A special briyani at PM’s open house

PUTRAJAYA: Visitors to the Prime Minister’s Hari Raya open house were treated to a wide array of food, including a special nasi briyani.

The Nasi Briyani Seri Perdana dish was created specially for the occasion by Kuzie Catering (M) Sdn Bhd.

Kuzie Catering operator Raja Datuk Rosly Raja Mazlan, better known as Pak Engku, said the dish was based on a Kashmir-style briyani, which is aromatic and subtly flavoured.

“All the spices for this dish were chosen and imported from India. At the previous open houses, we had served plain briyani but this year we thought of trying something different.

“This special briyani was not only served for the VIPs but to the thousands who came for the open house,” he said when met at the event.

Pak Engku, who has been catering to Najib’s open houses even before he became Prime Minister, said new dishes were introduced each year.

Besides the nasi briyani, he also served ayam masak merah and rendang tandoor.

The response, he said, had been tremendous.

“Our staff have been serving the food practically non-stop,” he said.

Pak Engku began preparations two weeks ago, enlisting 500 people to make enough food for 70,000 visitors.

“It is not an easy job to cater to such a crowd, but I am so used to doing this that I look forward to it every year,” he said.

Other dishes on his menu were laksa, curry mee, chicken soto, meat kebab, roast lamb, satay, nasi himpit, lemang and ketupat.

Asked about the favourite dishes of Najib and his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Pak Engku said the couple’s top picks were murtabak daging and assam laksa.