Farrah Diba honours tradition and legacy with her halal kuih bakul

BUKIT MERTAJAM: Nur Farrah Diba Azhar never imagined she would one day be running a successful business selling halal kuih bakul, a traditional delicacy often associated with the Lunar New Year celebrations.

But, like many great stories, hers began with simple steps — moments of trial, strong family bonds and an unwavering commitment to authenticity.

Farrah, 35, grew up remembering the aroma of her grandfather's kuih bakul, a sweet, sticky rice cake made with glutinous rice.

"My mother is of Chinese descent, and every Chinese New Year, my maternal grandfather from China, would prepare the kuih bakul for us. As a young girl, I always looked forward to his kuih bakul.

"There was a year when he could no longer make the kuih bakul and I was craving for it. It was then he told me to come to him to learn the art of making the delicacy.

"That was the turning point where I picked up the skill, and the rest is history."

Farrah now produces between 600 and 800 pieces of kuih bakul daily, all of which sell out within minutes when she goes live on TikTok under the handle Farrah Diba Kuih Bakul. - NSTP/DANIAL SAAD
Farrah now produces between 600 and 800 pieces of kuih bakul daily, all of which sell out within minutes when she goes live on TikTok under the handle Farrah Diba Kuih Bakul. - NSTP/DANIAL SAAD

In 2015, Farrah ventured into business, despite her family's opposition to her leaving her civil servant job.

With no formal training but years of observing her grandfather, she had grasped the essence of making kuih bakul.

Her grandfather passed away in 2020, but his influence remains.

"I have been making and selling halal kuih bakul for the past 10 years and I am happy to be sharing this sweet delicacy with my Muslim customers. All of them love the kuih bakul," she said when met at Farrah Diba Baker at Bandar Perda here today.

She emphasised that no non-halal ingredients were used in the production of her kuih bakul.

Farrah explained that making kuih bakul is no simple task. It requires time — 16 hours of steaming, sometimes up to 48 hours. 

Kuih bakul, like all traditional foods, demands patience.

"When making kuih bakul, you must pour your heart and soul into it. There's no shortcut. The process needs to be respected and followed to the letter," she said.

"I only understood all of this in my fourth year in business," she added, noting that the same principle applied to her 10 staff members.

"The happiness of everyone was essential. If the team was joyful, the kuih bakul would be successful," she said.

Farrah's journey was not without any struggle.

She almost gave up after numerous failed attempts, but she always remembered her grandfather's advice.

"I went back to basics and remembered every step my grandfather taught me, never skipping any and never adopting the attitude of 'doing things just for the sake of it'.

Farrah now produces between 600 and 800 pieces of kuih bakul daily, all of which sell out within minutes when she goes live on TikTok under the handle Farrah Diba Kuih Bakul.

In the past year, she began experimenting with modern methods to preserve the freshness of her kuih bakul, introducing vacuum-packing, which has extended the shelf life of the soft-textured delicacy, and allow her treats to reach a wider audience.

She will soon introduce a durian-flavored kuih bakul.

Despite running a full-fledged operation with plans for a new factory and more staff, Farrah ensures that she remains true to her roots.

Farrah grew up remembering the aroma of her grandfather’s kuih bakul, a sweet, sticky rice cake made with glutinous rice. - NSTP/DANIAL SAAD
Farrah grew up remembering the aroma of her grandfather’s kuih bakul, a sweet, sticky rice cake made with glutinous rice. - NSTP/DANIAL SAAD

"I am not focused on making a profit. There are many do's and don'ts when producing kuih bakul," she said.

"What's important is that I get to share this goodness with many people while ensuring the well-being of my workers and myself."

Her ultimate goal is to preserve the legacy of kuih bakul and pass it on to the younger generation.

Looking to the future, her goal is clear — to honour her heritage, share her craft with the world, and ensure that her kuih bakul is enjoyed for generations to come.

Kuih bakul, also known as nian gao or Chinese New Year's cake, is an auspicious food item traditionally made during the Chinese New Year period.

Having been around for more than 3,000 years, it is believed that eating nian gao can bring good luck.

This is because "nian gao" is a homonym for "higher year," symbolising promotions and prosperity.

Legend has it that the nian gao was created as an offering to the Kitchen God, who would make his yearly report on each family's activities to the Jade Emperor.

To prevent him from bad-mouthing the household, families would serve the Kitchen God nian gao to stick his mouth shut.

Another legend dates back to around 2,500 years ago, when the Wu Kingdom was under siege, trapping its army and citizens inside the city walls with no access to food.

Wu General Zixu had claimed that the foundation of the city walls was made from glutinous rice bricks.

He had said that if the people were ever in trouble, they should dig three feet under.

From this, nian gao was born, and it is now served during Chinese New Year to commemorate General Zixu.

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