Many of the younger generation are certainly not familiar with the traditional snack savoured by the Javanese community and known as kuih gandos, and there are not many people left who can prepare the snack albeit the traditional way.
Therefore, the baking demonstration of the glutinous rice snack has become one of the attractions and activities of Kembara Mahkota Johor 2023 (KMJ) and was presented to the Tunku Mahkota of Johor, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, who led the royal tour for the first time.
According to chef Md Jamil Madran, 70, he also hoped that the younger generation will be able to succeed him and cook the menu that has been handed down for generations among the Javanese community. He said that to make kuih gandos, a special mould made of copper was needed, as well as ingredients such as coconut water, wheat or rice flour, grated coconut and water before cooking it with charcoal.
“My wish is to present the dish to the Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim Almarhum Sultan Iskandar. I am proud that it was in the menu on the table at Tunku Ismail’s meal,” he said today.
Md Jamil was met by reporters when the KMJ 2023 stopped by at the Penghlu Mukim Ayer Hitam complex near here while the royal entourage also spent some time with the residents.
“At first, I was not interested in cooking kuih gandos but after seeing the over 90-year-old copper mould that was not used, I tried to prepare it with my wife Misrupah Buhari, 63, and never thought it would succeed.
“When there is a particular event or festival in the Ayer Hitam area, there is only one order for the cake, either for breakfast or afternoon tea,” he said.
Meanwhile, Md Jamil’s daughter, Fadzilatulhusna, 42, said she plans to make Kuih gandos popular again by giving it a new name, ‘Takoyaki Jawa’, as an attraction.
Source: BERNAMA News Agency