Hari Raya Everyday with Ketupat Mohd Zaim

Melaka: Ketupat is not just for the holidays anymore. In truth, rice ketupat with rendang meals is served daily at a stall in Kampung Bukit Godek, Semabok.

The 34-year-old businessman, Mohammed Zaim Othman, claims that since the start of Ramadan, more people have purchased rice ketupat from his stand, which has grown to be a gathering place for many.

Furthermore, he pointed out that a retort food manufacturer has expressed interest in selling their traditional dish in the Singapore market.

Eight years ago, he took over the business from two previous generations, and he acknowledged that their homemade ketupat is becoming more and more well-known, especially because of promotions on social media sites like Facebook, WhatsApp, and TikTok.

“For sales during Hari Raya Aidilfitri, about 50,000 ketupat will be sold on the last evening of Ramadan, but no reservations are open, so people just need to come to the shop to buy them.

“As we know, on Hari Raya, many people are looking for ketupat, and it’s like gold, so when we sell directly to customers, it can bring the festive atmosphere of Aidilfitri,” he told reporters here yesterday.

According to Mohamad Zaim, ketupat sales promotions for Aidilfitri have been ongoing since early Ramadan, with the majority of consumers coming not only from the nearby areas but also from as far away as the districts of Alor Gajah and Jasin.

To ensure adequate supply and fluid sales, Mohamad Zaim employs 30 individuals to weave coconut leaf ketupat covers.

“To maintain quality, I also boil the rice ketupat for 24 hours… to produce a soft texture and ensure longer-lasting ketupat besides making it taste better,” he said, assisted by four other workers.

Despite the fact that the cost of basic components increased last year, the business owner maintains he has charged RM1.25 per piece for the past five years.

“For ease of purchase, these ketupat are sold in sets, with each bundle containing four pieces of ketupat along with serunding (shredded meat floss) and anchovies,” he said.

In addition to ketupat, they serve a variety of rendang dishes every day, including chicken rendang, chicken feet rendang, chicken liver rendang, beef rendang, and goat curry, as well as anchovy sambal and serunding.

“As many as 15 chickens are needed every day to prepare rendang cooked using my mother’s special heritage recipe, while for Hari Raya sales, the number of chickens will usually double to reach up to 30,” he said.

– Agency