How ‘wajik’ is made

Published on: Sunday, March 31, 2024

By: Ibrahim Tabir

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Left pic: The wajik being cooked. Pic on the right: Freshly-cooked wajik.

WAJIK is a traditional Indonesian cake made with glutinous rice, sugar and coconut milk.

Malaysian visitors who visited Sulawesi, Indonesia, would have the chance to witness the process of wajik-making during their visit.

The writer had such an experience during a recent family trip to West Sulawesi when they were brought to observe the wajik manufacturing process in Desa Sappoang, Polewali Mandar.

Pak Mail, a wajik maker, said the process would take several hours to complete.

“Customers need to make early orders so that we can prepare the ingredients,” said Pak Mail, who has years of experience in wajik-making.

The traditional method of making wajik uses firewood inside a special hut with a Nipah roof and bamboo walls.

“During the process, wajik must be stirred inside a big wok.

“At least one or two assistants are needed during the process.”

The neatly-wrapped wajik (left pic). The writer posing next to a hut for cooking wajik (right pic).

He said the brown sugar used in the process would give the wajik a brownish colour.

Pak Rahman, an assistant wajik maker, said the traditional cake has different names according to the race or localities in Indonesia.

“The Bugis call it bajek, and wajek for those from Makassar, while in Mandar, it is golla kambu, and in Java, it is wajik. As for those in Sumatera, they call it pulut manis,” said Pak Rahman.

The soft and cooked wajik would be poured into a big container before being wrapped with dried banana leaves.

“The cake needs to be immediately wrapped once cooked to avoid getting hard.”

Tourists to Sulawesi would usually buy wajik as gifts for their friends and families.

Wajid has various textures and is often served on special occasions.