KOTA BHARU:The fragrant smell of glutinous rice combined with the aroma of palas leaves fills the room. In her small kitchen, as ketupat seller Zainun Ibrahim deftly folds, fills and ties, she shares that she is no longer accepting orders for the must-have Aidilfitri dish.

According to her, more than 3,000 ketupat have been ordered since the start of Ramadan. If she accepts more orders, she fears she won’t be able to complete them in time.

Each sheet of palas leaves doesn’t just wrap the glutinous rice; it tells of the tradition the 44-year-old inherited from her mother, Salmah Ismail, 62.

“My mother, my eldest daughter Nur Salmi Atirah Zulmuni and I work hand in hand to fulfil orders; we are a united team continuing our family legacy,” she told Bernama recently.

“Orders pour in every Ramadan, with some customers booking early, afraid of us running out. For them, ketupat palas is not just food – it is a symbol of the true joy of Aidilfitri.”

And it’s not just local residents: Zainun’s ketupat has crossed Kelantan borders, with customers coming from afar.

Some prefer the rich coconut milk ketupat, while others choose the sweet variety that brings back childhood memories. Still others opt for peanut-filled ketupat, or the spicy serunding option that tempts the palate with its fragrant aroma.

“Together, we can prepare about 4kg of ketupat in four hours. It may look easy, but if the folds are not done neatly, the ketupat can open up while being boiled,” Zainun noted.

She said their ketupat, sold for between RM1.40 and RM1.60 each, is not just a Raya dish: “It is love, hope, and a narrative that mustn’t disappear.

“I wish for my daughter to continue this tradition, so that every weave of the palas leaf continues to hold stories and remains a part of Aidilfitri.”