Exposing the nuances of traditional Malay Kuih in Mersing district, Johor, Malaysia

Traditional food has long been recognised as an integral aspect of community across the globe. It varies from one community to another and is treasured as an image representation. Traditional Malay kuih in Malaysia, however, lacks its definition. The word kuih itself is loosely used to group a collection of either sweet desserts or savoury snacks. Acknowledging that the district of Mersing in Johor is an underexposed heritage site in Malaysia, this study disinters the traditional Malay kuih nuances as a regional ethnic food. Qualitative method was employed involving 14 kuih experts in Mersing to answer the research question “What is the meaning of traditional Malay kuih in Mersing?” in which semi-structured, in-depth, and face-to-face interviews were conducted. The interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim to ensure accurate results. Thematic analysis was used to identify the codes, categories, and themes as the nuances of traditional Malay kuih in Mersing. The themes enlist (i) the use of native crops, (ii) the practice of conventional Malay cooking methods, (iii) the enculturation of Malaysia’s east coast traditions, and (iv) the enrichment of sub-ethnic traditions among the Malays. It was found that the analysed nuances of traditional Malay kuih reinstated the individuality and uniqueness of the Malay ethnic’s gastronomy in Malaysia. In short, this paper provides an in-depth exploration of the Malay’s unique culture and heritage in Malaysia, thus benefitting the scholars, local tourism board, entrepreneurs, consumers, among others.


Introduction
Traditional food has long been the medium of expressing a community's identity. It merits the representation metaphor enriched through times with memories, traditions and cultural successive between generations [1]. Unfortunately, negligence on its existence is reportedly escalating, leading to its untimely demise [2,3] in which modernisation brought by the globalisation has always been coined to be the cause. Nevertheless, some regions are less affected by such a change, for example the underexposed nature of the district of Mersing, Johor, Malaysia. It is where the traditional Malay kuih has survived until the present day. Therefore, this study was set to expose the nuances or its characteristics therein.
In general, scholarly articles are still lacking in clarifying what is traditional Malay kuih. Most would only include brief sections as sub-parts of the Malay heritage in Malaysia's food gastronomy. Apparently, "kuih" is regarded as the Malay traditional version of desserts [4][5][6][7][8][9]. While desserts are generally a composition of different components within a serving, kuih on the other hand may be served as an item by itself or subjected to the cultural practices. Given that the traditional Malay kuih range in multiple interpretations, how can they be best defined from a mutual and deeper perspective? The sterility of Mersing from the severe impact of globalisation is anticipated to still practice the Malay traditions in the community's culture and diet. Accordingly, this study was set to undermine the underlying essence of the traditional Malay kuih in Mersing, as the persistent existence indicates determination in individuality.
In the context of individuality and the image of the Malays, there are colourful nuances in their ethnicity. The Malay culture in Malaysia has evolved throughout history starting from the discovery of Melaka [10]. It is fair to say that the Sultanate of Melaka, a renowned empire in the Malay Archipelago in the fifteenth century and the multi ethnic status of Malaysia was initiated from the conquer of the Portuguese as early as the fifteenth century, followed by the Dutch in the sixteenth century and the British in the eighteenth century [11]. In the era, Samsudin et al. [12] remarked Mersing as an important setting for important historical events.
Looking back to the twelfth century however, Mersing has already fostered its civilisation. Samsudin et al. [12] posited that the pathways for seafarers from Vietnam, China and Champa denoted Mersing as a more developing area compared to other areas. The citizenship of Mersing, reported by Majlis Daerah Mersing [13], Saad and Radzi [14], and Thukiman [15] as mostly consists of people migrating from other states of the Peninsular Malaysia, namely, Terengganu and Kelantan for marine activities in the district's adjacent sea. Mersing was undoubtedly fond of the sea harvest that imparts a significant source to the local diet. Naturally, the tradition of Malays in Mersing also includes the Terengganu and Kelantan diet in its heritage. Figure 1 shows the map and location of Mersing in Peninsular Malaysia.

Traditional food as an intangible heritage
Traditional food is perceived as an intangible heritage. Although it is tangibly apparent and serves sensory attributes, the knowledge behind its production includes ideas, recipes, tips, and tricks which sum up an intangible and meaningful process. These stay as abstracts that only through practice can the food be materialised. Nostalgia and culture are embedded within the beforementioned abstracts, connoting the traditions of certain groups of communities [16]. In a nutshell, traditional food will have nuances that are mutual to the community it belongs [17,18].
The Malay ethnic in Malaysia is known for its collective unity of vast sub-ethnicities. Thus, the Malay traditional food is blessed with unique, special, complex, and dynamic flavours. Since the olden days, the influence and foreign ingredient trade imparted such nuances to the Malay's heritage gastronomy [19,20]. Azizi and Pawi [21] connoted that these nuances exist in the local culture and custom where foods are creatively inculcated in the local events such as tossing yellow-tinted rice to the newlywed couples and offering guests handcrafted flowers bearing boiled eggs.

Traditional Malay Kuih
Kuih has always been regarded as "the traditional Malay dessert" [22] and can be argued to be at par with the world-renowned French pastries or other European classic desserts. Raji et al. [20] and Hamzah et al. [22] pointed out that the traditional Malay kuih is even flexible in its consumption which can be served at any time of the day. This makes kuih also known as "Malaysian snack" denoted by its impulsive, versatile consumption throughout the day. Omar and Omar [23] added that there is a multitude of varieties of kuih available across Malaysia day in and day out, along the streets to fancy restaurants and hotels. Due to the geography and historical events, other neighbouring countries like Brunei, Singapore and Indonesia may have similarities of the same kuih offerings [19].
These usually small-portioned delicacies are believed to be invented by the Malays from the olden days of Malaya (now Malaysia). It can be either soft, semi-solid, solid textured, moist or dry, and sweet or savoury flavours [20,24]. Despite its Malay ethnic origin, it is also known as a common food to be served at many different occasions across Malaysia, especially during Islamic events like Hari Raya and wedding [25]. This owes to the fact that more than half of Malaysians are of Malay Muslims. Traditional Malay kuih is also usually associated with its production in rural domestics, noting its intricacy and tradition-laden aspects in the making. Muhammad et al. [16] and Zahari et al. [26] added that rural area is where the kuih ingredients are vastly cultivated.
Furthermore, making the traditional Malay kuih includes conventional methods of dry and moist-heat cooking methods. Steaming and boiling are the most common moist-heat methods used in the making of kuih apart from frying, baking and grilling [27]. Some kuih are even named based on their production methods and some would have lyrical names, as the Malays are known for their proficiency or aptitude in poetry. Besides, the shape of certain kuih is also taken from its name [28,29]. In short, Ahmad [30] regarded traditional Malay kuih as a brand of heritage encapsulating the Malays' art and culture.
Speaking of art and culture, the Malays are known for their relationship with nature. In the ingredient list, the Malays have developed distinct ingredient selection for the traditional Malay kuih [31]. Karim and Halim [32] noted that the local agricultural products construe the existence of kuih since the olden days. Starch is the oldest ingredient used as the main component in kuih for example through the use of various types of rice and its products [7], glutinous rice and its products [16], tubers, like tapioca [33] and many more. Meanwhile, other ingredients are used to provide natural aroma and colours. Pandan leaf (Pandanus amaryllifolius) for instance is famous for its green hue and sweet fragrance in many Malay sweet and savoury dishes including kuih [34][35][36][37]. Kamaruzaman et al. [38] noted another locally known pandan leaf which is used to attain a deeper green hue in the traditional Malay kuih called pandan serani (dracaena angustifolia). Although it is not botanically the same plant species as the regular pandan, the use of natural green food colouring is of the Malays' expertise. Alongside pandan, the use of coconut completes the overall flavour of traditional Malay kuih. The creaminess and fragrant flavour of coconut imparts the identity and individuality of kuih either from its milk or even grated for texture and garnishes [38]. Mardatillah et al. [10] noted that the Malay ethnic diet is greatly based on nature, and this is the same case for kuih. Ideally, different regions should have differences in the delicacies. Sam and Wee [39] and Ting et al. [40] argued that an image portraying a community is presupposed by their resources from the native environment and the preferences of the group. Having said so, a community's diet is largely influenced by the natural resources available in their surroundings [41]. Raji et al. [20] found that sweeter tasting foods are served in the northern and east coast regions of Peninsular Malaysia, including the states of Perlis, Kedah, Perlis, Terengganu, and Kelantan. On the other contrary, savoury kuih can easily be found in the opposite region including the sates of Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka, and Johor. Ahmad [30] also found a wide range of traditional Malay kuih in the east coast region contains more of yellowish hue due to the higher usage of egg, while green hue is more prevalent at the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia.

Methodology
In the quest of defining the mutual nuances of traditional Malay kuih in Mersing, a qualitative research design was used. Since the nuances have rarely been explored empirically, this study delves into an in-depth exploration to understand the meaning of traditional Malay kuih in Mersing. Thukiman [15] noted that Johor is a representative of Malay culture in Malaysia, and this was affirmed by Samsudin et al. [12] who argued that Mersing is an area consisting of traditional and natural reserves, hence the meaning of traditional Malay kuih in Mersing is assumed worth an exploration. Figure 2 illustrates the sites that were explored for the purpose of data collection.
Purposive sampling was used in this research as only the experts of kuih could provide accurate data. Silverman [42] suggested purposive sampling for studies requiring specific criteria-based selection to ensure appropriate data from the actual phenomenon. Hence, the eligibility of the informants for this study was based on (1) experience in producing traditional Malay kuih of at least 10 years, (2) acknowledgement of the locals to be the region's expert in traditional Malay kuih, and (3) in good health and willing to verbally share personal experience.
In the study, semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted to excerpt data from the informants aided by an interview protocol developed from the literature review and traditional food product concept (TFPC) by Guerrero et al. [43]. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim for further analysis. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify codes in the narratives of all informants, which were then grouped into categories and ultimately into themes to answer to the research question. Four themes were found in this study, namely, (1) the use of native crops, (2) the practice of conventional Malay cooking methods, (3) the enculturation of the east coast traditions, and (4) tradition enrichment of the Malay's sub-ethnicities.

Analysis and findings
A total of 14 informants were involved in this study and each with different levels of experience in a variety of the traditional Malay kuih. Table 1 enlists the informants for this study. Eight of the informants are of 10 to 20 years of experience range, two within 21 to 30 years of experience range, two within 31 to 40 years of experience range, one within 41 to 50 years of experience range, and one within 51 to 60 years of experience range. The informants' current jobs also range from full-time kuih producers to part-time kuih producers. In further reports, the informants are given pseudonyms to protect their anonymity.
There are four themes identified from the analysis and these themes are mutual to Mersing as they represent the nuances of the traditional Malay kuih. Table 2 presents the discussions of each theme:

The use of native crops
The utilisation of local resources is one of the nuances of traditional Malay kuih in Mersing. The ease to grow some ingredients domestically for instance pandan leaf leads to its inclusion in the ingredient list of traditional Malay kuih in Mersing. Two informants deduced: Full utilisation of a crop is synonymous with the Malays, as evidenced by the usage of coconut trees in the making of traditional Malay kuih. The use of coconut cream and milk, as well as its grated flesh for certain variety of kuih are common as ingredients in the kuih mixture. Furthermore, the husks of the coconut fruits were also used as heating components to cook kuih. The position of Mersing being a coastal region is resourceful of the marine harvests. As one of the main marine harvest areas in the Peninsular Malaysia, the main jetty at Endau, Mersing has been the centre where the marine harvests have been loaded for the locals. It is possible to say that the diets of the locals are based on the marine resources too. Some traditional Malay kuih in Mersing use fish as ingredients for the savoury varieties. Two informants said:  As with other communities' traditional food, nature has always been acknowledged to be the first source of sustenance. Similarly to the Malays, the inclusion of native crops in their diet is prevalent [44]. For example, pandan and coconut, both are synonymous in the traditional Malay kuih ingredient arsenal [38]. Interestingly, fish, in general, will not usually be associated with kuih but is certainly a distinctive feature for Mersing. Concerning the migration history of people from Terengganu and Kelantan to Mersing for the sea activities, the enculturation of both states' traditions amalgamated within Mersing. On top of that, Saad and Radzi [14] also indicated that Mersing had always been a resourceful fishing area in history. These define the character of the traditional Malay kuih available in Mersing.

The practice of common Malay cooking methods
It is found that most kuih in Mersing are cooked conventionally. Dry-heat cooking methods are practised including deep-frying and baking. Expert 4 for instance, indicated that deep-frying is the easiest method in making traditional Malay kuih, for instance, kuih gegetas. …the easiest (cooking method)? Of course, the method for gegetas… the easiest would be gegetas.

It is deep fried, of course it is easy! Once the dough mixed… shaped, deep-fry… and then sugar coating! [Expert 4]
Next, fried pau is also a deep-fried dish. Figure 3 shows how the pau is deep fried until golden brown in palm oil. The use of palm oil depicts the local resource consumption from the palm trees, although it is a norm to purchase commercially sold frying oil, instead of preparing it domestically.
Another example of cooking method is baking, as stated by Expert 14, who baked her kuih bakar pandan.
…the cooking method that I use (for kuih bakar pandan) is baking… using these coconut husks… we burn them as the source for fire cooking. Kuih deram, we deep fried… I deep fry kuih deram in the house, I don't do it here (coconut husk coal cooking set up). I can't because of the smokes… the ashes… [ Expert 14] From participant observation, it is evident that the traditional cooking method is practised for kuih bahulu bakar which is also baked. However, the method is slightly different from the usual Western style baking process. The word "bakar" is literally translated as "bake". As illustrated in Fig. 4, the mould and the lid are heated using fire generated by coconut husk and the batter of kuih bahulu is poured into the mould before being covered and cooked through.
Apart from the dry-heat cooking methods, the moistheat cooking method is also practiced in the making of traditional Malay kuih in Mersing. In fact, Expert 1 mentioned that boiling and steaming are among the options of cooking methods for a certain variety of kuih:   The cooking process of kuih asam gumpal can be interchangeable between boiling and steaming, however, the boiling method is more favoured. Figure 5 is a visual taken from the participants' observation which took place in an informant's kuih workshop in Endau, Mersing. The kuih asam gumpal is spherically shaped of gelatinised sago pearls enrobing a portion of mung bean paste. The bubbles within the running boil water keep the spheres suspended in the water to ensure a spherical shape throughout the cooking process.
The preparation of traditional Malay kuih involves a special procedure. For example, Expert 1 stated that before kuih pepudak is made, the mould made using banana leaves must be cut in a standardised size: …not everybody is able to make it… it's… it's… the problem with pepudak is actually on the leaves (mould). Try to do it, you'll fail… Yes! The ingredient is rice flour, but the batter is runny… so when the leaves are wrongly formed, it'll leak… we pour it in, and it'll leak out. Because a lot have asked for the recipe. I gave them but I even showed them the method… forming the consistent size of the leaves but still… they can't make it… lots have tried it.
[ Expert 1] Another method of making traditional Malay kuih may even take a step back to the pre-preparation of the ingredients to be used. Expert 2 highlighted the process of preconditioning of ingredients to make kuih apam beras: …we make it (kuih apam beras) using exactly the ragi (a type of local produced yeast) and also rice, which have rice that is cooked with ragi… it is different! Actually, that is the way for delicious (kuih apam beras)! The fragrant! The old way! And apam beras nowadays are not made through the old way because they say it's tedious! Got to wait for the rice to ferment, it can take two days! [Expert 2] The common cooking methods of the Malays are mostly simple but there are specific prerequisites that may take place. These unique and intricate steps are the precursor of old customs, culture, traditions and values [22,45] within the making of traditional Malay kuih in Mersing.

The enculturation of east coast traditions
Enculturation of varying traditions happened in Mersing through history. The kuih experts in Mersing are mostly of Terengganu descents. Expert 12 elucidated her family lineage by saying: …we are now a lot of mix-race… more of the Tereng-ganu… even the kuih, a lot are originated from the Terengganu. Talking

quality wise). When it's not the same, no more ordering but (the best) is from people of Endau! [Expert 9]
The fact that these informants are descendants of Terengganu and Kelantan immigrants has resulted in significant enculturation of their customs in Mersing. It is possible to say that the existence of Mersing's traditional Malay kuih, which is remotely comparable to the ranges offered in Terengganu and Kelantan is highly supported by historical events. Thukiman [15] confirmed the event and consequences which are also deemed to be one of the reasons the author notes Johor (including Mersing) as a gateway to Malay culture. In a similar scenario, Expert 9 also revealed that she is of Javanese descent:

The tradition enrichments of Malay's sub-ethnicities
I'm Malay! But I am also a Javanese descent! A mix of Malay and Javanese. Javanese is from my mother's side because my grandfather was also coming from there… from Indonesia… yes! Across… but my mother was really good at making those Javanese kuih… [Expert 9] Apart from that, Buginese traditional kuih is also evident in Mersing. Expert  Malaysia is well-known for its multi-ethnicity status, housing many ethnicities under its nation. While differing ethnics confer differing gastronomy experiences, the Malays themselves are vast and varied with sub-ethnicities [46]. The Melayu Pulau of Mersing are generally of Malay descents, their settlement on those islands off the coast of Mersing has considerably influenced the diet of mostly marine catches, which impact the traditional Malay kuih ingredients. This is again supported by Miele and Murdoch [41] that the settlement of people in civilisation closely linked to their sustenance sources. This is similar to the rest of the Malay sub-ethnicities where each diet is based on natural resources.

Discussion, implications, and conclusion
This recent study revealed the nuances embedded in the traditional Malay kuih in the Mersing district, Johor. The findings clearly explain the Malay's profound connection to nature and serves as the foundation for the traditional Malay kuih. Aside from the local ingredients, the method of cooking is still the traditional and customary Malay cooking method. The historic event of a migration of people from Terengganu and Kelantan enculturated Mersing with various offerings of traditional Malay kuih reminiscent of most of the same delicacies from both states, in terms of diversity and product breadth. Furthermore, the Malay's sub-ethnicity variance in Mersing expanded the traditional Malay kuih that exists in Mersing.
It is believed that this study would contribute to the academia by providing an in-depth view of traditional Malay kuih through the traditional food product concept. As studies in traditional Malay kuih are relatively lacking in the scholarly depository, this study added another documentation to the collection. According to the traditional food product concept by Guerrero et al. (43), there are four dimensions including (i) habits and natural, (ii) origin and locality, (iii) processing and elaboration and (iv) sensory properties. Although the themes extracted from this recent study are not complying with the traditional food product concept mentioned, they are interrelated between the dimensions as depicted in Fig. 6.
The dimension of habit and nature is the close resemblance of the theme of the use of native crops and the practice of conventional Malay cooking methods. The production of the traditional Malay kuih incorporated mostly natural and native ingredients from the domestic or region which implies what is natural to the informants. The easy access and availability of fresh ingredients within the house compound avoid the utilisation of highly processed ingredients which confer. The common Malay cooking method also implies the habitual practices that the traditional Malay kuih being made. Given that the traditional Malay kuih itself is consumed as a normal diet by the Mersing citizens, the production was found to normalise the common cooking methods. The second dimension, origin and locality reflect similarities across all of the study's themes. This can be seen as evident as this recent study explored the meanings of traditional Malay kuih in Mersing. The specific scope of the study setting entails the mutual origin of the delicacies that belong to the Mersing. The third dimension is processing and elaboration, which can be directly related to the practice of common Malay cooking methods. The simple and traditional methods of cooking that the informants have been practising characterised the traditional aspect of the Malay kuih in Mersing. This is further enriched by the enculturation of Kelantanese and Terangganuan Malays and the sub-ethnicities which inculcate a mix of different techniques across the Malay sub-ethnicities. The last dimension is the sensory attributes reflected in all themes of the recent study. The distinct traditional tastes and flavours of kuih Mersing are well defined by the nuances of ingredients selection, methods of cooking, and the mix of cultures of the Malays and its sub-ethnicities.
Practically, the findings of this study are significant to stakeholders of the Malay heritage including the state government, experts, and consumers, in their initial effort of getting to know the heritage better. The documentation from this study is hoped to restore the acknowledgement and respect of the traditions thus, maintaining their existence in the contemporary diet. This is a valuable finding for the experts or any entrepreneurs to secure their product knowledge basis with regards to the traditional Malay kuih. Ideally, the empirical definition of the Mersing's traditional Malay kuih can further define the production of such delicacies within the nuances that also mutually define Mersing. Following that, the state government may use the definition to promote tourism activities by putting the limelight on Mersing's traditional gastronomy and its traditional values. According to kuih experts and producers, the determination within product definition could help further enhance the strategy in production and brand identity regarding Mersing's identity to traditional Malay kuih. Suggestively, the consumers may benefit from distinct Mersing's product offerings that do not delineate from its identity, thus fostering a continuation of the traditional Malay kuih demand and reproduction.