Malay Heritage Sweets

Kuih apam is steamed cakes, made in a variety of colors.

Pasar tani means farmer’s market in Malay.

One can always find a big variety of fresh ingredients and food at such an event, which is held throughout Malaysia.

The last pasar tani that I visited was in Larkin, in the state of Johore.

In line with my interest, I was mostly drawn towards the traditional or heritage food.

One was the circular-shaped sweet snack called deram deram. It is made from rice flour and palm sugar which gives it the rich caramel color. There is an art to frying deram deram. The oil has to be at just the right temperature for the rings to be slightly crispy on the outside, while maintaining a soft texture on the inside.

Another favorite is kuih apam, which is steamed cakes. They are usually eaten for breakfast.

I remember my grandmother used to bring home these cakes from her early morning rounds at the Geylang Market. The cakes come in different colors, and as a child, I was attracted to the brighter ones, and would try to grab the pink one for myself.

Kuih apam is often served with grated coconut. As an adult, I realize that much of the enjoyment of this sweet is in the simultaneous play of contrast and complement. The pristine white of the grated coconut contrasts with the bright colors. A pinch of salt is usually added to the coconut, and this little bit of salty tang brings out the sweetness of the cakes.

Deram deram is a popular traditional sweet snack.

There is an art to frying deram deram.

Peanuts are universally popular snacks.

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Book Launch in California

This amazing cake was made to replicate my book and my childhood home that was on the cover of my book (see sidebar).

I’m very lucky that my book “Kampung Memories, A Life’s Journey Revisited” has been able to “travel” and present itself on both sides of the Pacific; and more importantly, has enabled me to share memories and insights with diverse people and readers.

“Kampung” means village in Malay, and the book revolves around the urban villages in Singapore before they were demolished for redevelopment. I grow up in such a kampung, and in the book, I weaved my memories with that of the people who used to live there.

I launched my book in Singapore in June this year, and recently, the first book launch/event in the United States was held in Santa Clara, northern California, at the Kababs and Curry’s Restaurant.

It was the brainchild of my friend Khir Johari, who is considered by his many friends as a Renaissance man. He and members of the Singapore and Malay communities in the San Francisco Bay Area took care of all the details of the event: everything was done elegantly, and all I needed to do was to show up.

There was batik to decorate the tables, a spread of Malay dishes prepared by the talented ladies from the community, and wonderful chai from the restaurant. One of the highlights was a chocolate cake, made to replicate my kampung house that was on the cover of the book.

Faridah, who made this amazing cake, said she took a few days to complete it. She decorated it with coconut trees and little pots of flowering plants made with brightly colored fondant. There was even a tiny replica of a sepak raga (a traditional Malay ball made of bamboo and rattan).

So on that Sunday afternoon in fall, we sat down in that cosy room, sharing and listening to stories that follow a path to our heritage and roots. There were also other Americans of different ancestry in that room. I hope, and I suppose I imagine this, that the book brings to their minds a dusty road where their fathers or grandfathers used to cycle, or all the strong women of their childhood, the ones who nurtured and held the families in their seemingly simple, humble ways.

Thank you to everyone who helped organized and showed up for the launch.

The author Sharifah (left) with Khir, the event’s creator, listening to the stories and ideas shared by the guests.

A group photo. The banner, handmade by Salizah, was pretty impressive.

I’m carefully cutting the cake with Faridah, who made the extraordinary cake.

Mee siam, a specialty noodle dish of Singapore Malays.

Kuih keria, Malay doughnuts made with sweet potato.

Playing Malay heritage games (left) batu serembat or five stones, and the congkak, a board game.

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Beginnings

Farhana’s henna decorated hands added a traditional touch of radiance.

On my recent trip to Singapore, I was lucky to be able to celebrate with my large, close-knit extended family, the wedding of a niece, Farhana and the engagement ceremonies of two nephews, Cassim and Ebrahim.

The Malay wedding is a bustling affair with hundreds of guests and relatives streaming in throughout the day, enjoying the camaraderie and the briyani rice spread.

The engagement ceremony, according to the Malay custom, usually takes place at the lady’s home. The elders of both families discuss issues such as the date of the marriage and the wedding dowry. The young woman is then presented with the engagement ring, and gifts, beautifully decorated, are also exchanged.

After the formal discussion, there will be lots of food and members of the two families chat and get to know each other.

I’m posting some close-ups of the events.

….Love still makes the world go round.

Putting together the wedding cake.

The wedding cake: a lovely centerpiece.

A Malay water jar for guests to wash their hands before a meal. (Wedding photos taken by a professional photographer.)

A man who knows his flowers: Ebrahim hand-picked the flowers for the bouquet to be presented to his fiance.

The box with the engagement ring, decorated by Sarah, the artist in the family.

Cassim’s gifts to his fiance were carefully chosen to reflect her preferences. (Pic by Shireen)

Fine tableware and a delectable spread graced the engagement ceremony.

For another post on a Malay wedding, please see The Life of a Malay Wedding.

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Favorite Festive Fare

Putu kacang….packed with flavor and memories for me.

A galore of cookies and cakes. That is how Eid, or Hari Raya, as it is known in Malay, is celebrated in Singapore and Malaysia.

Each home welcomes guests with about eight or so varieties of these, to enjoy to one’s heart’s content. There are both modern and traditional cookies, or which I prefer to call heritage cookies. My preference runs to the latter, and one of my favorites is putu kacang.

This is a no-bake sweet, with green bean flour and sugar as the main ingredients. The ingredients are mixed, dampened with a little water, then packed tightly into wooden molds specially-designed for putu kacang.

Then the molds are turned over, tapped or knocked lightly so that the molded pieces will drop from the mold. They are then placed in a tray to be sun-dried or baked by a hot, tropical sun.

I used to help my grandmother make this cookie in my childhood home. The molds she owned had interesting designs, and my imagination was really taken by the ones shaped like a rooster. I couldn’t wait for them to dry so that I could savor the tiny roosters.

Sometimes, to make our anticipation easier, my grandmother would give us the task of keeping an eye on the cookies drying on a table in the backyard, just in case the family cat decided to let its curiosity get the better of it, and jump onto the table.

Today, as most residents in Singapore live in high-rise apartments, there is less home-made putu kacang available, and we buy them in Malaysia.

Making this cookie was one of the highlights of Hari Raya preparations in my kampung or childhood home. I just loved the whole process of making them, the contrast of the textures, and the fresh, creamy taste. And I still do – I guess some things never change.

 

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It Takes a Village….

The road to publishing my book has been a fulfilling journey.

There is the often quoted African proverb “It takes a village to raise a child.”

I think it may also be quite true to say that it takes a village to self-publish a book. I have had so much help along the way to the publication of “Kampung Memories, A Life Journey, Revisited”, a book that is very important to me, that I will try to thank as many people as I can.

I would like to thank:

• Authors who have shared their experiences. Throughout the whole journey, I read many blog posts and books where self-published authors share their experiences and insight. This was valuable information for me, and I, in turn, would be happy to share with anyone whatever I have learnt.

• My family and friends who have helped and supported me in countless ways.

• Everyone who came to the book launch and the reading/discussion events.

• Everyone who has read my book, or any part of it. The reward and wish of every writer is that his work is read and shared. Feedback is also much appreciated. At one of the readings, a guest thanked me for writing the book as he grew up in the years after the kampungs (villages) were gone from Singapore’s landscape, and he has little idea of life in that time.

• Everyone who helped me with practical advice on marketing, especially Isrizal and Sharifah, an aspect which was a rather steep learning curve for me.

• Ibrahim of Wardah Books and Dan of Select Books for their belief in, and support of independent or indie writers.

The author, Sharifah (left) after signing a book at the launch. We are dressed in baju kurung, the traditional Malay costume.

Meet the author session at Select Books. Click on pic for more photos.

Links to:

Post in a heritage Singapore blog

Radio interview on “Kampung Memories”

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Book Launch Invitation

Saturday,June 30 2012: If you are in Singapore, I would like to invite you the launch of my book Kampung Memories.

The venue is in the heart of the Malay district where you can explore an array of food and shopping places. Hope to see you there.

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The Slender King of the Trees

In the tropics, the coconut tree has often been called “king of the trees”. The tree, known in Malay as pokok kelapa, not only provides shade, but also has different uses at different stages of its growth.

People of the tropics know that the juice of the young coconut makes a refreshing drink. It also has a medicinal use. When given to a child afflicted with chicken pox, it is  believed to lessen the ‘heatiness’ of the body.

When the coconut ripens, the flesh is grated, mixed with water, and squeezed to obtain its milk called santan in Malay. Santan is to the Malay cook what soy sauce is to his Chinese counterpart.  It is a base for cooking different types of curries and gravies, as well as for desserts, usually sweetened with palm sugar.

After the coconut gratings were squuezed for santan, we fed them to the family hens.

- excepted from my book Kampung Memories, a semi-memoir of childhood memories and Malay culture.

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Laundry Day and Elbow Grease

The clothes were scrubbed against the washboard to remove the stains and grime.

How nice it is to drop a load of laundry in the washing machine, then go back to the book or TV, relax, while the laundry is being done! In the days before washing machines were affordable and widespread, lots of elbow grease were required on laundry day. Here’s an except from my upcoming book “Kampung Memories”:

“In those days, laundry was done manually or completely by hand. Washing machines were not in the picture at all. Most households had a person designated to do all the laundry, or often a washer-woman offered her service to the households.

The woman would come to the house several times week to do the laundry. I remember we once had a washer-woman who was quite a fascinating character. She was a stout lady, friendly but did not talk much. She often rolled a cigarette after she had done her washing, stood with one hand on her hips and smoked while seemingly lost in her thoughts. Even as a kid, I could see that she was a tough lady, not easily intimidated or ordered around.

One of the laundry items that caught my attention and imagination as a child was nila or indigo, a product that makes white clothes whiter and brighter. At that time, not only schoolchildren wore white shirts and blouses, many men also wore white shirts to work.

Nila was sold as a blue-colored soap bar. You cut a small slice and mixed it in a pail of water. It would turn the water a bright blue, and I enjoyed waiting for that “magical” moment. The white clothes which had been washed would be dipped in the blue water for a final rinse, then hung on the clothesline to dry.”

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Singapore’s Animal World

The white rhino...big and beautiful.

The Singapore Zoo is a popular attraction with both tourists and the island’s residents.

It’s a busy place at this time of the year when the year-end school holidays come around again in Singapore. The lines would be long, but once you get pass it, it can be a worthwhile experience.

Earlier this year, I visited the zoo after a long absence. I went with my cousin who is also a huge animal lover. So we were ready to be pleased or to be critical about the place.

I’m happy to report that we were pleased. The ‘open concept’ design and variety of animals were great. I also liked the diversity of the staff.

We were lucky to arrive at the big cats enclosure when it was feeding time. There was a glass shelter for viewing. And from a vantage point right behind the glass, we had a clear view of the animals enjoying their meal.

I managed to chat with a staff member, Mcroy, who works with the big cats. I’ve always admired people who worked closely with animals, and was curious to know how he developed the ability and personality to work with these felines.

“I grew up in a kampung (village) in Sembawang. As a child, I was always drawn to play with, and take care of all the animals – birds, cats, dogs – that I come across,” he explained.

“Today, I’m happy to take care of these big cats. I feel that humans are trustees of the animal world.”

Later, we passed the sun bear enclosure, walking alongside Mcroy. The bears were resting or sunbathing among the trees (their natural behavior), and could not really be seen.

Mcroy called out the name of one of the bears: “Ballu!”. The bear came scampering towards the front of the glass-fronted enclosure to greet him , and that was an unforgettable sight.

Sun bears are the smallest species of bears in the world, and are found mainly in the tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia. Until recently, I didn’t know that sun bears are an endangered species. The Singapore Zoo has a breeding program to help ensure the sun bear’s survival.

Meal time...for the big cats.

The zoo's rainforest setting offers a lot of greenery.

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The Briyani Trail

Hyderabad briyani is often garnished with boiled eggs.

Okra masala...a great dish.

I’m on the briyani trail again. This time in Northern California.

The Sunnyvale/San Jose area has a big population of Indian expatriates working in the IT industry, and there is a big selection of Indian restaurants. I went online to see opinions about the best briyani in the area, and a couple of restaurants always received the best ratings.

I decided to try one of them, Taste Buds, which uses halal meat.

The manager, Ram, told me that the cook is from Hyderabad, and the briyani is Hyderabad briyani cooked dum style, which is the authentic way of cooking briyani. In the dum method, a layer of rice is alternated with a layer of briyani spices and meat. The layers are repeated, then the pot is tightly covered and cooked over a low fire to fully integrate the flavors.

The goat briyani was rather good: the flavors were more subtle, buttery and fragrant. If there was one complaint, the meat was a little dry.

What turned out to be the winner, though, was the fish curry. So far, it was closest to the Southern Indian fish curry that I enjoy in Singapore and Malaysia. This style of fish curry has a delectable tang to it.

I think the Southern Indian fish curry in Singapore and Malaysia has been a little “Malayanised” or “localized” to suit the local flavors or taste. It has a complex, bold taste with that unmistakable tang. Roti prata (or roti canai as it is called in Malaysia), a grilled flour pancake, eaten with freshly cooked fish curry is one of my favorite breakfasts. You have to try it if you are in this region.

Well, Back to California: Taste Bud’s fish curry was very satisfying. Ram explained that the restaurant makes its own curry spices from scratch. I also like that they use sea bass for the curry. Quite a few restaurants use tilapia which is the least costly fish but tastes rather flat in curries.

On another visit, I sampled a few other dishes, and another clear winner was the bindi/okra masala. The okra was cooked just to the right texture. An interesting appetizer that found its way to the table was the egg bajji which is boiled eggs dipped in chickpea flour and deep fried. Egg lovers would certainly enjoy this dish.

Ram also recommended another of their specialities, the chilli shrimp appetizer. I’ve yet to try it, but I will visit Taste Buds gain as the restaurant scored high points for good food at very reasonable prices.

To read about my favorite briyani place in Southern California, more at http://buildingbridgesworld.wordpress.com/2010/05/07/big-on-briyani/

There's nothing like a freshly-cooked, good fish curry.

Egg bajji...dipped in chickpea flour and deep fried.

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