TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A group of young men of Desa Meunasah Krueng, Ingin Jaya Subdistrict, Aceh Besar were seen busy cooking a traditional meal called kuah beulangong at the village’s meunasah (small mosquue). Some were preparing the furnace while some others chopping out the beef.
“This is our tradition. In Ramadan, we cook kuah beulangong to be eaten together with the residents and guests at the meunasah,” said the group leader Marzuki on Saturday, July 11.
“This symbolize that we have completed the Al-Quran recital that were performed during Ramadan.”
According to Marzuki, the old tradition of feasting on kuah belangong in the end of Ramadan reflects togetherness in the neighborhood.
Bang Agam, the cook, said the dish has particular taste because it is cooked inside a giant pan. The dish consists of diced beef or lamb, young jackfruit or banana, and spiced up with sauteed coconut, chili pepper, dried chili, garlic, ginger, turmeric, candlenut, and galangal.
By the afternoon before entering Asar prayer time, the kuah beulangong was ready to serve. Hundreds of people brought food containers to the meunasah to have some of the dish for iftar. The rest of the dish is eaten together at the meunasah.
Not only performed in the last days of the month, the tradition also performed in special events such as religious holidays.
ADI WARSIDI
