Abundant choices for buka puasa

PETALING Jaya is buzzing with the vibrant energy of Ramadan, as food bazaars attract crowds to their annual festivities.

This year, Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) has organised 18 key locations with 1,260 vendor slots for these evening markets.

Some locations have proven exceptionally popular, signalling where the heart of the Ramadan buzz will be.

These bustling hubs are in SS6/1 near Kelana Jaya, Apartment Vista Business Centre Damansara Damai, Taman Medan PJS 2/3 and Section 4 in Kota Damansara.

Jumiati Aziz manning the Kepak Ayam Madu Sabah stall.

Kota Damansara

At the Ramadan bazaar in Section 4, Kota Damansara, the air is thick with the appetising aroma of a hundred different dishes.

It isn’t just a market; it is a vibrant carnival, where throngs of visitors mill around to check out the myriad offerings for the breaking of fast.

The Lemang Tong Bakar stall is a popular destination for those craving the comforting bites of sticky lemang, delicate roti jala, and the rich, spicy depths of northern Peninsula-style chicken curry.

Syakinah at her Laksa Kedah Periuk Besar stall.

Food entrepreneurs Ahmad Falique Najmuddin Rosli, 37, and Mohd Irfan Mohd Fouzi, 35, have been running the business for the past three years.

Even as food prices soar, they have kept their food affordable with a set of four pieces of roti jala and chicken curry for RM5.

Ahmad Falique said their northern-style curry had candlenut (buah keras) and lots of coriander leaf.

According to him, they can sell 80 to 100 packets of their roti jala-curry special daily.

While it might seem early for lemang, he said they cooked their batch in a drum barrel using cooking gas rather than firewood.

“There is not much difference between firewood and gas in terms of lemang taste. Using gas is cheaper and faster, as the cost of firewood can be expensive,” said Ahmad Falique.

Auditor Saffinaz Che Ani, 43, a Kota Damansara resident, vouched for the food at Lemang Tong Bakar.

“The lemang is perfectly cooked, it has a good texture and taste, the portion is fair for RM5,” she said.

Even expatriates were drawn to the irresistible pull of tradition at the bazaar, like teachers Tamara Murray and Jo Brogan from London, and Ella Duncraft from New Zealand.

The Akok Ori Kelantan stall offers the traditional dessert found in Terengganu and Kelantan.

Murray was enjoying her second time at a Ramadan bazaar with her friends who loved the energy at the food stalls.

“We love the noodles, variety of chicken dishes and sweet treats, even the hot sun doesn’t bother us. We love it,” they said.

There is also a Tepung Pelita Warisan stall selling the stated speciality alongside a colourful variety of kuih talam, run by Idris Mohamad, 38, and Abdul Rahman Abdul Hamid, 38.

“Tepung pelita is a must-have for many during Ramadan and we still use real banana leaf to wrap it,” said Idris.

A pack of five pieces is RM5, while their best seller is the sweet potato kuih talam.

At the Kepak Ayam Madu Sabah stall, Jumiati Aziz was busy amid the smoky allure from the barbecued bright vermilion chicken wings and bishop’s nose.

Hailing from Tawau, Sabah, she sells 25kg of chicken wings a day.

Kelana Jaya

The Ramadan bazaar in Kelana Jaya has been thriving for the past 25 years and is a must-visit for anyone looking for a wide variety of festive treats.

With 208 lots, this is the oldest bazaar in Petaling Jaya.

Buskers at the Kelana Jaya Ramadan bazaar.

Local and international food, drinks as well as desserts are available at the site along Jalan SS6/1. Locating a parking spot, however, can be challenging.

A must-try is the stall serving up rendang murtabak. Operated by a husband-and-wife duo, this stall named Murtabak Rendang has been around since 2021.

Meera Zakaria, 31, a mother of five, inherited the recipe from her mother-in-law but has since made her own adjustments, including adding cheese.

“We sell both chicken and beef murtabak, as well as chicken and beef murtabak with cheese.

“We don’t add the cheese to the meat because it will just melt and people won’t taste it. Instead, we add the cheese to the murtabak skin, which lets the cheese flavour stand out,” said Meera.

Her husband, Zulkipli Haidir, 36, prepare the murtabak with a helper, while Meera takes orders, packs and collects payments.

The process of cooking the meat for the murtabak takes about two hours and it is precooked at home, she said.

“I have five children, ranging from ages four to 13. It is chaotic at home, but we manage while preparing for the bazaar.

“We start cooking daily at 9am. My husband helps a lot too – he does odd jobs and assists with the cooking preparations during Ramadan,” she said.

Meera said they love selling the food in Kelana Jaya because of the supportive crowd and many returning customers.

“The most we have sold in a day is 360 pieces of murtabak. That is our highest sales so far. We are grateful for the support from people of all races, and even on rainy days, we still have customers,” she added.

Abdul Rahman sells ‘tepung pelita’ at the Ramadan bazaar in Kota Damansara.

What makes the bazaar even more interesting is that there are food stalls offering famous dishes from other parts of the country, such as akok from Kelantan and Laksa Kedah.

Akok is a traditional dessert found in Terengganu and Kelantan. This round, bite-sized cake is baked and served at roadside stalls.

The pancake is available at the Akok Ori Kelantan stall. The mini sweet pancake is made with flour, coconut milk, eggs, and palm nectar, also known as air nira.

Mazlina Md Zain, 42, has been selling the sweet treat at the bazaar for the past two years.

“In Kelantan, we eat akok at any time of the day, but here in Klang Valley, people mostly eat it for buka puasa. Even the Chinese community enjoys it, and they buy from me,” she said.

Mazlina makes about 1,000 pieces of akok daily with the help of her husband.

“I start making akok after my sahur, around 6am,” she said.

Meanwhile, those wanting Laksa Kedah can visit the Laksa Kedah Periuk Besar stall, which has been at the same annual bazaar for the past 10 years.

Managed by Syakinah Zahir, 29, the stall offers a unique laksa based on a recipe passed down from her mother in Guar Chempedak, Kampung Batu 16, Kedah.

“It takes about five hours to cook the gravy, and we use ikan selayang (mackerel scad),” Syakinah revealed.

“Our laksa isn’t too spicy, and it caters to the taste buds of all races.”

She said they had been able to sustain their business over the years with repeat customers.

“Sometimes, people even call us to cater for parties,” she added.

The special feature about this bazaar is the buskers and street performers who keep the energy fun and vibrant.