Abstract
Lamang tapai is a traditional food which consists of lemang and tapai that are used in various traditional ceremonies of Minangkabau people, mainly in West Sumatra. However, lemang and tapai are also known as traditional foods of other tribes or regions in Southeast Asia, and their cooking method is still very ancient and depends on the state of nature. These two points show that lemang and tapai can be used as historical evidence for ancient human life in Southeast Asia, which is Proto-Malay and Deutero-Malay. Minang people believe that cooking technique of lemang was first introduced by Sheikh Burhanuddin. Lemang is incomplete if it is not eaten together with tapai, so they are likened to a man and a woman by Minang people. Lemang itself describes the togetherness of Minang people because its making process is always done together. There are several taboos that must be obeyed in making lemang and tapai. Lamang tapai are also used as gifts when visiting other people’s homes, for example, when visiting in-laws or manjapuik marapulai ceremony. However, there is no symbolic meaning behind the obligatory existence of lamang tapai at traditional ceremonies. On the other hand, lemang and tapai are famous for their unique taste produced by the chemical components in their ingredients. In this article, the origin of lemang and tapai, the philosophy and presentation of lemang in the traditions of the Minangkabau people, and the flavor features of lemang and tapai from a scientific perspective are discussed.
Highlights
A traditional food is an identity of a tribe or nation because of its relation to the culture of the people in that nation or tribe
There has been no review about the origin of lemang and tapai, and the philosophy and presentation of lamang tapai in Minangkabau tradition
According to Bakry, a culturalist, the attachment of the teachings of Sheikh Burhanuddin to the culture of the Minang people in carrying out Islamic religious activities caused the activities of making lamang which known as malamang become a habit that is done every several days before Islamic religious celebrations as well as other traditional events in Minangkabau
Summary
A traditional food is an identity of a tribe or nation because of its relation to the culture of the people in that nation or tribe. Lemang is a food made from white glutinous rice mixed with coconut milk in a bamboo in which its inner part has been coated with banana leaf and cooked using open fire. Tapai as a complement to lamang has the aroma of alcohol and sweetand-sour taste due to fermentation process that has been known since ancient times.
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