The Evolution of Nasi Lemak’s Packaging
From banana leaves to ice cream pints?
“What will I have for lunch today?”
I wondered at my desk thinking about what to have for lunch. After squeezing my brain juices for a few minutes, Nasi Lemak came up. You can never go wrong with this dish. You can have it for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even supper!
Nasi Lemak is a traditional Malay fragrant rice dish that can be found in many Southeast Asian countries. Nasi Lemak translated to English is called “rice in cream”. The dish is known for its rich flavour as the rice is soaked and cooked in coconut milk.
When it comes to Nasi Lemak, I could never say no to it. (Really, I can’t!) It’s a staple dish that I have been growing up with, and it’s a part of my culture.
Nasi Lemak back in the olden days was usually wrapped in fresh banana leaves and sometimes with newspaper. It is very rare to find these nowadays as the dish is often packed in styrofoam or plastic packaging today.
The evolution of Nasi Lemak packaging design has come a long way and so has the dish itself. Shall we go back in time together? Let’s go!
History of Nasi Lemak
“The Worker’s Breakfast”, an article featured in Malaya Tribune on 2 November 1946 holds the significance of Nasi Lemak being consumed daily by locals. An ordinary dish mainly consumed by farmers and workers in the post-World War 2 times, for breakfast before heading out to work.
With only limited ingredients such as coconut rice, fried fish, sambal (spicy chilli paste), nuts, anchovies, and boiled eggs. It was considered a balanced diet and typically consumed for breakfast.
The dish was then sold by hawkers along the roadside for as high as 30 cents! (It is an expensive dish. Back then, 30 cents Singapore Dollars was equivalent to US Dollars of 4.30 today.)
As Nasi Lemak slowly rose to fame, restaurants began to serve the dish with additional ingredients like beef rendang (spicy beef thick gravy), curry or fried chicken, and other meats are often added.
Nasi Lemak has been conceptualised into burgers and even ice cream by Foodprenuers. Not only has the packaging changed, but the idea of adding different ingredients to Nasi Lemak has changed too.
Have you wondered why is the dish is wrapped in banana leaves? Wrapping Nasi Lemak in banana leaves enhances the aroma of the coconut rice.
Banana leaves are used as they are eco-friendly and sustainable to the environment. Wasting too much plastic and non-biodegradable materials could potentially harm the environment.
Banana leaves promote environmental sustainability
There are many advantages to wrapping Nasi Lemak using banana leaves. First up, they are biodegradable. Banana leaves naturally decompose on their own after disposal and does not harm the environment.
Banana leaves have a natural waxy coating that provides better insulation for hot food than plastic wrapping. In addition, its natural extracts do not produce any chemical reactions the leaf releases.
Banana leaves can withstand heat reaching 100 degrees which makes it perfect to wrap the dish and hold the heat in. Furthermore, these leaves do not produce any chemicals when in contact with hot food.
At this rate, banana leaves and their usage will end up being forgotten by youths and future generations, eventually ceasing to be part of Malay culture
Packing your food in a non-biodegradable material produce a lot of harmful chemicals but banana leaves are here to save and protect your tummy!
Imagine this: you get a lighter and ignite either the plastic or styrofoam up and it immediately catches fire. (it’s just an imagination people, don’t actually do it)
Polyphenols are rich in antioxidants and can be found in plants similar to those that are found in tea leaves. Not to mention, banana leaves have a non-food effect (items that aren’t edible but sold in grocery stores) which is why this leaf is the best choice for wrapping the dish.
Banana leaves are a staple to the Malay culture
A Malaysian academic and research fellow of the Institute of the Malay World and Civilisation at the National University of Malaysia, Dr Ros Mahwati Ahmad Zakaria has presented the advantages of banana leaves at a gastronomy seminar.
Banana leaves were mentioned in traditional Malay poems (pantun), songs, folk sayings, and stories. This comes to show what these leaves played an important role in the Malay culture. Furthermore, there are 10 different ways to cook and wrap with different kinds of leaves, that work best for different types of food.
Dr Ros Mahwati has also added, “At this rate, banana leaves and their usage will end up being forgotten by youths and future generations, eventually ceasing to be a part of Malay culture.”
In a bid to preserve culture (and of course marketing), the food and beverage company, “CRAVE” has revamped their packaging, revisiting the heritage of wrapping Nasi Lemak in “banana leaves”.
Their intention was to revisit the Malay tradition in their packaging as it’s a way to promote the cultural heritage to their consumers. Honouring the Malay practice of preparing and cooking food with leaves, the semantics of leaf wrapping has been played out and illustrated throughout the scope.
Let’s look at two examples of how the modern Nasi Lemak is being packaged.
Jom Makan!
A student project at Taylor’s University on “Jom Makan!” which translates to “Let’s Eat!”, came up with a Nasi Lemak packaging design idea for flood victims in Malaysia. The product was designed and created to provide a nutritious meal in times of emergency.
As Malaysian flood victims suffer from constipation due to poor dietary and low intake of nutrients, the designed product has the aim to provide victims with a balanced and nutritious meal.
Not only do they focus on the nutrient intake, but on the product design as well. The brilliantly thought packaging has a locking mechanism with a double-layered cover for better protection. While at the same time, preventing food spillages, and bacteria from entering.
Nasi Lemak is a familiar dish to the locals and since the packaging is designed with vibrant colours, the product is aimed to stimulate the appetites of those who suffer from the flood.
Educational tips are specially incorporated onto the packaging as well. This information helps to educate flood victims on survival tips during times of emergency.
The product was also designed to enable the longevity shelf-life of food and allow distributions to flooded areas by airdrop. Sturdy packaging coupled with genius concepts, don’t you think this a great idea?
The fact that those unfortunate ones could get a taste of Nasi Lemak and at the same time be exposed to survival tips within the packaging is amazing. If you ask me, The idea of placing the dish in a pint, kind of reminds me of ice cream sold in supermarkets, don’t you agree?
Ho Kow Hainam Kopitiam
Kopitiam is a term used only in Asia, mainly in Singapore and Malaysia. It is a local slang that means coffee shop. With the different kinds of stalls and a huge variety of cuisines ranging from Malay, Chinese, and Indian food being offered.
The atmosphere of the Kopitiam makes me feel at home, as I recall my dining experience. Feel free to ask any locals for a nearby Kopitiam, they’ll probably recommend you the best ones in the area!
Ho Kow Hainam Kopitiam is a Malaysian-local style eatery that specialises in local dishes. The main purpose of their takeout design is to retain the old traditional culture of the famous dish — Nasi Lemak. Of course, apart from that, there are also other local favourites such as traditional toast, soft-boiled egg, etc.
The takeout packaging design in this example showcases a tiffin carrier. Tiffin carriers are used widely in Asia as they’re accessible, efficient, and is able to keep food hot for a long time.
The eatery incorporated the Asian tiffin carrier as part of its packaging design with different kinds of local food illustrations to showcase the authenticity of the eatery itself. A unique design to stand out from the rest.
The packaging is also covered in many languages for consumers to reminisce about the times when they have a certain local dish and also an educational background to the dish for those consumers who are having it for the first time.
Ho Kow Hainam Kopitiam’s focus on their packaging design is to inspire consumers to cherish old traditions and culture.
This isn’t the end
How brilliant are these Nasi Lemak packaging design ideas? I believe that these will evolve further as time passes and this, definitely, isn’t the end.
If you could design a packaging for Nasi Lemak, what would it be? For me, I’d design it prioritising on eco-friendliness while showcasing the famous dish itself. (Well, I will leave you and your imaginations to roam around) A packaging that will bring a visual feast for the eyes? Yes, please!
Till we meet again, nasi lemak lovers
Nasi Lemak is one of my favourite Malay dishes but I do not eat it often due to the calories! But hey, when I see enticing packaging, why not? Of course the Nasi Lemak has to be good too!
I love seeing the different designs and realising how creative people can be! The designers have incorporated a branding identity of their own alongside the traditional Nasi Lemak culture. This will be a constant reminder to people, of how it all began.
The design packaging has come a long way. For the tradition to stay alive, we must remind ourselves of how the dish was wrapped in banana leaves as a start, to what it is today. Throughout the years, there is still a chance to live up to tradition and culture.
What do you say, wanna get some Nasi Lemak together?
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