On a hot Wednesday afternoon, a long queue had already formed behind Masjid India Kuala Lumpur.
There was a sense of impatience as people queued to take home packets of bubur lambuk, which the mosque distributes for free during Ramadan. Porridge, which is based on Indian cuisine, is delicious and rich in spices, making it the perfect meal to break down quickly.
“Bubur lambuk tradition of Masjid India is one of the oldest in KL. It is believed to have started in 1970 by the imam, Sheikh Alau’din,” the mosque’s head and secretary, Muhammad Nasrul Haq Abdul Latif, told FMT Lifestyle.
“We cook 13 large pots of food every day and distribute about 1,000 packets or more at the back of the mosque,” the 32-year-old added. A large package can serve up to four people. The mosque also prepares at least 750 bowls of porridge for those who want to open their mouths there. According to Nasrul, in Islam, charity is increased during the holy month. Good intentions aside, how does the mosque cope with the rising cost of food, especially since about 130 kilograms of rice and 15 kilograms of chicken are cooked every day?
“Before Covid, the cost of 13 pots of food per day was about RM2,500 to RM3,000. Post Covid, it is up to RM3,500. Last year, it increased to RM4,500 and this year it increased to RM4,700,” he shared. This increase, Nasrul explained, is due to the price of rice, chicken, vegetables and ghee. “Alhamdulillah, donors are not the kind of questioning the rising market. They wait and whatever money we want, they give. He said: “There is someone who gives a different gift every day, and for many, their generosity spans decades. This is true even for the dead, as their families have gone to continue the tradition of giving during Ramadan. As the list of donors for the distribution of bubur lambuk is complete, the donations received are used to meet other needs of the mosque.
“Muslims in Malaysia, especially the Indo-Muslim community, are liberal,” Nasrul said.
Hussin Saib Ismail @ Eusoff, 55, told FMT Lifestyle that he has been coming to Masjid India from his home in Kepong for over ten years and visits the mosque at least 15 days in the holy month.
“When you break the mouth with bubur lambuk, it is good for the stomach. It is like a soup with many spices. It’s fun,” he said. A similar statement was echoed by Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof, 68, a shopkeeper in the area. “Once you taste it, you’ll want to come back every year,” he said. In fact, he has been coming here for 50 years, and is the second generation of his family to do so!
Such words mean a lot to the person behind the porridge, Sathakkathullah Hameed, 45, from Tamil Nadu, India. He learned the recipe at home and cooked it at the mosque every month of Ramadan for more than two decades. Preparing a large porridge – especially when you are fasting – is not an easy task. Sathakkathullah’s day begins at 6 a.m. when he prepares his masala mix, a blend of spices from India that infuses the porridge and gives it an instantly recognizable flavor.
Then, with a few helpers, he stood in front of a big, fragrant pot, cooking the porridge until about two o’clock in the afternoon, when the pack started. Although distribution doesn’t start until 4:30 pm, people start lining up at 3 pm. Everyone is entitled to one package. During FMT’s lifestyle visit, it took less than an hour to distribute at least 1,000 packages! After the last member of the crowd leaves, the cleaning begins.
For Sathakkathullah, the days are long, hot and tiring, but he finds joy in giving back to the community. “When you give to others, it’s good, and that’s why I do this. »
