The last time I join the festivity of making lemang, it was when I was still just a wee lad. Not wanting to let a tradition dies, I just want to observe and participate which lead to the most important event : The eating part! When my wife said that her family is going to make some lemang at her kampung in Tapah Road, during the Eid ul-Adha, I just jumped into the opportunity to join them.
Lemang are sticky rice which are cooked in bamboo stick and eaten with whatever you fancy but usually it is eaten with another dish called rendang, which are meat cooked with spices and coconut which are fried until it turn much like fried brown sauce. Making lemang is not rocket science but it does take considerable effort.
So, here are the steps :
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| The bonfire is prepared |
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| The banana lead is made into a cylinder and inserted into the bamboo |
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| In the meantime, the womenfolks were getting the santan prepared while cooking the rendang |
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| Rice is inserted into the bamboo |
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| Coconut milk a.k.a santan is inserted into the bamboo on top of the rice until it is settled |
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| The bamboos filled with rice and santan are lined up near the fire until it simmers |
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| Every half and hour (depending on the heat) the bamboos are turned so all sides get cooked properly | |
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| The lemang will simmer until it is properly cooked |
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| In order to eat it, you cut the bamboo into half from the top, cut it into small pieces and eat it with rendang |
