KUCHING: Although Hari Raya Aidilfitri is celebrated this year in what has been called the new normal brought about by the onslaught of the Covid-19 pandemic, the making and eating of ‘lemang’ (glutinous rice wrapped in banana leaves and cooked in bamboo) continues as if nothing untoward has happened.
For Mohd Nurhakim Mohd Hashim and his family it is an annual tradition to prepare and cook the must-have delicacy for the Hari Raya.
“We cook it behind our house during the eve of Syawal,” he told New Sarawak Tribune yesterday.
A resident of Kampung Pinang in Kota Samarahan, the 31-year-old said every year his family prepared nearly 30 lengths of ‘lemang’, not just for themselves, but also to be shared for his uncle and aunties.
“Unfortunately, we are not allow to go visiting this year, so we may not be able to deliver the ‘lemang’ to my uncle and aunties,” he said.
Nurhakim said he was glad that his parents continued the tradition of making ‘lemang’ which is not common among today’s generations.
“The feeling of making our own ‘lemang’ compared to buying it from others is different. You get to control the taste and texture. Also having family members together when preparing the ‘lemang’ is the most beautiful thing,” he said.
He pointed out that while the pandemic was horrible, it had not dampened the Hari Raya spirit because all of his family members were together.
“The celebration will not be as grand as before when we could invite friends and relatives to our house, but most importantly we can still celebrate in peace and harmony,” he said.
