IPOH: Rendang Tok Mak Nik is not a new name for those who love the spicy and dark-coloured traditional spicy buffalo meat fare in Perak.
Previously served only to royalty, the traditional delicacy is now conveniently packed and made available on supermarket shelves for the public.
However, since the implementation of Movement Control Order (MCO) on March 18, the business has been slow and for the first time, the dish could not be exported to the Middle East, the United Kingdom, Singapore and Brunei.
Megat Syahrin Megat Aris, 35, the operations manager of Royale Rendang, the company which produces the dish, said this Ramadan, they only used an average of one or two cauldrons per day to cook the rendang.
"About 50kg of buffalo meat will be used to cook the rendang in each cauldron every day. It is totally different with the previous Ramadan where we used between four and six cauldrons, and cooked about 5,000kg of buffalo meat.
"However, nothing can be done now and we are happy that the government has lifted many restrictions. We hope to be able to send our rendang tok to Kuala Lumpur because 70 per cent of our customers are from there," he said when met at his home in Kampung Pasir Puteh here.
The business was founded by Megat Syahrin's adopted late parent Nafsiah Yeop Abdullah, popularly known as Mak Nik in 1985 in the backyard of their home in Kampung Pasir Puteh.
During previous Ramadan, Megat Syahrin said they had to hire extra workers to cook and pack the dish in order to meet the demand but now, only one or two person can do it.
Megat Syahrin said unlike other rendang, the Rendang Tok is made from buffalo meat and it tastes better and tender, compared to beef.
"The buffalo meat are cooked between four and five hours, and it needs to be continuously stirred in order to prevent them from burning. The dish doesn't have any artificial flavouring.
"We use spices and natural herbs, so our rendang has a fresh taste and delicious," he said, adding that one kilogram of Rendang Tok sells for RM60 and it is best eaten with ketupat and lemang during Hari Raya.
Megat Syahrin added that those in Ipoh who wish to buy the rendang can place their orders at 012-343 5039. Delivery will be done by runners throughout this fasting month.