As soon as the evening fell, hundreds of Muslims in a mosque in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur are locally known as “Bubur Lambook” on the bowl of aromatic rice porridge, which has been part of a Ramadan tradition for decades.
Slow cooked with various spices in giant utensils and shaken with oversized leads, Bubur Lambuk is traditionally prepared by volunteers in the courtyard of the mosque, which is a fast -breaking food in a large -scale Islamic nation before distributing it to the public for Iftar.
But a famous Kuala Lumpur Mosque, a specially designed broth at Masjid India, serves a unique version of porridge using a recipe produced from India.
According to the Imam of the mosque, Muhammad Nasrul Haq Abdul Latif, the recipe is known as Nombu Kanji.
“This tradition has passed from generation to generation from the 60s to the 70s,” he said AFP,
“So it has become a trademark. If it was not (Nombu Kanji), it would not be complete.”
The volunteers of the mosque used 140 kg of rice daily to cook porridge, which is served in the bowl for the attendees or packed in 1,000 large plastic packets to be distributed to the public.
Each packet is enough to feed a family of four.
He said, “From the point of view of making things easier for people in this field, sometimes homeless people who struggle to get food, low-income workers and office workers who sometimes do not have time to go home and cook,” he said.
“So, the preparation of Iftar food by mosques helps to make their daily life more convenient (during Ramadan).”
Mohaiyadin Sahulhamed, originally a local resident of India, said the porridge served in the mosque reminded him of the house.
“Back to our village, the way we are using large pan for cooking, curry leaves, mustard seeds, cinnamon, and mixed together with all kinds of components. When combined with rice, it creates a rich aroma, that is how it is done here,” He said.
The cooks of the mosque, Saathullah Hameed said that he saw people preparing big porridge utensils in the form of religious calling.
“During this fasting month, I want to help others. Allah gives prizes, compassion, and blessings, and, God will prepare, he will provide livelihood,” he said.
“And when people eat cooking porridge by me, they say ‘Bismillah,’ (in the name of God) and I respond with ‘Alhamadulillah’ (praise of God).”
