KUALA LUMPUR – In this Hari Raya festive season, families across the country hold joyous celebrations, filled with cherished reunions and traditional delicacies.
Yet, for national hockey icon Datuk Mirnawan Nawawi, this season carries a poignant reminder of his late mother’s absence, Katemi Jemangin, particularly her culinary mastery, notably her beloved sambal goreng Jawa.
Reflecting on the past 14 years without her comforting presence, Mirnawan fondly recalls the warmth of her kitchen during Ramadan and the generosity she extended to guests during their Raya open houses in Melaka.
Like many, Hari Raya has always held immense significance for the 53-year-old triple Olympian (Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000), not just as a period of religious observance but also as a time for family bonding and feasting on his mother’s delectable dishes.
His late mother was a retired teacher who passed away in 2010.
“During my days as a national hockey player, every time I happened to go back to Melaka, I would always inform my mother.
“During Ramadan, my late mother would ask me what I wanted to eat to break my fast. I would always think of something special because I knew my mother would prepare the best food for me. My mother’s nasi ambeng was the best in the world for me.
“Aside from that, during Hari Raya, my relatives and the people in my home town would look forward to coming to my house because my mum had a special menu during Hari Raya known as ‘sambal goreng Jawa Cikgu Katemi.’
“My friends would always be excited and keep telling me that my mom’s sambal was always the best.
“There would be a lot of dishes served during Hari Raya, such as chicken and beef rendang, sambal kupang, and my mom’s paru goreng berempah, which is still the best in the world for me as I can’t find anywhere else that makes it as good as hers.
“During the first three days of Hari Raya, the dishes would start finishing, but if anyone kept coming to the open house, the beauty of my mum was that she would ensure that everyone was served with food,” Mirnawan shared with Scoop when met recently.
While the absence of his mother casts a shadow over the festivities, Mirnawan finds solace in upholding her cherished traditions and embracing the joy of family gatherings during this special time.
As he prepared for this year’s Hari Raya celebrations in Kg Banda Kaba in Melaka, Mirnawan reflected on the enduring legacy of love and generosity left by his late mother, ensuring her spirit would live on through the cherished memories and culinary delights shared with family and friends.
“I have already begun my plans for Hari Raya from the beginning of the Ramadan month. Of course, when you have a family and kids, traditional clothes are something that I plan in detail and purchase for my family every year.
“The dishes for this year have also been planned, and we will be celebrating this year’s Raya in Melaka with our family members. I will also be visiting my father (Datuk Nawawi Reduan) to take family photos for our memories.
“After that, we will start heading to both my home towns in Batu Puteh and Bukit Durian to visit my uncles and aunts. As for someone young like myself, we must always embrace our culture and respect the elderly.
“The whole day of Raya will be spent visiting my relatives and I will also use the opportunity to strengthen my bond with my relatives.
“For this year’s Hari Raya, I’m craving for sambal goreng Jawa. Even though my mother is no more, my second brother and my younger sister have the recipe and know how to make it well. My Raya is incomplete without sambal goreng Jawa and paru goreng berempah,” Mirnawan added.
Aside from his illustrious career for the Speedy Tigers from 1989 to 2002, Mirnawan, affectionately known as the “Boss” by local hockey fans, was also the junior (2009-2015) and senior (2020-2024) national hockey team manager.
Mirnawan made a total of 327 appearances for the Speedy Tigers and has won a Commonwealth silver medal (1998 Kuala Lumpur), an Asian Games bronze medal (1990 Beijing) and a total of five SEA Games gold medals (1993 Singapore, 1995 Chiang Mai, 1997 Jakarta, 1999 Bandar Seri Begawan, and 2001 Kuala Lumpur). – April 10, 2024