Rohingya Muslims break fast with traditional chickpea dish

KUALA LUMPUR: For most Muslims, bubur lambuk, a savoury rice porridge made with herbs, spices and meat, is the most soughtafter dish for breaking fast during Ramadan. For the Rohingya community, it’s

chana boot, a chickpea dish.

Penang Rohingya community head Mohammad Islam Sultan Ahmed, 49, who lives in Butterworth, said chana boot was a traditional dish of the community. They believe chickpea provides energy and helps them feel full longer.

Islam, has been living in Malaysia since 1992 and speaks fluent Bahasa Malaysia, said chickpeas were soaked in water for six hours first before the dish was prepared.

“The chickpeas are then fried with onions, garlic, ginger and spices. Some people add noodles to the dish.”

He said semai, a sweet dish made of soft vermicelli cooked with ghee, milk, sugar, sago, grated coconut and peanuts, was a special dish served on the first day of Syawal.

Islam, who founded the United Islamic Rohingya Organisation for Development, said like other Muslims, the Rohingya Muslim community performed Aidilfitri prayers and wore new clothes for Raya.

His wife, Nurul Asyikin Mohamad Ladzem, 31, from Pahang, who is pregnant with their fourth child, said the chickpea dish was a new recipe she learnt after their marriage.

Islam and Nurul Asyikin distribute food packets consisting of semai and dry food items like rice and condensed milk to Rohingya asnaf (hardcore poor) in Penang during Ramadan.