Back in the good oldie days, most citizens of Brunei would visit other countries by ship. During those long voyages, it was a necessity to preserve food for as long as possible. The tradition of wrapping rice in triangles of palm leaves and hanging them in the open air is thought to have originated from those journeys.

Nowadays, this hallmark Malay dish is still made from plain rice but rhombus shaped, intricately shaped woven coconut or palm leaves. Once cooked, the leaves are cut open. In fragrant ketupat, the rice tastes better than plain rice. It is usually eaten with rendang as a dip.

You’ll see this dish a lot more during the month of Ramadan, when Muslims break their fast, or at Malay weddings.

Web editor: Wang Xiaoxuan

Reviewer1: Zhang Yanlan

Reviewer 2: Pang Bo

Reviewer3:Tang Caihong