JOHOR BARU: Ketupat, which is synonymous with Hari Raya, is a much sought-after festive delicacy among the Muslims.
Halimah Emboktang, 57, who has been making ketupat -- boiled compressed rice wrapped in a pouch of palm leaves -- and selling them at a stall in Kampung Usaha Jaya in Skudai here for over a decade, said she had to turn away some orders due to overwhelming demand.
"I run a family business, with my sons and daughters helping me out. Some customers order up to 1,000 ketupat.
"We try to do our best to meet the demand," said Halimah.
Halimah, who hails from Batu Pahat, said she moved to Kampung Usaha Jaya after she got married at the age of 20.
She has five children -- three daughters and two sons.
Halimah used to sell fish at the market for more than 15 years.
However, after her husband died 14 years ago, Halimah decided to give up retailing fish and turned to selling secondhand clothes instead.
Halimah said she learnt the art of making the burasak and ketupat from her late grandmother, and the recipe was also passed down to Halimah's late mother.
"I am now passing down our tradition to my daughters and sons, so that they can pass it down to their children in the future," she said.
Two weeks before Hari Raya, Halimah would start accepting orders and making ketupat and burasak, a traditional Bugis food which is in big demand among the local community.
"Most of our customers here are regulars," said Halimah's daughter, Rozaimah Abd Rahim, 27.
Rozaimah said the price of the ketupat has increased by 10 sen each this year compared to last year.
"We steam about 600kg of rice per day. Both the ketupat and burasak are boiled for about eight hours. The longer it is boiled, the longer the food can last," she said.
The palm leaves are also available at RM6 per pack or RM10 for two packs for those who buy them to make ketupat on their own.
For the burasak, Rozaimah said they are priced at RM8 each.
Haniza Rahim, 32, a housewife, said she has been ordering ketupat from the stall for the past two years.
"I placed an order for more than 100 ketupat along with the curry for house guests. I don't cook during Hari Raya because there is just too much work.
"Hari Raya is a time to relax and bond with family and friends," she said.
Haniza, from Senai, said she did not mind the 10 sen increase in the price of ketupat.
"There's so much work involved in the preparation of ketupat.
"I think the item is still affordably-priced," she said. By Chuah Bee Kim