KANGAR: A belacan (shrimp paste) maker has created nine varieties of sambal belacan (spicy condiment) for customers at the Ramadan bazaar here.
 
Raudiah Mansor came up with the idea after thinking of ways to expand her home-based belacan mini-factory.

 
Raudiah Mansor, 43, (left) with her daughter's friend, Siti Anis Athirah Mod Yusof, 16, ready to serve customers at Raudiah's sambal belacan stall at the Ramadan Bazaar in Stadium Utama, Kangar. — Picture by Isma Jamil

The 43-year-old mother of five began with sambal tempoyak (fermented durian condiment) and sambal ulam mangga (spicy mango condiment), enjoyed by her local customers.
 
It encouraged her to come up with beef sambal, stingray sambal, tamarind sambal and belimbing starfruit sambal.
 
Raudiah and her husband Sobri Ismail, 39, are pleased with the brisk sale of their nine varieties of sambal belacan at the Kangar Stadium’s bazaar. They are  selling it for RM1 per packet.
 
"We’ve had customers who keep coming back to buy the ulam with the sambal belacan," she said.
  
The couple, who run their stall with their children, also sell an assortment of fresh ulam (wild shoots and vegetables), which go perfectly with sambal belacan.
 
"This is the first time I’ve experimented with the sambal belacan.

"I’ve been making belacan since I was a teenager after learning the skill from my parents.
 
"This year I wanted to make something different for our Ramadan stall," said Raudiah, who begins preparing her sambal at noon daily.