KUALA LUMPUR: Tengku Ampuan Pahang Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah's talent in the kitchen not only attracts public attention, but also gets many people looking forward to videos of her in action.
The latest video was about Tunku Azizah sharing the recipes for seven types of cakes and cookies at Bentong Prison in Pahang last Wednesday.
Despite the cookies being made in prison and coming with a higher price tag, many still buy them as their ingredients are premium and because they are made with Tunku Azizah's own recipes.
Since the beginning of Ramadan, the prison has become the go-to place not only for people from the locality but also those from outside the state to buy cookies and cakes, as well as asam pedas paste and rendang betawi for the Hari Raya Aidilfiri.
The prison's women inmates have their hands full meeting the demand, especially for Mazola and Arab cookies.
"We have many regular customers ordering them to be given away as souvenirs," said Bentong Prison Superintendent Mohd Zulkifli Zakaria at a Prisons Department's event at the Banquet Hall of the Palace of Justice, Putrajaya recently.
He added the cookies were made year-round.
He said Bentong Prison became a focus among those who wanted to get Raya cookies after Tunku Azizah shared her recipes for 12 types of cookies with the inmates there in 2018.
The recipes were for Mazzola biscuits, Arabic biscuits, custard biscuits, Milo biscuits, Scottish shortbread, coconut biscuits, samperit, Cornflakes biscuits, Melting Moments, almond biscuits, chocolate crinkle biscuits and Anzac biscuits.
He said the cookies were certified halal by the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia.
"Tunku Azizah, who is also the Royal Patron of the Prison Department's Arts and Crafts, passes down her culinary knowledge, especially in pastry-making, to selected female prisoners."
Regarding the asam pedas paste and rendang betawi, Zulkifli said the products could only be purchased at Bentong Prison's My Pride sales gallery and the Prisons Department Cooperative.
"That is why the products sell like hot cakes at this event."
Civil servant Noraini Junid, who was met at the event, said she bought the Raya cookies and asam pedas paste to have a taste of Tunku Azizah's recipes.
Her friend, who asked to be identified only as Azwa, said she bought both as a gift for her mother. — BERNAMA
