MALAYSIA is a diverse country, and with this diversity comes a variety of cultures, traditions, and foods. However, rice remains a staple for almost all the communities in Malaysia, including for festive celebrations.
Just like how ketupat and lemang are must haves for the Malays on Hari Raya Aidilfitri, so is burasak for the Bugis communities in Johor, Sabah, and Sarawak.
Burasak, also known as buras or burasa, is made with rice and coconut milk that are first boiled together before the cooked rice is wrapped in banana leaves and boiled further for up to 12 hours. In Sabah, the rice and coconut milk are steamed first before the half-cooked rice is wrapped in banana leaves and boiled.
Many still prefer to cook burasak in the traditional way using a wooden stove to get a better taste and more fragrant aroma.
Served with “likku’’, which is a Bugis savoury dish of chicken cooked with galangal, burasak can also be eaten with ayam masak merah (red sauce chicken) and asam pedas ikan parang (hot and sour swordfish).
Other than Hari Raya, burasak is also traditionally served at weddings and other celebrations.
The dish, which comes from Indonesia, was originally packed for Bugis sailors and travellers as it can last for three to four days.
Today in Sabah, burasak is still made for those embarking on a journey, especially to the peninsula.
Find out more about burasak here:
