IPOH, March 20 —Traditional Indian snacks like muruku and kacang putih are becoming popular Hari Raya gifts, as many Malay customers fall in love with their spicy and savoury flavours.
While Malays continue to make their traditional kuih and festive treats for Hari Raya, muruku and kacang putih have emerged as must-have snacks during the celebrations.
People interviewed by Malay Mail said they chose these Indian tidbits as Raya goodies for visiting relatives, neighbours, and friends because of their unique taste and ease of packing and distributing.
Roshileh Osman, 57, from Lenggong, Gerik, said this was her first time buying kacang putih in Buntong, although she had previously purchased similar snacks in her hometown.
“This is my first time here. We came to Ipoh for a programme with the Perak Menteri Besar’s wife.
“My children work in Ipoh and told us that this is the place where kacang putih originates. So after the programme, we decided to drop by to get muruku and kacang putih,” she said.
Roshileh, who came with friends to shop for the snacks, said treats like muruku have become common among Malay families during Hari Raya, alongside traditional festive kuih.
“Yes, many people want snacks like this. We still have the traditional kuih, but these are something we can enjoy casually.
“These snacks are also popular during Raya because they are easy to serve to guests and can be given as gifts,” she said.
When asked about her favourite snack, Roshileh said she enjoys all the varieties available but favours pagoda, a crunchy and spicy type of kacang putih.
Razak Mansor, 54, from Kampar, said he usually buys kacang putih in bulk for Hari Raya because it is cheaper and convenient to serve to guests.
“When visitors come, we can pack the snacks into small packets or jars and give them as Raya gifts,” he said.
He added that the purchase is also for his family, as his three children and five grandchildren return to their hometown for the festive celebration.
“They particularly enjoy muruku and kacang putih, so it’s a must-have during Raya gatherings,” he said.
Razak also highlighted the practical side of the snacks for travel.
“When they head back after Raya, these snacks are perfect for the trip. If there is a traffic jam on the highway, they can just munch on something without needing to stop at a rest area,” he said.
“It’s a simple snack and contains fewer preservatives compared to many other packaged tidbits,” he added.
For Fadzil Shahrizuni, 36, a driver, buying kacang putih in Buntong has become a festive-season routine, a practice he has maintained for about seven years.
“I’ve been coming here to buy snacks every festive season since I started working in Ipoh, which is about seven years now,” he said.
Fadzil said the snacks are mainly bought to serve guests and family during Hari Raya, while some are specially prepared for his in-laws in Penang.
He typically purchases seven or eight different types of snacks each time, with his favourites being garlic muruku and spicy potato chips, although he noted he did not buy muruku during his latest visit.
Fadzil also observed that many Malays have been buying traditional Indian tidbits during festive seasons, and these snacks have become increasingly common in the community.
Norsyahira Zulkaple, 31, a nurse from Kuala Kangsar, said this was her first time buying kacang putih and muruku in Buntong after learning about it from friends who live nearby.
“They told me this is the place to get snacks at lower prices,” she said, adding that she had previously seen similar snacks served during festive celebrations at friends’ homes.
She noted that traditional Indian snacks such as muruku and kacang putih are now commonly seen during celebrations among Malay families as well.
“We Malays also usually have snacks like this during festive seasons. My favourite is the curry muruku. I buy a lot of varieties at once to serve guests at home and to give to my siblings,” she said, adding that she normally packs the snacks separately before distributing them to her family members.
CTS Kacang Putih director S. Gopinath, 35, said many Malay customers visit the shop, especially ahead of Hari Raya.
“Some buy the snacks in bulk, between 5kg and 10kg, to repack and sell or to serve their guests, while others buy them as buah tangan (gifts) when visiting friends and relatives during Raya, a trend that has become more common in recent years.
“We also have customers who ask us to pack different varieties of kacang putih into goodie bags,” said Gopinath, adding the shop in Buntong has been operating for about 20 years, while his family has been involved in the kacang putih business for four generations.
He said they receive customers coming from all over Malaysia, including those passing through Perak while returning to their hometowns for the festive season.
“They will stop by our shop to buy the snack. Among the popular items among Malays include star muruku, ompudi muruku, and original and spicy fried chips,” he said.
He also said regular customers from outside Perak also place their orders via phone, and the shop will arrange courier delivery.
Meanwhile, Enak & Rangup Kacang Putih shop manager Muhammad Naseer Ahamaed Jalaludeen, 29, said they received more orders lately from companies and government offices that purchase the snacks as Raya gifts or door gifts for events such as buka puasa and open houses.
“We have also prepared ready-made hampers and goodie bags of kacang putih, and these have been in demand lately,” he said.
He said more Malay customers are buying the snacks, and the shop also has international customers, with some products exported overseas.
“We have about 100 varieties of kacang putih, and many Malay customers prefer the spicier ones,” he said.
He said the business started in 1949, while the current shop in Buntong has been operating for about 11 years.
Previously, the business operated from home and through stalls at pasar malam, stadiums and Little India, among other places.
DNS Kacang Puteh Sdn Bhd sales and marketing manager, who only wanted to be known as Sadish, 36, said the trend of buying kacang putih for Hari Raya has existed for about 20 years, but in recent years the snacks have increasingly been given as goodie bags and Raya gifts.
“We notice that about 30 per cent of our customers ask us to pack the kacang putih into small packets so they can share them in goodie bags for guests visiting their homes during Raya,” he said.
He said demand continues to grow every year as Malay customers confidently buy the snacks from their shop after it obtained halal certification.
“The business will usually pick up and become very crowded about a week before Raya,” he said.
He said the shop carries about 86 varities of kacang putih in total and the top five best-sellers among Malay customers are star muruku, ompudi muruku, garlic muruku, pagoda and curry muruku.
Malay Mail – Malaysia
