By: Dr. Nurul Izzah Khalid

Senior Lecturer

Faculty of Food Science and Technology, UPM

Figure 1: Food Engineering in Ketupat

Ketupat is often linked to Hari Raya, family gatherings, and traditional dishes like rendang and satay. But beyond its festive meaning, ketupat is also a simple and interesting example of food engineering in everyday life.

Although ketupat looks like rice wrapped in woven coconut leaves, its preparation involves important engineering principles, especially heat transfer and mass transfer. During boiling, heat moves from the hot water through the leaf casing and gradually into the rice. The outer rice cooks first, while the heat slowly travels toward the center. That is why ketupat needs enough cooking time to ensure the inside is fully cooked and not hard.

At the same time, water also moves into the rice grains. This is mass transfer. As the grains absorb water, they swell, soften, and begin to stick together. Heat and water work together to change the rice from separate hard grains into a compact and firm rice cake. This is what gives ketupat its unique texture.

The woven casing also plays an important role. It is not only a wrapper, but also a natural structure that holds the rice in shape during cooking. Traditionally, the casing is not filled completely, leaving space for the rice to expand as it absorbs water. This shows a practical understanding of process design, because too much rice can make the ketupat too dense, while too little may affect its shape.

In short, ketupat is more than a festive food. It is a good example of how heat movement, water absorption, texture development, and structure control come together in food preparation. It reminds us that food engineering is not only found in factories or laboratories, but also in the traditional foods we enjoy at home.

Date of Input: 07/04/2026 | Updated: 07/04/2026 | nurulizzah