Nani Maslina Sulaiman Najidi decided to learn to make kuih bakul in 2017, after her husband wanted to know what the sweet, sticky glutinous rice cake tasted like. She learnt the ropes herself by watching videos on the internet.

Speaking with Bernama recently, Nani Maslina – or Kak Nani, as she is fondly known – shared that there is always high demand during the festive season.

“Making it is not easy as it requires up to 24 hours of cooking, followed by three days of drying the banana leaves to ensure the kuih doesn’t get mouldy. This requires a lot of patience. Thankfully, it has become easier after several years of having done this,” she said.

The 50-year-old mother of four receives orders for over 1,200 pieces of kuih bakul every Chinese New Year, with each 300g piece priced at RM15 and wrapped in banana leaves. She also sells the kuih in paper cups, priced at RM11.

Kak Nani said most of her Chinese customers buy her kuih bakul as gifts or to serve to visitors during open houses. This includes their Muslim friends, which creates a harmonious atmosphere and strengthens unity among different ethnic groups.

“The feedback from customers has been very positive,” she shared, adding that she once received an order from a son who wished to fulfil his father’s final wishes to enjoy kuih bakul as he was battling stage-four cancer.

She sells her products on social media under the handle MyHana SugarCrush. To ensure the quality and freshness of her kuih, Kak Nani uses vacuum packaging for deliveries outside of Perlis. She noted, however, that issues such as delays could still lead to the kuih being damaged.

She is also willing to share her kuih-making knowledge and skills with younger generations who are interested in learning to make this Chinese delicacy.

For more information, follow Kak Nani on Facebook and Instagram, or contact 0111-057 9769.