From India to Malaysia: The simple pleasures of banana leaf rice

From its humble beginnings among Indian migrants, the banana leaf rice has earned a special place as a local favourite. – The Malaysian Insider pic, August 13, 2015.Brickfields is a bustling hive of activity but on one of its quieter roads sits Vishal Food and Catering, a humble little restaurant dishing up a South Indian favourite, which has in turn become one of Malaysians' go-to comfort foods, the humble banana leaf rice.

Styled like a mess hall, Vishal almost feels like you're dining back to the old days when Indian labourers first migrated to Malaysia, bringing with them the concept of banana leaf rice.

What is it?

As its name suggests, banana leaf rice is served on large banana leaves with a selection of vegetable sides, parboiled rice, a mix of curries or dhal and papadom (deep-fried flour chips). Rasam, a tamarind-based soup, is commonly served along with the dish.

The use of the banana leaf isn't just a mere gimmick. They've had a long history of use in India for a number of reasons.

“It's more hygienic, so once they use, they throw it away,” Vishal's owner, Susila Vaaripan, said.

It was also a readily available resource in India plus the size of the leaf also made it easy to lay out all the varied components of the banana leaf rice while adding aroma to the dish.

Susila said that each banana leaf rice must have four types of vegetables: poriel (dry), kottu (wet, often mixed with dhal), masala (spicy) and raita (made with yogurt). The different tastes and textures add to the harmony of flavours.

The components of the basic banana leaf rice at Vishal.How do you eat it?

While most of us have no qualms digging into a heap of rice flooded with various curries, Susila says that the traditional way of eating is to portion the rice to have with different gravies.

“First they take dhal, second they take curry, third they take the rasam, fourth they take the butter milk.

“This is the traditional way (of eating),” she said.

“Nowadays they simplify everything, they put all the curries on the rice and then they eat.”

A pinch of salt and pickles are also served with the dish, although it's a less common sight.

The salt lets diners adjust the saltiness of the curries to their taste while both the salt and pickles are mixed in with the butter milk and rice combo to finish off the meal.

A traditional grinding stone, the ammi is used to grind the spices for various dishes.Soaring popularity of banana leaf rice

But just why is banana leaf rice so popular that it has earned a place as one of Malaysia's many staples?

For Megan Leong, a food writer at review site hungrygowhere.my who says banana leaf rice as her favourite dish, it's because of its multitude of flavours and versatility.

“I think it's popular among Malaysians mainly for the amount of flavours it has in the spices and seasoning used to make the dishes that come with it.

“You can also have it completely vegetarian if you want, which gives people plenty of options to customise what they want to eat.”

Another banana leaf rice entrepreneur, Vijaya Kumar of Sri Ganapathi Mess in PJ Old Town, said the mix of flavours in one banana leaf rice meal are inimitable, making it a truly unique dish.

“The taste is different from other food. There's just nothing else like it,” he said.

Formerly a police detective, it had always been Kumar's intention to open a restaurant. He finally quit his job and opened Sri Ganapathi Mess 13 years ago and it has been thriving since.

“It's the home-cooked feel. That's why people like to come and eat here.”

Kumar's own mother-in-law is in charge of the cooking.

Past, present and beyond

From its humble beginnings as a familiar cuisine for Malaysia's first Indian migrants, banana leaf rice has come to earn a special place as a local favourite.

With big names like Nirwana, Devi's Corner and Fierce Curry House in Bangsar alone, to the ever popular Kanna Curry House in Section 17 and numerous restaurants in Brickfields, banana leaf rice is very easily accessible in the Klang Valley.

The once-humble dish has now even gone up-scale at places like Taj Garden, where you can enjoy your banana leaf rice in classy surroundings without the noisy crowds and tropical heat beating down on you.

You'll even find it in the unlikeliest of places, tucked away in the University of Malaya Academic Club or housed in Chinese coffeeshop, Yap Kee, in Klang.

Banana leaf rice has certainly sealed its place in many Malaysians' hearts and bellies as a truly Malaysian dish, catering to people of different tastes and fancies. – August 13, 2015.