KUCHING: Come Ramadan, a grilled squid delicacy known locally as suntong tutok is a must-have item for breaking fast in Sarawak.
Entrepreneur Marzuki Amri, who has been selling the snack for the last seven years, said demand always increases during the fasting month.
“Even people who don’t usually eat suntong tutok will look for it during Ramadan,” he said.
Marzuki, 45, learnt to make the snack from his grandfather when he was just 10 years old.
He now operates five stalls selling suntong tutok in Kuching, including at MetroCity and Matang.
The squid is grilled and then pounded with a hammer to flatten and stretch it out, giving it a soft and springy texture.
“The longest suntong tutok I’ve ever made was about 1.2m long, two years ago.
“It took about half an hour to hammer it out to that length,” Marzuki said.
He gets his supply of squid from Pontianak in Kalimantan, Indonesia, which he says is bigger and thicker than local squid.
“This makes it more suitable for suntong tutok as it can be hammered out into long pieces,” he said.
Marzuki sells his suntong tutok for between RM10 and RM40, depending on the length.
The snack is served with sambal which he also makes himself.
“The sambal ingredients include chillies, onions, garlic, salt and sugar. It’s an old family recipe,” he added.
