KUALA PERLIS: Traditional kuih (snacks) maker, Maznah Mat, is determined to continue making her famous but increasingly forgotten traditional dessert, halwa maskat, in her efforts to get the sweet concoction known among the younger generation.
For the uninitiated, halwa maskat, a sticky sweet, is believed to have originated from the Middle East.
She said as long as there was demand, she would continue to make halwa maskat, so that this traditional dessert would be known among young people.
"Due to my deep interest and love for traditional delicacies, especially halwa maskat, I will continue to make it, even though the process is long, tedious and complicated compared with other Malay traditional snacks," said the 67-year-old grandmother.
Affectionally known as Cik Nah, she said that many people were unwilling to produce the dessert, as the whole process would take two days - one day spent on processing the flour and another day required one to stir the dessert until it was perfectly cooked.
"I used to offer the younger people to work with me to produce the halwa maskat, but no one was willing to do so. So, now I get help from my children and grandchildren," said Maznah, who is a single mother of three.
Maznah said although she was not as strong as she used to be, she was still passionate about producing halwa maskat, which she learned from her late aunt 47 years ago, because the satisfaction in fulfilling her customers' expectations was simply indescribable.
"Most of the customers are tourists to Kampung Seberang Ramai. They are attracted by the sweetness of this dessert and some also say that they have not enjoyed halwa maskat for a long time, which brings back memories of their childhood."
She said the response had been very encouraging as many tourists came to the village as a result of the attraction of the Royal Project of the Kampung Warna Warni Seberang Ramai, mooted by the Raja Muda of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail, which started in 2020.
She recalled that halwa maskat was a popular dessert in the 1960s and 1970s, especially during Ramadan and Aidilfitri celebrations.
"I still remember when I was young, people from the village who wanted to go to Makkah to perform the haj would order the dessert from my family to bring along for their journey."
To make the dessert, she would use ingredients found around the house, namely wheat flour, water, pandan leaves, cooking oil and food colouring.
To improve the taste and aroma of the dessert, she would add raisins, almonds and sesame seeds, and she sells a medium-sized container of it at RM14. – BERNAMA
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