KEPALA BATAS – For the past few decades, the traffic in Lahar Yooi here comes to a crawl in the last week of Ramadan as crowds eagerly look to get their hands on some delicious lemang.
Working from dawn to late night, a family in a village house will be busy cooking lemang – a multigenerational business that started in 1976.
Lemang Warisan, which is run by 63-year-old Mohamad Sobberi Harun and his family, is always a firm favourite not just for villagers, but also those from Kedah and Perak.
The Vibes’ visit to the house, which doubles as a lemang stall, saw Sobberi and his family making the lemang together, trying to fulfil customer demand.
“This is the usual situation for us during the last days of Ramadan, where we get many more customers compared with other days.”
Sobberi, fondly known as Pak Tam, said he took over the business from his late father in 1994, even though he had a full-time job at the time.
On why his lemang is so beloved, the former Malaysia Airports Bhd employee said there are no secret or special ingredients used in his products.
“I use ingredients such as salt, coconut milk, and glutinous rice – just like other traders. The taste is different probably due to the proportions and quality of the ingredients used.
“I really care about using natural ingredients, such as fresh coconut milk, to ensure the lemang we make is in the best condition.”
Pak Tam’s lemang is also fragrant due to the use of forest banana leaves and the best selection of bamboo brought from Sik, Kedah.
The father of six admitted that the Covid-19 pandemic has caused lemang sales to decline slightly.
He said before the pandemic, he was able to sell around more than 3,000 sticks of lemang, priced between RM18 and RM20 depending on size and length.
“During the festive season last year amid the pandemic, I was able to sell around 2,500 sticks of lemang, including allowing online orders.”
But this year, Pak Tam says he can no longer take orders online, instead selling directly from his house for fear of not fulfilling orders.
“I also need to be prepared for declining sales, but I’m confident of my loyal customers.”
Apart from lemang, the stall sells ketupat palas, chicken and beef rendang, and serunding. – The Vibes, May 13, 2021
