GEORGE TOWN, MALAYSIA: The serunding-making pair of Latini and Fazlee Yahaya normally cook kilogrammes of the meat floss once every few days during Ramadan.

And when Hari Raya draws closer, the husband-and-wife team increase this amount to 20kg daily.

Latini said that during the fasting month, she and Fazlee would cook between 15kg and 20kg of chicken and beef serunding once every three days.

During Ramadan, the couple sell their serunding at the Bayan Baru Ramadan bazaar.

They make the Malay delicacy at their home in Sungai Burung, Balik Pulau.

Latini, 27, said the mixture had to be continuously stirred over low fire for at least four hours because only when it was cooked dry to perfection that it would be able to last for about six months.

"Serunding, whether it's made using chicken or beef, is a must-have during Hari Raya and during the puasa month.

"It is normally served with lemang, ketupat or even lontong during Hari Raya, but these days people are also eating it with bread, rice and using it as popiah fillings," she said.

Latini said the serunding paste made with chilli powder, meat curry powder, grated coconut, garlic, onion, ginger, lemon grass, galangal, turmeric leaves and salt would have to be cooked earlier.

"It is only after this that the chicken or beef would be thrown in and stirred well over low fire," she said, adding that beef would take longer to cook than chicken.

Her recipe belonged to her late mother Nafisah Husin, who was from Kelantan.

She said that previously the chicken or beef had to be boiled first and shredded by hand. But today, food choppers and blenders take care of that.

"Our customers keep coming back for our serunding every year because they say it tastes different from the usual serunding they buy.

"I think it tastes good because we stick to my late mother's original recipe," she said.