Bazaars offer grand bargains

Mehru Jaffer, Contributor, Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia has been multicultural for centuries. The evidence of this is best reflected in the country's colorful bazaars, which line every neighborhood throughout the year. The origin of the wares found in these street shops can be traced back to different corners of the world.

But the most popular of all bazaars are those held during the holy month of Ramadhan when pavements everywhere sprout gigantic umbrellas in all the colors of the rainbow. Away from the sweltering heat of the equatorial sun, and under the shade of the multihued canopies, are found piles of clothes, footwear, cosmetics and sweet-smelling perfumes bottled in decanters.

Muslims browse these bazaars all day long for gifts to be showered on each other at Idul Fitri, the festival that celebrates the end of the fasting month of Ramadhan.

The most festive of all areas in Kuala Lumpur these days is Jl. Masjid India where sidewalk artists and petty traders are parked for miles. This is a crowded street opposite a mosque built by Indian immigrants decades ago in an architectural style that is similar to that of the Taj Mahal.

The quaint sights and sounds of the street can only be believed after a visit to this area. Even the smell is different in this part of town as the smoke from incense sticks has mingled for more than a century with the spices, textiles delivered fresh from the factory and the body odor of visitors from different ethnic groups.

It is not unusual to come across a mysterious fortune-teller's stall, which is invariably decorated with numerous charts and intriguing mathematical patterns to find a long queue of clients waiting for their turn to be told their prophecy.

And once they have made sure what the immediate future may have in store for them, Malaysians proceed to pick up snacks for breaking the fast at each sunset from the open air bazaars that display the most aromatic meals to be found anywhere in the world.

Watching Malaysians cook and eat with the gusto that they do, many feel that the capital city of Kuala Lumpur is not just a meeting point of two rivers but of different facets of life itself. Often the city is likened to a rojak, a delicious salad that can contain vegetables, prawns, fish, chilies, fruits and nuts topped with a tangy sauce.

Malaysians learned to eat so well from the diverse crowd of people who have been attracted to the coastal towns along the peninsula since times long forgotten.

It is suspected that there was just rice and fish at first. This simple meal was later moistened with coconut milk. Much later multiple flavors were added and a host of seasonings such as blachan (shrimp paste). Now it is taken for granted that black pepper, ginger, turmeric, shallots, lemon grass and tamarind will be thrown into many a dish in different combinations.

The masters of the art of spice blending are said to be the incredible Nyonya who are not just housewives, as the word in the local language implies, but Malay women married to Chinese husbands. Nyonya are said to have revolutionized not only their kitchen but also that of the entire country. Today, the food cooked by Nyonya is considered to be in a class of its own.