Anyone familiar with Cape Malay cuisine knows boeber. It’s that sweet tantalizing to-die-for dessert Malay’s make with milk, almonds, sultanas and sago. Most importantly, it is white! The colour of milk! Absolutely divine to the palate.
Well, not so long ago a close friend offered to bring some boeber to work. We were all so excited and rubbed our hands in anticipation at the thought of getting boeber on a cold day. Elated and eager, we sat down the next day as she started dishing the boeber into cups, because that’s how it’s done. Lo and behold, as soon as my eyes came to rest on the contents in my cup, I freaked out and said, “What the hell is this? Who makes pink boeber?” This is an absolute insult to our traditions, and our ancestors, who, for hundreds of years, made white boeber. We were all so taken aback.
However, not wanting to offend our friend too much, as to her it was quite normal, we started bringing the cup closer to our lips. Apprehensively, hesitant and very slowly the cup eventually reached our mouths and lo and behold, it tasted the very same! You can imagine our relief, but even more so our surprise. The boeber, a pink fusion, still conformed to our tradition, but it made me realise that tradition is not static, it evolves and even though we may be hesitant to accept and adapt to changes in culture and tradition, it is possible.
So, no matter the colour, as long as the taste is there, the essence of traditional boeber remains.
by Naiema Taliep
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