MACHANG: By most accounts, a traditional wedding in Kelantan would not be complete if the wedding feast did not include ‘budu’.
The fermented fish sauce has a ‘love it or hate it’ reputation, with its fans swearing by its unique taste while its detractors find its pungency too much to bear.
Budu, as well as daging singgang and ulam were among the delicacies on the menu at the wedding reception of Muhamad Khalid Ismail, 30, and South Korean Lee Seul, 29, at the Al-Fateh Library building recently.
Lee Seul, better known as Anna, did not appear to be too much troubled by the budu, which she ate together with ulam, in the company of her husband.
Asked on the taste, Anna said she found it rather tasty, likening it to ‘ikan bilis ‘(anchovies), only saltier.
Muhamad Khalid said his bride, whom he married in April last year, had already sampled budu several months ago and even has her own budu stash in her home in Gunpo, Gyeonggi, South Korea.
“She’s slowly learning to adapt to the Malay culture, especially the Kelantanese way.
“Anna not only like budu, but she’s also getting good at using her fingers instead of cutlery to eat. She picked up the skill within a week, when we returned last Friday for our wedding reception,” he said.
In the wedding reception, the bride and groom donned matching green songket which they rented from a boutique in Pengkalan Chepa. Anna was decked in a tudung to complete her outfit.
Muhamad Khalid said they had originally planned to don modern Malay outfits. However, after surveying the location of the wedding, which was sponsored by Pulai Chondong state assemblyman Zulkifli Mamat, they decided to go ahead with full songket attire.
“At our wedding reception in Korea last October, we were decked in full traditional Korean garb. So we decided to go the same route, albeit with traditional Malay attire, here.