-In -Chief when he came out with an idea to start a WhatsApp group known as Buletin Suara Keramat (BSK) Utusan. He first invited a few friends whom he knew and later it grew to more than 100 members comprises of ex editors, journalists, sub-editors, photographers, graphic artist and the editorial support staff including the librarian and teleprinter operators.

Healthy friendships actually keep you alive. As many have said, friends are an important ingredient in life. Though we have our family, but friends are equally important to human being.

When among friends I felt "young and vibrant", the memories of good old days linger and that keeps me smiling and happy. No doubt all of us spend most of our young days with friends from school to college than the  university and at work, lastly when we retired.

Friends at work are like our second family. We share and support each other in good and bad times. We laugh and cry together. 

Once "retired" some of us drifted apart, "drown" in our own world but some manage to continue the friendship.

There are various reasons why friends are 
important to us, among them, friends are 
open and free to unlimited adventure, laughs  and fun times, we share secrets, they are our partner in crime, we share and hear 
endless jokes, they are the cure for 
loneliness, they care when you are in need 
and accept you as you are.

But opportunities to meet again like what we did through BSK Utusan WhatsApp group is something amazing. The main purpose of BSK is to keep a healthy spirit of friendship.

Members must come in with an open heart 
and be mindful of any sensitive issues as well as respect for each other.

What do old friends do when they chat or 
meet? Actually it is endless flashback of
episodes and memories they share together
and what they did or go through together. 

Now that most of us are retired and had already pass through the age of 50 at least, while some are in the 60s and also 70s, what else will these friendship means to us. 

To me most important is to get connected and do some networking and we can support each other. If we felt lonely, we can invite a smaller group to meet for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Other  than that, we can organise visits such as visiting friends who are not well, help those who are in need. We also have plans to visits friends "places" of interest  such as the business outlet.  Apart from that, we can also share some hobby together if it happen to be the same.

On a bigger scale we meet once in a while to catch up with each other, like what we did today. 

The WhatsApp group is a popular media in this present world, it is a medium to keep us (friends) close and updated of each other. News reach every member in split second. I  must admit that I really enjoy reading material posted by friends in the WhatsApp and we get to know our friends status.

May Allah SWT blessed all my dear friends always and love all of you@20.02.2016