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| Bubur lambuk |
Last
Tuesday, March 10, in the spirit of the holy, fasting month of Ramadan, the
Embassy of Malaysia in Manila celebrated the tradition of sharing and community
(gotong-royong) during Ramadan by preparing
and sharing the traditional bubur
lambuk at the Malaysian ambassador’s residence (1487 Carissa Street, Dasmariñas
Village, Makati City).
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| Ambassador Dato' Abdul Malik Melvin Castelino |
His Excellency Malaysian Ambassador to the Philippines Dato' Abdul Malik Melvin Castelino hosted
the event which highlights a long-standing tradition where the Malaysian
embassy shares this special dish with friends, government officials, partners,
and the community to promote unity and friendship and foster strong bilateral
relations between Malaysia and the Philippines.
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| Media guests |
According
to the ambassador, “preparing bubur lambuk
is not just about cooking—it is a symbol of community unity. The way bubur lambuk is prepared is a community
affair, where we bring together friends and community members to cook this
delicious porridge and distribute it to our friends, families, and colleagues
in the community.”
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| Chef Amnar Syafig Bin Ayob |
He
added that “activities like this strengthen understanding, respect, and peace
between Malaysia and the Philippines. It is a truly cultural exercise of
bonding, mutual understanding, respect, tolerance, and peaceful co-existence. I
hope that during this month of Ramadan, this spirit of peace, reflection, and
helping the marginalized continues.”
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| Bubur lambuk ingredients |
Bubur
lambuk is a well-known traditional, savory Malaysian rice porridge dish designed
to be nourishing for breaking the fast during the month of Ramadan in Malaysia.
It is made with rice, meat (beef), spices, coconut milk and various vegetables,
and is often distributed to family and friends. This year's bubur lambuk was shared with President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.,
Cabinet Secretaries, members of the Congress, senior government officials, members
of the diplomatic corps, and friends of Malaysia.
 |
| The cooking demonstration |
Mr. Amnar Syafig Bin Ayob, the prominent
embassy chef, together with embassy staff, prepared the dish. Responsible
for culinary diplomacy, promoting Malaysian cuisine, he frequently collaborates
and works closely, for events, with Malaysian and Filipino chefs, including
Chef Edwin Santos of Makati Shangri-La and Chef Miguel Cabel Moreno, to foster
diplomatic ties through food. Last November 2025, he recently led a
two-week Malaysian gastronomic showcase at Circles Event Café, Makati Shangri-La
in featuring dishes like rojak pasembur,
nasi minyak, and mee kari.
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| Ready to serve bubur lambuk..... |
He
demonstrated the traditional cooking process of bubur lambuk which takes around three hours. They started the
process at 8 AM. The ingredients used were similar to Filipino lugaw - onions, garlic, lemongrass, salt
and, for aroma they used pandan, chives and cilantro. They also used jasmine
rice for the congee and coconut milk.
Mr.
Mohd Faizal Sharip, Malaysian
Tourism Attaché and Director, emphasized the importance of tourism ties between
Malaysia and the Philippines, including the exchange of culture, food, and
experiences, saying “In terms of tourism, it’s not only tourism but also
culture. We can promote and introduce food, tourism, and gastronomy
relations—Philippine food delicacies in Malaysia and Malaysian promotions in
the Philippines.”
 |
| Bubur lambuk being packed for distribution and sharing |
Highlighting
the importance of the Philippines as a key tourism partner of Malaysia, Mohd
Faizal Sharip added, “In terms of overall tourist arrivals in Malaysia, the
Philippines ranks seventh. That shows how important the Philippines is to the
Malaysian market. Even though our major markets are Singapore, Thailand, China,
and India, the Philippines remains an important partner in the Southeast Asian
region.”
This
Ramadan, aside from the preparation and sharing of bubur lambuk, the Malaysian Embassy also carried out various
activities including corporate social responsibility initiatives for
communities and schools in the Philippines. Malaysian tourism officials also
announced the upcoming Philippine–Malaysia Culinary Exchange, at the end of
April, which will feature a Malaysian food promotion at Solaire Resort,
Entertainment City, introducing traditional Malaysian cuisine to Filipinos.
Simultaneously, a Philippine food promotion will be held in Malaysia to
showcase Filipino cuisine and delicacies to the Malaysian market.
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