Dream - Ketupat is a traditional Eid dish that is very popular among the Indonesian community. This food is a substitute for rice that resembles lontong. However, ketupat uses woven coconut leaves as its wrapper. It feels incomplete if there is no ketupat on the dining table during Eid al-Fitr. Usually, ketupat is combined with other traditional Eid foods such as opor and sambal goreng kentang. But, do you know how to make the ketupat wrapper, Dream friend? Before making it, you need to find coconut leaves first.

The word 'ketupat' in Javanese and Sundanese regions means admitting mistakes. This is in accordance with the moment of Eid al-Fitr, where everyone forgives each other and becomes pure again. In addition, the word ketupat also means 'laku papat', which means four behaviors that are reflected in the ketupat. Here is an explanation of each of them:

Lebaran comes from the word 'lebar' which means the door of forgiveness is opened for others. Luberan comes from the word 'luber' which means abundant blessings and giving to those in need. Leburan comes from the word 'lebur' which means sins from the past year will be melted away. Laburan comes from the word 'kabur' which means purifying oneself to become pure again like a baby.

The first tip is to choose leaves that are the same size. This is to ensure that the ketupat looks good when it is done. If the size of the coconut leaves is not the same, then the shape of the ketupat will be asymmetrical and will not be able to wrap the rice perfectly. So, when you go to the market to buy janur or coconut leaves, pay close attention to the leaves that will be purchased. This greatly determines the success of your ketupat making, my friend Dream.

The next tip is to choose yellow and clean coconut leaves. So, not the green or already dried coconut leaves, my friend Dream. Usually, yellow coconut leaves have a stronger aroma than green ones. This will affect the quality of your homemade ketupat, which will definitely be more delicious.

Actually, you don't need to bother making your own ketupat wrappers right now. Because there are many people selling them before Eid. Whether it's in the market or on the roadside. Now, if you buy ready-made ketupat wrappers, choose the ones with neat weaving. Neat, tight weaving and the width of the leaves are the same, so when cooked there won't be any part that leaks and makes the rice come out. So, be careful when buying them, okay.

If Dream's friend decides to buy ready-made ketupat wrappers, when they arrive home, don't forget to soak them first. You can soak them for about 10-30 minutes. This is to clean the sap, dust, and other dirt that is attached to the ketupat wrappers. With that, the ketupat to be served will be guaranteed cleanliness.