Monday, August 6, 2012

Bubur India (Gujarat Porridge), A Typical Ramadan Dish of Semarang

There are so many ways to celebrate Ramadan, and it can be even different from one place to other ones. It includes the specific dish which is only served during the blessing Ramadan. One of them is porridge… Various porridges are served in particular mosques in Indonesia (and other countries). For example bubur hitam Melayu (black Malay porridge) in Medan (North Sumatra), bubur samin (butter fat based porridge) in Surakarta (Central Java), bubur arab (Arabic porridge) in Tuban (East Java), and also bubur India or in another name bubur Gujarat (Gujarati Porridge) in Semarang (Central Java).


Semarang has become a strategic port for centuries, attracted many nationalities to come and settle in the city which is famous of its haunted building named Lawang Sewu. Chinese, Arabs, Javanese, Malays, Gujaratis and others. They also built their own settlements from Pecinan (Chinatown), Kampong Melayu (now called Dadapsari), and Pekojan (from the word Koja). One of them is Pekojan settlement which located eastwards of Pasar Johar and Pecinan (Chinatown). There is a mosque called Masjid Jami Pekojan (Pekojan Grand Mosque) located in Jalan Petolongan. Masjid Jami Petolongan is one of the oldest mosques in Semarang. The original inhabitants around the mosque are Gujarati and Arab descendants, they are called Koja and the village were named after them…pekojan. The mosque is famous of its tradition during Ramadan month. What is it? Its typical Ramadan dish! If you visit to Semarang during the holy month, you can come to the mosque where it serves daily its distinctive porridge called bubur India or bubur Gujarat (but most people are familiar to call it bubur India). The mosque prepares hundred kilos of rice, spices and other ingredients for making the porridge. It is usually cooked hours before the iftar (breaking fast) in big pan and mix it slowly well into an integrated combination.

The person in charge pours the hot porridge into many bowls and then bowls are placed in rows out of mosque main room. Afterwards, plastic glasses are placed next to the bowls. Filled in with chocolate milk, then, one slice of watermelon, one plastic of dates, and sometimes orange. Usually at 4 pm, the porridge has already been served. There is almost no queue like other places, people come especially at 5 pm… 43 minutes before iftar starts. Prior to that, there is a sermon given by local ulama and the theme is always about Ramadan. The sermon generally lasts for 30 minutes and when it ends, all people go to the terrace of mosque, sit in front of the bowls.
While waiting for, the ulama recites prays and the people follow. When the praying call starts, all eat the porridge as part of iftar or breaking fast. The bubur India here taste mild, as the spices are not as strong as its ancestor. As far as I know, it uses galangal, lemongrass, bay leaf, meat broth, coconut milk and other more). Mild, savoury and it is usually topped with local side dish and changed in daily basis . One day it can be served with sayur lodeh (vegetable soup in coconut milk), another day with gulai kambing (goat curry soup) or sambal goreng tempe (tempeh fried sambal), depends on the available ingredients. But it is quite able to full your hungry belly even more as you also have dates, watermelon slice and chocolate milk. What a perfect iftar!

It is obviously typical annual tradition, and when you visit or pass through Semarang in Ramadan, you must come and taste by yourself. For Non-Muslims, you may come but dress properly according to the rules, at least wear longer ones.

One more, the porridge is free of charge!

How to get there?
From Simpang Lima you can take public transportation to Pasar Johar, (Pasar Johar-Simpang Lima-Kedung Mundu). Take it opposite of Ibis Hotel or in front of Baiturrahman Mosque (IDR 2,500) and stop into Pasar Johar. You may choose to go by Becak or just walk. From Pasar Johar, walk eastwards until you find an almost empty Plaza Semarang and an intersection. From the intersection, just turn right and walk along Jalan Pekojan until you find a toy store board on the left, turn left and you enter Jalan Petolongan where the mosque located.
It should be better during Ramadan you come at 5 pm, as the porridge has been available and eat it after praying call for Maghrib.
Remember! The porridge is only available during Ramadan. When you travel to Semarang after Ramadan, wait for next year. 




Bambang Priantono
7 August/Ramadan/Pasa 2011/1432/1944
Semarang

No comments:

Post a Comment