While many vendors sell the treat, Tepung Pelita Istimewa Paya Jaras has built a loyal following since 1999. Wati Abdul Rahman, who operates from Sungai Buloh, Selangor, makes the kuih.
Demand for the dessert, made from rice flour, coconut milk and sugar, surges during the fasting month. To meet orders and reach customers across Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, Wati has appointed nearly 150 sales agents.
One of them is Nurul Attirah Mohd Radzi, 33, who sells the kuih to supplement her household income when her family’s breakfast business pauses for Ramadan.
“My usual business is selling bihun soup, curry noodles and lontong in the morning at a rented space in a restaurant. But when Ramadan begins, I close this business for a month.
“So during the fasting month, I sell Tepung Pelita Istimewa Paya Jaras, which is the preferred choice of my customers. This is now my fourth year selling it,” she said at her temporary stall in Jalan Gombak Batu 5 here.
Her Ramadan routine begins at 2pm, when she drives about 50km to the Sungai Buloh factory run by Wati and her husband to collect her daily supply. By 4.30pm, she is ready to open her stall.
The mother of three typically sells between 15 and 18 trays a day, with each tray containing about 70 pieces. She adjusts her stock based on demand to ensure everything is sold.
“I adjust the number of trays daily based on demand to make sure the kuih sells out,” she said, adding that she expects to earn about RM3,000 over Ramadan, based on previous years. The extra income goes a long way towards her Hari Raya Aidilfitri preparations.
Another sales agent, who wished to be known only as Eira, has been selling the kuih during Ramadan since 2015.
The 41-year-old homemaker said demand in her neighbourhood in Flora Damansara, Damansara Perdana, remains strong despite the abundance of other iftar delicacies.
“Tepung Pelita Istimewa Paya Jaras remains a favourite because of its taste and quality. Even though the price is higher now compared to before, customers still look for it,” she said, adding that she sells between 10 and 16 trays daily.