Getting To Know Kanji Rumbi's Tradition Of Opening Menu In Kuta Alam Banda Aceh

Residents of Gampong Beurawe cook canji porridge in big dimensions which will be distributed to the public as a iftar menu, in Banda Aceh, Thursday (14/3/2024). (Doc. ANTARA)

BANDA ACEH - There is a unique tradition every holy month of Ramadan, at the Al-Furqan Gampong Beurawe mosque, Kuta Alam District, Banda Aceh. This mosque has a unique tradition of distributing rumbi Kanji, which is typical of Aceh's spice-rich porridge as a breaking the fast menu.

"Every time you enter the fasting month, it is characteristic here to cook the rumbi kanji because it is a tradition of decreasing," said Al-Furqan Mosque Prosperity Agency (BKM) Manager Muhammad Al Kausar, in Banda Aceh, Friday.

Since 28 years ago, every day in the holy month of Ramadan, the administrators of the Al-Furqan Mosque have cooked two large mats of kanji porridge, the contents of which are sufficient to be distributed to 200 people.

Al Kausar explained, as reported by ANTARA, Saturday, March 16, the distribution of rumbi kanji at the mosque was first initiated by a cleric from India, Ustadz Said Yusuf Assegaf in 1996. He introduced the cannabis kanji to become a legacy that has been carried out for generations in Gampong Beurawe.

He conveyed that the tradition was warmly welcomed by the gampong community so that many of them used their money to buy the materials needed to make culinary delights known to have existed since the 16th century when the Aceh Sultanate was victorious.

Kausar said that one large scenario of making kanji porridge requires a fee of Rp800 thousand, so that every day it costs Rp1.6 million for two people.

"Alhamdulillah, there have been around 30 people who want to donate money to buy the spices needed. On average, they contribute from Rp. 400 to Rp. 800 thousand," he said.

Not only that, he said, the people of Gampong Beurawe are also trying to continue to maintain this tradition so that it does not become eroded by the times. The gampong party heirs this culture to the younger generation.

"That's why we continue to try to find donors so that we can continue to hold this tradition. Then, we also invite gampong youths to participate in observing so that later they can protect the kitchen staff who mix spices," he said.

The tradition of distributing kaji rumbi porridge is not only felt by residents of Gampong Beurawe, but also felt by many people around Banda Aceh City to Aceh Besar.

On this occasion, a resident from Pidie Jaya who has lived in Gampong Beurawe since 2010, Nurbaiti, admitted that he had never been absent during his time in line for Kanji porridge at the Al-Furqan Mosque.

"Since living here, every Ramadan always takes the kanji here because it feels good. It's different from the kanji that is distributed elsewhere," he said.

In addition to taste, the mother of two also said that she had felt the benefits of eating the spice-rich porridge for health so that she never missed breaking the fast.

"If I open with other foods, it feels like the body is still weak, maybe because it uses a supplier, but if you break the fast with the fresh rumbi kanji, your body will sweat because of the spice content," concluded Nurbaiti.