TELUK INTAN: Over the last three years, housewife Rifasyariah Abdul Rashid has been able to generate a four-figure monthly income from creating food replicas using simple materials such as cornstarch, cooking oil, glue and vinegar.
The 51-year-old took only four months to master the art of creating the imitations, learning techniques from her friends as well as other sources.
When met at her home in Chenderong Balai here recently, Rifasyariah said she earns an average of RM5,000 per month, with her income doubling during festive seasons.
Skilled in creating replicas of food items such as chicken rice, rendang, festive cookies, traditional kuih, vegetables, fruits, cendol and coconuts, Rifasyariah said the process of making these replicas is not overly complicated.
“However, some replicas, like rice, are quite tedious to make as each grain has to be crafted individually, so it takes me about a week to complete a plate of rice,” she said.
Replicas are sold for prices ranging from RM20 to RM1,000 each, depending on the size and design.
Sharing her process, Rifasyariah said all the ingredients, including vinegar, are mixed and kneaded into a soft dough resembling bread dough.
The dough is then stored in an airtight container to last up to six months.
“Vinegar is added to prevent the mixture from moulding. To create a replica, the dough is shaped into the desired form and then it is painted with acrylic paint.
“Most customers place orders through WhatsApp, specifying details such as size, colour and other preferences,” she said, adding that she once created a large food pyramid replica commissioned by Hospital Kampar in Kampar, Perak.
She now has regular customers, including the Health Ministry, schools, restaurants and individuals who order food replicas for exhibitions and promotions.
Receiving orders from across Malaysia, including Sabah and Sarawak, Rifasyariah said she occasionally encounters demanding customers who are dissatisfied with the replicas and request revisions, Bernama reported.
She said her food replicas are durable as long as they are not dropped and can be easily cleaned with a damp tissue when dusty.
“I enjoy what I do because it not only generates an income for me but also fills my time since it’s just my husband and me at home,” she said, expressing her intention to continue this work as long as she can.
