The Shah Alam Ramadan bazaar draws a crowd of over a thousand visitors daily.
THE Ramadan bazaar in Shah Alam could arguably be one of the most interesting bazaars to visit in the Klang Valley as it has close to 100 stalls and all kinds of everything to choose from.
Big attraction: A crowd gathering at Amirul’s stall which sells kebabs on skewers.
Your usual nasi briyani, nasi tomato with ayam masak merah, ayam percik, sup tulang, satay, assortment of sweet cakes and rendang, and more, can be found here.
Every year during Ramadan, hawkers from all over the country would gather here to secure a place at the bazaar so they can display their best dishes and drinks.
The number of people who go to the bazaar could easily be around 1,000 to 2,000 people a day, so if you’re planning to make a stop, make sure you arrive before 5pm as it can be really crowded then.
As Sunday Metro browsed through the bazaar, a number of interesting stalls could be seen serving dishes not normally found at other Ramadan bazaars.
One interesting stall sells kebabs on skewers. Located at the very end of the row on the left if you’re coming from the Shah Alam Stadium entrance, the stall sells all kinds of kebabs imaginable.
There’s the barbecued kebab (chicken, lamb and beef), cheesy chicken scallop, grilled lamb, vegetables (tomatoes, capsicums, onions), cheesy beef on skewers and too many more to mention.
Four young men, who have been serving the same dish for the past eight years, manage the stall.
“Prior to those eight years, we used to sell these dishes at Taman Sri Andalas in Klang, Selangor, for close to two years but the response wasn’t that great,” explains stall owner Amirul Shahid.
“Since we have more helpers now, we have decided to set up our stall here because of the large number of people who visit this place,” he adds.
Amirul got the idea to sell his kebabs on skewers while watching a television programme and that particular show inspired him to try it out.
“At first we felt it didn’t make sense but we still went on with the idea, and surprisingly we received good feedback from our customers,” says Amirul.
Although it was a scorching hot day, it did not deter visitors from getting what they want, even if it means standing in a long queue for their turn.
This is especially true for Mohd Suffian Ismail’s stall that sells ayam golek and ayam madu.
Suffian says that both dishes, which are inspired by his Vietnamese mother, use Vietnamese herbs and spices.
“My mother’s from Vietnam and she’s a good cook. She was the one who taught me the recipes for these tasty dishes,” says Suffian.
“This is just a side thing I’m doing as I have a permanent job,” he adds.
He has been selling both dishes for close to 11 years at the Bangi and Kajang Ramadan bazaar but this is his first time selling them at the Shah Alam bazaar.
However, two years ago he had to move to New Zealand as the company he was working with moved there.
“I was in New Zealand for two years. Early this year, I received a phone call from my mother asking me to come back to help with the family business, so here I am,” he explains.
The sweet aroma of the grilled chickens filled the air, thus attracting a number of customers to gather around his stall to find out what was cooking there.
The Ramadan bazaar in Shah Alam is definitely a place worth checking out not only because the food is great, but also because non-food products such as accessories and handbags for women are available.
If you do decide to come over, you need not worry about parking space as the bazaar is located in the parking lot just behind the stadium.
