Traditional Dodol Ready to Eat (500g) by Diyana Global

Dodol, the nostalgic and evergreen Malay traditional delicacy, has been listed as one of the endangered heritage foods in Malaysia.

Better known as penganan by the Negri Sembilan community is a Hari Raya staple food, often served to family members, friends and guests.

Making the chewy and caramel-like sweet Malay traditional treat requires strength, consistency and a high degree of patience. It is no easy task as it requires meticulous and rigorous methods, and takes almost ten hours to cook.

Furthermore, the cooking process needs a special skill in controlling the heat, using a stirring and manual mixing technique and is cooked using a huge wok. It is traditionally cooked over firewood that will produce a special smoky aroma that creates a nostalgic and distinct flavour of dodol.

Beginning with a watery texture, the mixture has to be gently and continuously stirred until thickened. The process of stirring the mixture to get the dodol to just the right consistency is a test of patience for the ‘stirrer’ who would pass the baton to another, amid the blazing sun and burning firewood.