‘Ketupat palas’ going places – even to Saudi

KUALA TERENGGANU: Ketupat palas is one of several traditional delicacies that are readily available during Ramadan and Syawal, especially in Terengganu.

The dumpling is made from glutinous rice packed inside a diamond-shaped pouch, woven using the frond of the increasingly scarce fan palm licuala grandis.

Despite it being difficult to get the palas leaf to wrap the glutinous rice, ketupat palas maker Zainab Awang has to give it a go as it has been a source of her family income since 2000.

She said she hired villagers in Gemuruh to look for palas leaves at RM30 for every 10 fronds. Zainab is from Kampung Bukit Tunggal, Kuala Nerus.

“Initially, I was not good at making ketupat palas. I was struggling to pick up the skill. I was inept.

“However, to generate more income for my eight children, I persevered,” said the single mother whose late husband was a fisherman.

“When I was good at it, I immediately started making ketupat palas for daily sale, besides making pulut lepa (grilled glutinous rice with fish paste wrapped in banana leaf ).”

Assisted by her children, Zainab sells ketupat palas this Ramadan season, making close to RM200 a day.

She said she has also received requests for ketupat palas, which is made using a traditional herbal concoction, especially from those who were returning to their villages ahead of the Hari Raya celebration.

“I have also received orders from people who are going back to their hometowns in

Perak, Selangor and Kuala Lumpur – and even to Saudi Arabia,” Zainab, 61, said.

According to Zainab, her 41-year-old daughter Noraida Ismail would help her prepare 15kg of glutinous rice, which could produce 375 ketupat palas, as early as after sahur (pre-dawn meal).

“I will heat the coconut milk first before

stirring it with the glutinous rice so that the ketupat palas will last longer and not go bad too quickly.

Zainab sells ketupat palas at 50 sen each despite the rise in the prices of goods.

“I don’t make excessive profits. I am just very thankful that I can feed my family.” — Bernama

— Bernama Art of weaving an income: Zainab (right), who is helped by her two children Mohd Azwan Ismail and Noraida, preparing the ‘ketupat palas’ in Kampung Bukit Tunggal, Kuala Terengganu.