Lemang (Rice bamboo) as a representative of typical Malay food in Indonesia

Traditional food as foods typical of the region is one of the cultural elements in various regions of Indonesia. The food is very closely related to customs, indicating that it is very characteristic of each region and ethnicity. Indonesia consists of various ethnic groups. Ethnic Malay is one of the dominant tribe in Indonesia. Malay is spread throughout Indonesia, especially in Sumatra and Borneo. Malay has influenced Indonesia's culture in terms of food. Lemang is a traditional Malay delicacy, which has become a part of Indonesia's culture. Several regions in Indonesia use lemang for traditional ceremonies, such as Bengkulu, Jambi, West Sumatra, North Sumatra, and South Borneo. Each region has a different variation, function, and manner of presentation of lemang but same method of cooking. Local residents use the traditional method to cook lemang using open fire. This method has been passed down from ancestors and has a social value. Cooking lemang by the traditional method involves family members and neighbors so that it can improve kinship. By using the traditional method, local residents can reduce the operational cost. However, the traditional method needs longer cooking time and the quality of products is not uniform due to difficulty in controlling heat. Therefore, researchers have developed new methods of cooking lemang to get uniform quality and to reduce the cooking time. The new methods involve the use of lemang oven and stainless steel mold. Cooking lemang in an oven and replacing bamboo stalk with stainless steel mold can reportedly reduce the cooking time with the same quality as that obtained using the traditional method.