Peace Porridge
Fonterra employees in Malaysia dish out bubur lambuk, a traditional goodwill porridge with a hearty dose of our dairy to vulnerable households, in the lead up to Hari Raya Aidilfitri (Eid Ul Fitr).
A twenty-minute drive from the Fonterra office in Malaysia, lies the Bukit Lanchung village, home to a sizeable community of low-income families also known as the B40s, Malaysia’s lowest income earners.
Fonterra Malaysia and long-standing community partner, Yayasan Food Bank Malaysia (YFBM) hosted a community evening at the local mosque, preparing and dishing out 700 packs of traditional bubur lambuk (a spiced rice porridge) to families, alongside cartons of Fernleaf Protein+ for good measure.
To bring a little cheer to residents in the holy month of Ramadan, Fonterra Malaysia and long-standing community partner, Yayasan Food Bank Malaysia (YFBM) hosted a community evening at the local mosque, preparing and dishing out 700 packs of traditional bubur lambuk (a spiced rice porridge) to families, alongside cartons of Fernleaf Protein+ for good measure.
Bubur lambuk is a dish that can be literally translated as scattered porridge, referred to as such as it is made by scattering ingredients into a single pot – rice, aromatics, spices, coconut milk, meat and pandan, a fragrant native herb.
Keen to make one? Click here for the recipe.
During Ramadan, it’s common to see the communal cooking of this humble porridge in large pots, prepared and distributed to the community for the breaking of fast.
Johan Halid, CEO of the foodbank said when family budgets are tight, essential, nutritious food becomes the casualty, as people turn to cheaper, unhealthier options to feed their families.
“Nowhere is this more evident than in B40 communities and often, the most affected are children” he said.
The food bank already partners on the annual Eat Well with Fonterra program to give both a hand up and a handout through dairy product sponsorships and nutrition education.
“We know our New Zealand dairy, grass-fed, nutritious and produced with care, is the finest dairy in the world, and hey, if we could, we’d add it to everything. Dairy naturally makes for a healthier, nutritious alternative, a creamy flavour, and helps extend the shelf life of the porridge"
Megawati Suzari who heads New Product Development, Scientific & Regulatory Affairs for Malaysia and Singapore said that for Muslims around the world, Ramadan was a time of self-reflection, good deeds and care for others. “The best meals are the often the ones that are shared, and this holds even truer in the holy month of Ramadan, a time for giving.
“We know our New Zealand dairy, grass-fed, nutritious and produced with care, is the finest dairy in the world, and hey, if we could, we’d add it to everything,” she said. While traditionally made with coconut milk, the team at Fonterra took the opportunity to infuse the porridge with Fernleaf – Malaysia’s favourite family milk.
“Dairy naturally makes for a healthier, nutritious alternative, a creamy flavour, and helps extend the shelf life of the porridge,” she said during the event last week.
The community event was led by employee volunteers from Fonterra and the food bank lending a hand to cook, pack, and distribute the Ramadan care packs to the residents – another great Good Together effort of caring for our community.