KUANTAN, Dec 5 — As Pahang’s well-known sambal hitam, is gaining popularity among visitors, who buy the product to bring home as gifts, an entrepreneur here is going all out to produce and boost sales of the product which is a favourite local appetiser.
Sambal Hitam Pahang Kome shop owner, Khatijah Silek, 60, said the product which already has its consumer base, is well-known and often sought after by tourists who visit her business premises located at Serambi Teruntum, here.
“My homemade sambal paste is a personal recipe made of quality and fresh ingredients to ensure that it is able to last long and meets consumer tastes,” she told Bernama when met here today.
Khatijah said the process of making the sambal takes four to six hours and the basic ingredients used are onions and chillies.
“After the paste is cooled it is bottled which I will do all by myself or with the help of my grandchildren when I get orders in large quantities,” said Katijah who has been in the business since 2012.
The Pahang native said monthly, over 50 bottles are produced, depending on customers’ demand and each bottle is sold at RM15, making a sales of about RM750.
Khatijah, better known as Kak Jah, said the black sambal is usually enjoyed with piping hot rice, bread as well as nasi impit and it also goes well with pizza.
At her shop which operates daily from 9.30am to 4.30pm, Katijah also sells snacks produced by other small and medium enterprise traders, which include dodol gula kabung, keropok keping, rojak paste, bahulu, biscuits and a variety of chips.
Katijah hoped that customers would continue to support locally produced food products in line with the Buy Malaysia Goods Campaign (KBBM) initiated by the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry (KPDNHEP). — Bernama
