By Wilfred Pilo
KUCHING, Oct 16: Retirement may have brought Zainab Raja Amri’s working life to a close, but it has done little to slow her mornings. At 65, she still rises before dawn to prepare homemade nasi lemak and other breakfast favourites for customers who have come to know her affectionately as Zee.
Before the day breaks, Zee still makes her way to the main car park at BDC Commercial Centre to sell her homemade nasi lemak and other breakfast treats.
For her, staying busy and seeing her regular customers each morning are reason enough to keep going.
Made with fragrant coconut milk and pandan, her nasi lemak is the go-to breakfast for early risers needing a quick, tasty bite before work.
What makes Zee’s nasi lemak special is her homemade sambal, prepared using her own recipe. She pays close attention to the balance of flavours, allowing the ingredients to meld without letting the spice overwhelm the dish.
“I make my sambal regularly to keep it fresh, and I do not make it too spicy. I let the ingredients blend together for a few hours so the flavours come out nicely when eaten with the nasi lemak,” she told Dayak Daily.
She also uses high-quality rice to achieve a light, fluffy texture that complements the richness of the coconut milk and the savoury sambal.
Behind a dish that has become a favourite among her regulars is a love for cooking that Zee has nurtured since her younger years. Over time, she has honed her skills and developed unique recipes of her own, drawing on years of experience preparing meals for her family.
Her menu extends beyond nasi lemak to include onde-onde, savoury tarts, sandwiches and fried bee hoon, offering customers a variety of familiar morning dishes to start their day.
Having spent more than 30 years working in an office, Zee understands the small but pressing demands of a typical weekday morning. For many, breakfast is less a leisurely affair than a brief pause before the day starts.
“From my experience as an office worker, I know many people rushing to work just want something light to eat in the morning.
“They need something to warm the stomach and give them energy to start the day,” she said.
Zee began selling food after retiring five years ago, following her retirement. Rather than staying idle at home, she chose to put her cooking skills to use, turning a long-standing passion into a modest livelihood and a purposeful daily pursuit that keeps her occupied.
Her mornings begin before sunrise, as she prepares just enough food to meet the needs of her breakfast crowd. The operation is deliberately small, shaped around the pleasure of the work rather than the pursuit of bigger earnings.
“For me, it is not about making a lot of money. After working for three decades, I wanted to keep myself busy after retirement,” she said.
As a grandmother of six, Zee hopes her experience will encourage other retirees to stay active and make use of their skills.
Her advice is to start small, prepare enough food to sell and enjoy the work rather than worry about making big profits.
“It keeps the mind active and keeps you on your feet,” she said.
Despite the early hours, Zee cherishes her daily routine and serving those familiar faces.
“For my regulars, I am here to serve them. Seeing them and preparing good food for them makes my day, even at my age,” she said.
Zee sells her food at the main BDC Commercial Centre car park on weekdays from 6.45am to 7.15am. For enquiries, call 010-7675059. – DayakDaily
