Our Heritage
The Malays enjoyed a vibrant cultural life. Since they originated from varied cultural backgrounds in the East, they must have engaged in various forms of cultural entertainment. Such cultural past times helped to inject good communal spirit especially in cantonments where the military Malays wanted to escape a life of drudgery. They turned out their own musical instruments such as the Gamelan, violins, drums, etc., to be used in their song, music and dance performances. The sophisticated and artistic women excelled at dancing – ‘Tari Payong” (Umbrella dance), ‘Tari Chinta Sayang’ (Dance of love), ‘Ronggeng’ (Dance to the lilt of Portuguese Kafringga) etc., which were all performed to the accompaniment of the ‘gamelan’, ‘rabana’, violin and cymbals. In its heyday, the Slave Island suburb became well known for its entertainment potential where members of other communities flocked to see music and dancing festivals conducted by the community on special occasions.
Language & Literature - Bahasa Ibu
The Indonesian Language that our Ancestors brought with them belongs to the Austronesian group of languages; which envelopes the islands of Southeast Asia and the relevant Pacific regions. The main differences between the Indonesian and Malay (as spoken in Malaysia), in practice, exist in the pronunciation, vocabulary, and accent. Differences between the two languages are assumed to have developed from the influences of the Dutch and Javanese languages; along with other Indonesian dialects and several other alien languages that influenced the Indonesian language. One must remember that there are over 300 distinct ethnic groups in the Indonesian Archipelago. In addition, the Malay Language has various regional dialects that are established and widely practiced in the respective regions. But beyond these, Malay spread through inter-ethnic contact and trade across the Malay Archipelago for as far as the Philippines where the Language of "Tagalog" is spoken. It is of course a known and given fact that the Ceylon Malay Language in not Universal; and that for economic and present day fashion consciousness one may find it disadvantageous. But always remember that ones Bahasa Ibu is part of the rich Malay cultural heritage (warisan kebudayaan). Hence to call oneself a Ceylon Malay; one must also be proud to say that one speaks the language of a Malay. If we do not nurture and revive our Bahasa Ibu; it will simply fade away and die; to be forever lost to our community/society (masyarakat).
Belajar Mang Ajar Melayu Sri Lanka
This Web Portal welcomes all Sri Lankan Malays to participate and communicate in Standard Sri Lanka Malay Language or in English in order to be able to revive and resuscitate our own Language that is in peril of extinction. Please participate, make your contributions in the Malay Language you know. We can help each other as we go along.
Music & Dance
To fluently malay langguage... please hear this song and sing with yr child. ... may bahasa melayu tidak punah hilang (lost langguage) in srilanka...
Culinary Arts
The Culinary Prowess and Expertise of our Malay Ancestors; And the Types of Food they Brought along with them from their Motherland is illustrated below for test and practice at your convenience. Most of these indigenous dishes of ours have been adopted by other ethnic groups in Sri Lanka. The original names have been replaced with the equivalent languages of the other ethnic groups and in time we feared that we as Malays, would forget the wonderful culinary artistry of our ancestors; and stand the risk of being forgotten with time and forever. Hence it is hoped that not only you, as Malays, should taste these wonderful dishes; but also call it by the “Malay” names that our ancestors used. This is just a very small step towards preserving our Language (Bahasa Ibu) & a giant step in being proud of the culinary expertise and foods of our ancestors.
Recipes
Set of instructions for preparing a particular dish, including a list of the ingredients required.
Serikaya - 1
Ingredients
- 10 eggs with the white and yolk well beaten
- 500 grams of Juggery (Gula Aren a.k.a Gularing. In the Western countries they are sold as Gula Jawa or Gula Malacca) cut & ground finely
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla
- Cardamon and cinnamon (Kayu Manis) for flavor
- 1 cup of thick coconut milk
- Cashew nuts may be used in the mix
Serikaya - 2
Ingredients
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ cup water
- 8 large eggs, beaten lightly
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla
- 4 cups coconut milk (canned is acceptable)
Procedure
- Cook the granulated and brown sugar in water over low heat for 3 minutes, or until the sugars are completely dissolved and form a syrup; let the syrup cool.
- Whisk in the eggs, salt, vanilla, and coconut milk.
- Pour the mixture into a 2-quart heat-proof dish and steam over hot water for 15 minutes, or until the pudding is firm.
- Serve warm or chilled.
Dodol
Also called “dodol” by the Sinhalese. The common dodol is prepared by cooking together a mix of rice flour, coconut milk, kitul/palm juggery or treacle and or the addition of brown sugar for sweetening; cardamoms to which cashew nuts are added at a later stage. The mix being constantly stirred until it cooks to form a soft, oily, dark-brownish sweetmeat. The cooked mix is then laid out on a flat board to cool; and then cut to portions of desired size.
Ingredients
- 500 gms of regular flour
- 2 ½ kgs of Juggery (Gula Aren) (finely ground)
- 10 Pints Coconut Milk (squeezed out of 6 large Coconuts)
- Cardamoms & chopped Cashew nuts
Method of Preparation
Pour the 10 pints of coconut into a large cooking container (preferably a very heavy container/pan). Our Malay elders used a cauldron calling it “Kalderang” or “periuk besar”. Then add the flour and finely ground juggery into the pan. Place the pan on a strong fire stirring the mixture all the time with a large paddle like spoon. As the mixture thickens in viscosity you will need a heavy metal “oar like” spoon for stirring the thick mixture. When the Dodol mixture separates from the oil, remove the oil, add the cardamoms and the chopped cashew nuts. Care should be taken not to let the mixture get hardened at the bottom of the pan. When very thick, turn it out on a flat dish or tray; and flatten it into the required thickness. Once cooled you may cut it into to desired shape and size.
DODOL LINYE or NIMMAK - which is a serving of the dodol whilst it is still in the liquid state (the brown stage, soft and like custard) and before it becomes hardened. That was a favourite part of the dodol when it is half done; you pour thick coconut milk and eat it with a spoon like a pudding. The serving had to be eaten when still hot or warm. In Malay countries it was called “NI'MAT” meaning delicacy. MENI'MATIKAN (menikmatikan) means to taste/to enjoy
Bibikkan
type of rice based cake in the South & South Eastern Countries. Popular among the Sri Lankan and is popularly known by the same name. It is a rich brownish cake made of rice flour, roasted and pounded green gram, scraped coconut, juggery, sugar and sweet cumin. It is called BIBINGKA in the Philippines.
Ingredients
- 3 x Large coconuts grated finely
- 200 grams Wheat flour
- 1 tsp Cardamoms
- 200 grams Cashew nuts finely chopped
- 2 tsp Vanilla
- ½ cup of Coconut water
- 1/3 cup of warm water
- 450 grams Rice flour
- 450 grams Treacle
- 200 grams Raisins or sultanas
- 1 tsp Yeast
- 200 grams Pitted Dates finely chopped
- ½ tsp of sugar
Method of Preparation
Step 1
1. Soak yeast in warm water with 1/2 teaspoon sugar.
2. Preheat hot oven to 375-400° F
Step 2
1. Roast rice flour and white wheat flour lightly.
2. Mix yeast and coconut water to the flour. Knead the dough supple but not sticky.
3. Boil the treacle (Pol Pani), add grated coconut, powdered cardamoms and vanilla essence. Mix all ingredients together.
4. Then add sultanas, nuts and chopped dates.
5. Let the treacle mixture cool down and mix with the prepared dough thoroughly
6. Transfer into lined and greased baking trays in the shapes desired.
7. Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes.
Cucur
These are “Oil Cakes” or “Cucur Cakes”. There were two types. One with the “konde” (a mound in the centre); and the other made “flat”. Oil CAKES called “Kavun” by the Sinhalese and “Panniyaram” by the Tamils. The ingredients for the two types are different. Cucur cake is a kind of fried cake made of rice flour, wheat flour and brown or palm sugar. This cake is a simple cake that is often sold at wayside food stalls, traditional market places and pastry shops.
Ingredients
- 350 grams of rice flour
- 150 grams of wheat flour
- 200 grams of brown or palm sugar, finely ground
- 100 grams of granulated sugar
- 550 ml of fresh water
- 350 ml (or more as required) of cooking oil
Method of Preparation
- Cook fresh water until boiling, put sliced brown sugar and white sugar, stirring until all brown sugar and white sugar dissolves. Turn off heat, removed, and filtered to a solution of sugar water clean of debris. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl the wheat flour and rice flour mixed and stir it till it is a homogeneous mixture, pour the sugar solution slowly, stirring until the sugar solution all gone, stirring constantly, until batter (for the cake) is smooth and well blended. Then the mixture being patted for about 5 minutes so the batter is completely unified. After that the mixture let stand about 20 minutes.
- Pre-heat 50 ml oil in a frying pan with a small concave.
- Stir the batter (for the cake) well; and then pour the batter in the desired quantity into the hot oil. During frying, scoop the hot oil on to the batter in order to fry (cooked) evenly. Cake does not need to be reversed. Once cooked, remove and drain the excess oil in the cake.
- For the material shown in the recipe we can make the cake as much as 30 cucurs.
Appe
The Malays, especially those of the east consume a variety of “aape” or hoppers. These include “aape santang” or milk hoppers prepared by pouring thick coconut milk on to the centre of the hopper which could then be consumed with sugar or treacle, “aape tayer” or curd hoppers made by adding curd to the hopper which could then be eaten with sugar or a sambol and “aape ayer (air)” prepared by adding sliced plantains, chopped cashew nuts, egg, jaggery and sugar to the batter after which it is prepared the usual way by greasing a special semi-circular hopper pan and heating it over a low flame. “Aape telur” (Egg Hopper) is very famous in Sri Lanka. It is an ordinary hopper topped up with an egg on top; which is added while the hopper is baking.
Puttu
Called puttu by the Tamils; and pittoo by the Sinhalese. I believe the name is derived from the noise that the vendors make off their Puttoo making carts as they vend their way in the streets of Indonesia; to which I was a witness. Originally the ingredients which comprised of steamed wheat or steamed rice flour mixed with coconut kernel scrapings and at times cooked rice was placed in a hollowed out (seasoned) section of “bamboo” and steamed until ready for serving. The puttoo is eaten with coconut milk and various combinations of curries and chutneys & sambals. It was also eaten with sugar and ripe bananas by those with a sweet tooth.
Pisang Goreng
Also called “Pilus” (In Indonesian) or “Pillos” by our elders.
Pilus is prepared by mashing bananas, flour, sugar and coconut milk together into a paste and frying small quantities of it in coconut oil until it turns brown in colour.
These pilus are usually consumed with sugar syrup poured over it. It is a most popular Indonesian snack like the Serikaya. Serve it hot. Some also serve this delicacy with a scoop or two of ice cream (“es krim” in Malay).