Market Friday: Gerai Ramadhan's back!

Once a year Brunei being an official Muslim State, strictly observes Ramadhan (fasting month). This year, it began on March 23 and will conclude in a month to make way for Hari Raya, a celebratory occasion that follows Ramadhan.

And yes, every fasting month comes Gerai Ramadhan (Food Stalls). It is exhilarating this year as it's back after two years of not having one due to COVID. My Bruneian friends were excited, as was I. Food brings me joy. 😁

Brunei has a few Gerai Ramadhan that you can visit but the one that I and my friend went to was the biggest one. It’s the one in Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium and has 240 food stalls. LOADS!

It was around 3.30 pm when we arrived and people were already storming in. It took us a while to get into parking as it was car and people packed. It's understandable because most offices close early (around 2 p.m.) during this time, and I believe most of them come straight from work. They buy food to share with their families as they break their fast. In our case, We went there to experience the moment yet again, and to buy food for our dinner as cooking did not happen in our kitchen.
Lazy bums!

We eventually had a parking spot after what seemed like an eternity - kiddin' it only took us 5-10 minutes. We then strolled around, and I made sure to take photos, which were a bit tricky to do with so many people around. My friend and I then decided to walk around first, take photos, look around, and remember which food stall we wanted to return to after we had gone through all of the stalls.

It did take a while for us to be able to go around the stalls. Probably 45 minutes. There was a lot to choose from!

Rice is, of course, inevitable down here. Nasi Lemak, Nasi Katok, and Nasi Bakar Rendang/Daging are popular local specialties. The most well-known is Nasi Katok, which costs $1 BND. (0.75 USD). It is a piece of fried chicken with rice and Sambal on top, which is liable for its deliciousness.

Ah, these are my favourites! Grilled fish and meats are my always must-haves whenever I do visit the Pasar (market). One piece of that Grilled fish costs $10-$20 BND ($7.50 - $15 USD) depending on which kind and size you prefer getting. The 'Tongkeng' (grilled chicken butt) costs $1 (0.75 USD) for one skewer, The grilled lamb is $2 BND ($1.51 USD) for one skewer, and the chicken costs around $3-$5 BND ($2.26-$3.77) depending on which chicken part.

Look how colourful these drinks are! I love Cendol. It's a sweet dessert, but I think of it as a drink, particularly when the ice melts and becomes watery. It's prepared with green worm-shaped jellies (made with rice flour or green bean flour), coconut milk, and gulu Melaka, or palm sugar, a sugar syrup.

NOODLES!
When I first got here, I assumed the one on the left was a local spaghetti. It's Mee Mamak, and I don't really like it as I find it sweet. I prefer my spaghetti to be Italian. 😅 . Mee Goreng is the one on the right. In comparison to the Mee Mamak, I favour it. When purchasing, you can get them starting at one dollar each based on the quantity you need.

Sayur Nangka (Jackfruit in coconut milk) and Sambal Terung (Brinjal with Sambal sauce) were the only many vegetable dishes they have. I took photos of only those two as they were my favourites. Just like the noodles, you can buy these dishes starting at $1BND (0.75 USD) each based on the quantity you need. A dollar would be for one serving. I normally get $2 BND for myself coz I am a big eater. LOL.

There were cakes and sweets too. Some were 3 pcs per dollar, while others were less and/or more. That cotton candy in a cup looks beautiful. I was tempted to grab one but Nah, I have to watch out for my sugar intake. That costs $1 BND (0.75 USD) each by the way.

There were also non-local cuisine stalls from Korea, India, and Thailand. There were also burgers and fries, which I missed taking photos with.

After a complete round of looking and taking photos, we then went back to the ones we fancied. We have to start going around from where we started in order for us to not get lost. Hahaha!

We bought Bakar Ikan Merah (Grilled red Fish) for $20 BND (15 USD), Sayur Nangka for $2 BND (1.51 USD), Som Tam (Green Papaya Salad) for $6 BND (4.52 USD), Salad Wrap for $4 BND ($3 USD), Kambing Bakar (Grilled lamb) for $6 BND (3 skewers) and Sloppy Joe (that sausage bun with minced beef and cheese on top) for $5 BND (3.77 USD). In total, we spent $43 BND ($32.40 USD) and we split it between the both of us. It felt like we dined in a restaurant with the cost, but what we ended up purchasing was a variety, and they all tasted delicious, except for the Sayur Nangka, which would have tasted better with more coconut milk on it. And of course, the experience was an opportunity for me to be able to share the Brunei market, particularly during Ramadhan, on #MarketFriday initiated by @dswigle.

If you made it reading here so far, Thank YOU!