Malaysia’s Eid favourite: ‘Lemang Kijal’ flies off the shelves

KUALA TERENGGANU, Malaysia (MNTV) – As Eid approaches, the small town of Kijal in Malaysia’s Terengganu state is witnessing a frenzy for lemang—a traditional dish of glutinous rice and coconut milk cooked in bamboo.

Popularly known as “lemang Kijal”, vendors in this Terengganu town located in the Kemaman district see brisk business from locals as well as customers from as far away as Pahang and Kuala Lumpur, Free Malaysia Today reports.

Nurul Nabilah Hashnan, 29, a local lemang seller, says she sells around 150 sticks on an average day. But in the days leading up to Aidilfitri, that number soars to 1,000.

“One or two days before Raya (Eid), sales will skyrocket, and our stall will be open from morning to night,” she says.

This seasonal boom is a crucial source of income for vendors like Nurul, who has taken over the family business from her mother-in-law, Atikah Salleh, who has been making lemang for over four decades.

However, soaring prices of coconut milk—a key ingredient—are squeezing profits. Atikah, 78, insists on maintaining the dish’s authenticity despite rising costs. “Diluting the coconut milk would change the taste. Customers would notice and not return,” she says.

The price of lemang Kijal now ranges from 5 to 20 Malaysian ringgit ($1.17–$4.56) per stick, depending on size, as vendors adjust to rising costs. Yet, customers remain loyal to this much-loved delicacy, with some travelling from as far as Kuala Lumpur and Pahang to get their festive fix.

For many Malaysians, no Eid celebration is complete without lemang—a taste of tradition wrapped in bamboo.

Another vendor, Azman Abdul Wahab, says during Ramadan, he sells 200 sticks of lemang by 2-3pm, compared with 6pm usually.