Slice of Ramadan from Malaysia to Queenstown: 'Food always brings people together'
Normally, people can only find the best traditional Malaysian rice porridge during Ramadan, Habib Ali says.
When Malaysia's night markets are buzzing, filled with the aromas of fried food, and the queues form outside mosques for a taste of the creamy bubur lambuk porridge, Habib Ali and Syahida Hizul know Ramadan is here.
The Auckland-based couple say they hold precious memories of observing the Islamic month of fasting and worship in Malaysia. During Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn until sunset (excluding those who are pregnant, very ill or too young) to deepen their spiritual connections and empathise with those less fortunate.
"Everybody gathers at the masjid [mosque], and all masjids typically provide the bubur lambuk for people to have iftar [the meal at which Muslims break their fast after sunset] with. They only do that in Ramadan. Normally, people can only find the best bubur lambuk during Ramadan," Ali says. He knows a thing or two about food, having set up Malaysian cuisine The Komunal Café in Queenstown with his friend.
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But Ramadan is not just about the food, it's a time of family bonding too - something they miss without their extended family in New Zealand.
"Typically, if I want to help my mum to cook, I'll wake up at 4.30am and help to cook as well," Ali says, remembering his childhood. "Then we have suhoor [meal before starting fast at sunrise] at 5.30am. I remember when I was little, we had to wake up and I actually fall [asleep] in front of my food."
Rows of bazaar stalls line a street during the holy month of Ramadan in Kuala Lumpur, on 25 April, 2021. During the holy month of Ramadan, a daily bazaar offers various selections of clothing, food, prayer mats and other religious items to Muslims who traditionally shop for new outfits to welcome the end of the month, Eid al-Fitr celebrations in Malaysia.
Mohd Firdaus / NurPhoto / NurPhoto via AFP
"What I miss the most during Ramadan is how hectic it was," Hizul says. "No matter how old you are, your mum will wake you up [early for suhoor]. So the whole house, everyone will be banging on the doors.
"When it's nearing the iftar, everyone will be busy preparing and serving the dishes so like it's 'oh faster, faster, it's almost time', especially if you have big families, you will notice the difference."
Although it's much more subdued here, they try to recreate that familiar lively environment by bringing together their Queenstown café workers, neighbours, friends, and community members to share iftar at their Frankton-based eatery for the past two years.
A woman adds scallions to a pot of 'bubur lambuk', a traditional rice porridge dish prepared during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, in downtown Kuala Lumpur, on 2 October, 2006.
AFP / Tengku Bahar
The couple say it's their way of upholding Prophet Muhammad's principles of sharing food and kindness with other people.
"It's become a platform for [people] to ask questions like just anything about Ramadan and Islam in general," Hizul says. "I think food always brings people together, so it's the easiest way to connect and probably give them a bit of understanding about what Ramadan is, what our culture is."
Ali agrees, saying people are often more relaxed about asking about the hijab, halal food and cultural traditions.
"Nowadays, misconceptions happen, misunderstandings happen, even the things that are happening globally when it's been trending, they can ask 'what does it mean?' from our perspective."
Habib Ali and Syahida Hizul gather with other Malaysian families at a friend's house in Auckland to recreate the lively atmosphere from back home.
RNZ / Isra'a Emhail
Up in Auckland, the community gathers at Mohd Zali Kamari and Suzana Samsudin's house, whom the couple consider to be like their extended family. Ali and Hizul say Samsudin works in the morning but when she gets home, she can cook for up to 20 people and then cleans up after too.
"They're not related by blood, but we typically get together with small community and we do have iftar here," Ali says. "And sometimes within our Malaysian and Singaporean community, on Saturday, we hire a hall and we all gather together."
