By Syamsiah Sahat

IPOH, April 12 (Bernama) -- Every Aidilfitri celebration, rendang will be among the must-have traditional dishes served on the table, besides ketupat and lemang.

In Perak, the famous Rendang Tok, a recipe passed down from generation to generation, remains a favourite Raya delicacy.

Rendang Tok Mak Nik owner, Sharifuddin Mohamed, said Rendang Tok has its own uniqueness that is incomparable with rendang from other states.

“It is rich in spices, slowly cooked for up to four hours, and the rendang can last up to three weeks. It is suitable for all ages and can be eaten with various dishes such as nasi lemak, bread, nasi impit, and lemang,” he told Bernama when met at Kampung Pasir Putih near here.

Sharifuddin said he and his staff cook two to three tonnes of rendang to meet customers’ demand during Ramadan, compared to 800 kilogrammes per month during the non-festive season.

Founded in 1959 by his late mother, Nafisah Yeop Abdullah, fondly known as Mak Nik, Rendang Tok Mak Nik uses no preservatives and has maintained its original taste for over 50 years.

Under the brand name ‘Royale Rendang’, Rendang Tok Mak Nik caters to demand not only throughout Perak but also to markets in other states, including Kuala Lumpur and Selangor.

Meanwhile, Royale Rendang assistant manager Megat Syahrin Megat Aris said the rendang is also packed using the retort technique, and customers only need to pour hot water over the package to reheat the food before serving.

“Apart from Rendang Tok Mak Nik, Royale Rendang also sells chicken and beef serondeng (floss), frozen ketupat palas and lemang for Syawal preparation,” he said.

Due to its uniqueness, Megat Shahrin said that Rendang Tok Mak Nik also gained the attention of the palace, which often orders the dish to fete people during Ramadan and Syawal.

More interestingly, Mak Nik’s mother, also his grandmother, was a kitchen helper at Istana Perak in the late 1950s and often served the dish to royalties until it was nicknamed Rendang Istana (Royale Rendang).

-- BERNAMA