Ramadan Bazaar @ Butterworth, Penang

As the month of Ramadan enter its third week, many have started preparing for Hari Raya by shopping at the bazaars. I've always look forward to Ramadan as this is the only time when traditional Malay delicacies and sweet delights are sold in abundance.

Multiple stalls are operated nationwide at the side of the busy main road selling anything under one roof.

There are over 100 stalls here selling not only tasty delights but also traditional outfits such as songket, songkok, baju Melayu, shoes, scarfs and accessories


Many food stalls were set up as early as 4.00pm and the place is usually congested at 5p.m. after office hours. Just about anything is sold here, from fried and honey-barbequed chicken to chicken rice of various types, fried and soupy noodles, the provincial nasi dagang, satay, murtabak, otak-otak and various kuih as well as colourful drinks.

Everything looked so interesting and some temptations were just impossible to resist. With its pungent aroma, my knees got all wobbly and I couldn't resist buying some of my favourite delights at the bazaar.

The colourful spread of kuih looks enticing.

Many delightful arrays of homemade kuih were sold which are seldom seen on normal days. Kuih stalls are usually the first thing people make a beeline for and normally the first to finish.



For rice dish, the famous ones include Nasi Ayam Berempah, Nasi Kerabu, Nasi Minyak, Nasi Campur and Nasi Dagang.

a wide variety of scrumptious looking curries and sambal



These Murtabak, crepes stuffed with egg, chicken/beef/mutton and onions is another lip smacking affair in the bazaar.

The taste of the otak-otak is completely out of this world and I usually buy them in bulk. It is a fish based food made by mixing fish paste, usually mackerel with a mixture of hot spices including chillies, garlic, shallots, turmeric, lemon grass and coconut milk. The mixture is then wrapped in a banana leaf, grilled over a charcoal fire.

variety of exotic drinks to quench your thirst

I've been frantically eating lots of these yummy delicacies over the past few weeks. I wonder what my cholesterol level reads today.

First Commenter - Mariuca