Ketupat

"Ibu! Dah nak hari raya ke?", teriak Hafiz yang mengintai dari tingkap rumah.

He must have seen the daun kelapa that I carried, and co-related them with ketupat for hari raya. Good association. "Ha'ah!" Ibu jawab selamba. Ayah smiled, proud of Hafiz 'self discovery' progress.

The daun kelapa only cost us RM4.50 for 50pcs. Reasonable. But that was just the raw material. Total cost towards finished products was much higher :

Pre-production training & technical jargons clarification among siblings:
1. Daun ketupat
Hafiz : "Ni daun apa ibu?"
Abang Idin : "Let me guess, daun kobis?"
(KOBIS ??@%#!! I was speechless! )

2. Isi ketupat
Hafiz : "Boleh tak kita isi udang dalam ketupat?"
Abang Idin : "Kah!Kah!Kah! You no-brainer you!"
(Eleh...as if 'daun kobis' was such a brainy answer?)

3. And the answer is ....
Abang Idin : "You mean, coconut leaves?"
Hafiz: "Bukanlah, ibu kata daun KE-LA-PA!"
Ameer: "Bukanlah, ibu kata daun KE-PA-LA!"
(Alahai.... lebih baik ambik orang Myanmar jadi helpers)

Labour cost (unquantifiable):
1. Tukang anyam ketupat (Ibu)
2. Tukang lap daun dengan kain basah (Abang Idin)
3. Tukang menyepahkan lidi yang separated from daun (Hafiz)
4. Tukang bawak lari daun yang dah siap di lap (Ameer)

Entertainment cost (conducive work environment is vital...):
1. Disney, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon channels actual airtime (unfortunate for tukang anyam but essential for the other tukangs)
2. Tukang berdengkur kat sofa (Ayah). Hmm...penatnya drive ke pasar!
3. Tukang sorok Astro remote controller (Hafiz) so that Ibu couldn't switch channels

Subsistence provision:
1. Susu berulang kali(Ameer & Hafiz)
2. Chocolate ice cream (Abang Idin) as upah lap daun, but self service
3. Teh O (Ibu)- separuh mug ajer sebab Ameer dah langgar & tumpahkan

Factor in these productivity adverse disturbances:
1. Ibu turun naik tangga untuk buat susu Ameer & Hafiz berulang kali
2. Ameer acting as QC inspector, loosening a few ketupat yang dah siap on the pretense of "nak check ni siap ke tak?!"
3. Abang Idin & Hafiz squabbling over which channels to stay tune to
4. Ayah's snorring - definitely not music to my ears
5. Time out for
a. Ameer nak pegi toilet
b. Ibu nak pegi toilet
c. Ibu kena lap Teh O tumpah
d. Ibu kena kutip balik daun kelapa yang Ameer bawak lari

Safety precaution (read: ibu shouted):
" Lidi kelapa bukan Light Saber! Jgn buat pedang! Nanti tercucuk mata! "

Total production time :
5 hours for 50 pcs (EXCLUDING isi beras dalam ketupat - I can't finish this entry if I were to include that episode).

So, there you go my boys! The ketupat fear factor challenge that Ibu has learned to conquer. The adrenalin kick was unbelievable!

Nevertheless, it's all worth every effort, sweat & tears.


I know I'm not a good cook. In fact, I am a lousy cook! The rendang your Ibu can prepare is next to nothing compared to those served by other godly moms out there. But if there is one thing about hari raya that I hope you boys would remember is that this Ibu of yours would make sure, with God's willing, to serve all you 4 boys (including Ayah) fresh, home-made, original traditional style, personally weaved, ketupat daun kelapa - di pagi hari raya.

Satu pengorbanan jugak tu kiranya.

Selamat Hari Raya Qurban anak-anak ku...

Wassalam,
Ibu