A Taste Of South India In Penang For Ramadan

By THARCHAYENI SUBBAROW GEORGE TOWN (Penang, Malaysia), Aug 2 (Bernama) -- Walking under the scorching heat of the sun can be quite hectic, however, for people crossing the streets of Little India here, they are hardly aware of it as they are more interested in looking around the shops lining the streets. Little India is a place where the majority of the people are Malaysians of Indian ethnicity. It’s an area that has a lot of shops selling things mainly imported from India - from clothing, gold jewellery, Indian food, groceries and music. The public is spoilt for choice as there are plenty of shops selling bejewelled Indian attires which are imported from India and sold here at a reasonable price not to mention the sizzling delicacies that are available at every cafe. While experiencing the Indian charm, the people are also exposed to the Indian Muslim community in Little India. As Aidilfitri is just around the corner, it has added sparkle and excitement to the festive atmosphere. There are countless Indian Muslims who own businesses that vary from restaurants, garment shops to wholesale outlets. One, Mohammad Meera Sahib (M) Sdn Bhd, is a notable wholesaler and retailer of high quality spices, herbs and dates in Malaysia. “Ramadan season is when we anticipate the crowd to double or even triple. Dates and spices are in demand during this festive season,” said the owner, Mohammad Meera Sahib. Another famed retailer, Yusuf Taiyoob, who is the distributor of dried fruits, nuts, spices and dates, reported having a relatively slow business compared to last year. Other than wholesale products, Muslims here also offer an exceptional variety of irresistible delicacies. After all, this northern state of Penang is renowned nationwide for its nasi kandar (rice served with spicy dishes), not to mention the Indian Muslim fare of rice served with various mouth-watering dishes. One such place that delights folk with their delicious dishes is the Dawood Restaurant at Queen Street here which is famed for its spicy and exotic curries since the 1940s. “We have managed to uphold the name of this restaurant for more than seven decades because unlike most of the other restaurants, we tend to always try to improve the quality of the food to suit the taste buds and appetite of our customers. “Nonetheless, the business has been slightly slow compared to last year. We presume it’s because of the stiff competition we receive from other eateries,” said the manager, Syed Aliya Syed Dawood. -- BERNAMA