Lemang is an Indonesiantraditional food that made from glutinous rice, coconut milk and salt, it is cooked in a bamboo stick with banana leaves in order to prevent the rice from sticking to the bamboo. It is commonly found in Maritime Southeast Asian countries, especially Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia and Singapore. The Minahasan version of this dish is known as Nasi Jaha, which is cooked in the same method. The food is also eaten throughout Mainland Southeast Asia. The bamboo contains glutinous rice, salt and coconut milk that is placed onto a slanted position besides a small fire with the opening facing upwards. It should be turned regularly in order to ensure the rice inside the bamboo is cooked evenly. The cooking process takes about 4–5 hours. Lemang is commonly eaten to mark the end of daily fasting during the annual Muslim holidays of Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha, Lemang is popular in countries such as Brunei, and originated from Malaysia. The cooking method using a bamboo container is common among several ethnicities including Minang, Malay, Minahasa, Dayak and Orang Asli tribes. Iban people usually prepare lemang for celebrations such as the harvest festival of Hari Gawai, lemang is usually eaten with meat dishes such as chicken curry. The cooking process used in making lemang for many different meats, also known as "pansoh/pansuh" by indigenous Dayak communities.
History and origin
Lemang or Lamang is a traditional food which consists of lemang and glutinous rice or tapai that are used in various traditional ceremonies of Minangkabau, mainly in West Sumatra, Indonesia. However, lemang are also known as traditional foods of other tribes or regions in Southeast Asia, and their cooking method is still very ancient and depends on the state of nature. These two points show that lemang can be used as historical evidence for ancient human life in Southeast Asia, which is Proto-Malay and Deutero-Malay. Minang people believe that cooking technique of lemang was first introduced by Sheikh Burhanuddin. Lemang is incomplete if it is not eaten together with tapai, so they are likened to a man and a woman by Minang people. Lemang itself describes the togetherness of Minang people because its making process is always done together. There are several taboos that must be obeyed in making lemang and tapai. Lemang are also used as gifts when visiting other people’s homes, for example, when visiting in-laws or manjapuik marapulai ceremony. However, there is no symbolic meaning behind the obligatory existence of lemang at traditional ceremonies. On the other hand, lemang and tapai are famous for their unique taste produced by the chemical components in their ingredients. In this article, the origin of lemang and tapai, the philosophy and presentation of lemang in the traditions of the Minangkabau people, and the flavor features of lemang and tapai from a scientific perspective are discussed.
