Chef Zam Compiles 50 Terengganu Recipes To Safeguard Culinery Heritage

By Nurhafizah Tan

KUALA LUMPUR, June 27 (Bernama) -- Terengganu is famous for its keropok lekor and nasi dagang, but it also has other traditional delicacies, such as pelara and kuih ba'it, that are slowly fading into obscurity as not many people possess the skills to prepare them.

Concerned that the state's rich culinary heritage could be lost, celebrity chef Prof Datuk Zamzani Abdul Wahan, better known as Chef Zam, has documented 50 traditional Terengganu recipes in his book ‘Sedap Do’oh! Menjejaki Resipi Warisan Terengganu’. 

The project took nearly three years to complete, during which Chef Zam, who is also chief executive officer and principal of Rich Talents International College, painstakingly researched, verified and documented each recipe to ensure these culinary traditions are preserved and remain a valuable reference for future generations.

"Many young people today have never heard of pelara. It is a dish made with budu (fermented anchovy sauce) and grated coconut… it used to be eaten with rice. Nowadays, the people who still know how to prepare it are mostly the elderly," he said.

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Speaking recently after the launch of his book, officiated by the Regent of Terengganu Tengku Muhammad Ismail Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin, Chef Zam said his research uncovered many traditional dishes that are becoming increasingly rare, including kuih ba'it.

Shaped similarly to kuih koci, kuih ba'it requires several stages of preparation, which is a time-consuming process.

"In the past, it was widely sold by small traders at village markets. When I was a child, village women would come to the market to sell kuih ba'it for about 10 sen each. Today, they are no longer around and the kuih has become increasingly difficult to find.

"It also takes time to prepare this delicacy. You have to prepare the glutinous rice, cook the dhal filling, wrap it (in a banana leaf) and then steam it. Not many people are willing to continue making it the traditional way," he said.

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According to Chef Zam, every traditional recipe is more than just a unique dish — it also reflects the lives, culture and memories of past generations.

"An example is kuih urat jati. It is actually a type of pancake made with plenty of eggs before being rolled up to resemble the veins of teak wood. People in the past often named food after things they saw around them,” he said, adding that sagupal, another Terengganu delicacy, reminded him of his late mother, who also loved qasidah (also a delicacy). 

Chef Zam’s 108-page recipe book also includes keropok tumis, a snack he remembers being sold at his school during his childhood, but which has now become increasingly difficult to find, particularly outside Terengganu.

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He added that every traditional food featured in his book also served as a record of the community's history, culture and identity.

"Culinary heritage is not just about food. It is also about memories, family, culture and our identity. Most importantly, it is a legacy that we leave for our future generations.

"I hope more efforts will be made to document traditional recipes from all over the country so that Malaysia's culinary heritage will continue to be preserved and not disappear with the passage of time," he said.

-- BERNAMA