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'Burasa' an Idul Fitri treat for Bugis community in Makassar
For the Bugis Muslim community in Makassar, South Sulawesi, Idul Fitri would not be complete without the burasa, or buras rice cake
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For the Bugis Muslim community in Makassar, South Sulawesi, Idul Fitri would not be complete without the burasa, or buras rice cake.
This essential holiday dish is similar to the ketupat (rice steamed in coconut leaves) eaten by the Betawi community in Jakarta.
Burasa, which is made from rice and cooked in coconut milk, is usually served with beef and chicken dishes. The preparation process is quite complicated as it must be cooked twice.
First, the rice is cooked in heavy coconut milk with a pinch of salt. After the rice has absorbed all the coconut milk, it is wrapped in banana leaves in rectangular blocks, tied to a similar package and boiled for another four hours.
Burasa is tasty when served with beef or fish, whether fried or cooked in gravy, but in Makassar it is usually eaten with the traditional ayam nasu lekku, or chicken cooked in coconut milk and ground galangal. It is simmered until oil forms on the surface. Burasa is also good served with instant noodles.
During the celebration, it is usually served with another special Bugis dish called tumbu'. Tumbu' is made of glutinous rice and goes through a similar cooking process as burasa.
Tumbu' is most often eaten with the tapai fermented rice or palopo, a traditional cake made of palm sugar and cooked in coconut milk and eggs until it thickens. Sometimes durian is added to enhance the flavor. It can also be eaten with side dishes.
As the tumbu' and burasa can last for up to three days, local travelers making trips bring food packs along on their journey and eat them accompanied by ayam nasu lekku.
But now members of the Bugis community no longer need wait for Idul Fitri to enjoy the food that has been handed down through the generations because it is now readily available in several traditional markets in Makassar, usually sold together with ketupat.
Customers eating at any one of a number of restaurants and food stalls selling the local coto soup and meatballs can eat these favorites with either burasa or ketupat.
Burasa is now one of the gifts visitors hope to bring home from Makassar, especially those residing outside South Sulawesi.
It is also one way to make a living for a number of Makassar residents, such as Rajeng, 49, and Daeng Puji, 32, who come from Bulukumba regency.
They have been selling burasa and tumbu' in the Terong market in Makassar for the past five years.
Each sells around 500 packs of burasa and tumbu' daily. They also sell the packs to food stalls and supermarkets in Makassar.
Rajeng and Puji also receive orders from hotels and big restaurants as well as for special occasions, such as wedding receptions.
"I also receive orders from people saying the food will be served at official government functions in Jakarta," Rajeng said.
Orders for burasa usually increase sharply -- even double -- in the days around Idul Fitri.
Four of Rajeng's daughters help her make burasa, but nevertheless, she is often overwhelmed by orders and worried she will not be able to meet them.
Unlike Rajeng, Puji works alone to make burasa because her four children are still young; she is thus unable to accept many orders even though now is the time to reap more profits.
People are likely drawn to the burasa sold by Rajeng and Puji because of its delicious, homemade taste.
The price of burasa is relatively low. A small pack costs Rp 500 and a medium one Rp 800 on normal days, but during Idul Fitri the prices rise to Rp 1,000 and Rp 1,500, respectively.
The women usually make a profit of between Rp 50,000 and Rp 80,000 daily -- and twice that amount during Idul Fitri.
The two women have been using the proceeds from sales to support their families since 2003.
They eventually shifted to selling burasa, tumbu' and ketupat after realizing that selling fresh vegetables and other ingredients was less profitable.
Their businesses have prospered and, thanks to their presence, the Bugis community in Makassar can now enjoy the special food throughout the year.
