161010 Changkat Jering to Penang

Saturday 16 October 2010

It's been a while since I went back to Penang, having spent the Raya celebrations in Bangi. So when we heard that the Penang State Govt was having another ride, we signed up without any thought.

We left early & left the hustle & bustle of city life behind. Throughout the PLUS highway, our thoughts were just about the ride. Ashaari was excited & so was Arief. I believe even Hanafi had sleepless nights. Three stooges, without the knowledge & skill of what's in store for them. Are they gonna enjoy it or suffer? Only they can judge & gauge their own feelings.

After about 100km, the bike wobbled on the roof. Stopped & swapped the C50 to a normal low profile ones & the shaking stopped. I'm a virgin when it comes to this. Never used THULE roof rack before lah, what do you expect? Huh! Remembering that it was a Saturday, I kept telling myself to exit at Cangkat Jering. Changkat Jering is a small town in Perak, Malaysia. It is near the larger town of Taiping.

Map - Changkat Jering, Perak

Google route

It connects Taiping to the North-South Expressway via the southern exit, located near the junction of Federal Route 1, the old trunk road, with Jalan Air Kuning. Changkat Jering is famed for its big weekly evening market on Saturdays. Cangkat Jering brought back fond memories of my father. He was born in Kampung Panchor, Pantai Remis, Perak which is 30km or half an hour drive from Cangkat Jering.




Gado-gado / Pechal

Every possible time, he'd would stop at this small junction town after passing Kamunting, Taiping & the family would have kampung style "Laksa Buyong" cooked in a earth pot. You'd also find Dangai, Cok Peneram & 101 variety of kampung fare. Af far as I could remember, these simple folks would sell their wares particularly on Staurday, here only.


Dangai


Chok/Cucur Peneram

"Lokan" was my favourite clam but since it isn't their season, none can be found. Instead, we took home one hellova big salted Ikan Parang & ten packets of Ikan Pekasam (Pickled fish with grated rice).




Salted river fish & Pekasam

We arrived @ my mom's pod around lunch & she cooked the best fish curry in the world! Got up after Asar prayers & went over to Padang Kota Lama (Fort Cornwallis) to meet up with my old friend the Tauke Mee Sotong. Caught up with Pak Piee of the famous Boria troupe as he was acting for a drama on a trishaw. Ariefr can't resist a pix with the legend.


Boria troupe. Pak Piee & Arief

After the nose watery threat, we headed towards Feringghi where Hanafi, Bedul & the rest of the gang looped a soft ride around Teluk Bahang.

That nite, we gobbled a hefty plate of carbohydrate fatty Nasi Kandar @ our regular Deen's Nasik Kandar Restaurant in Jelutong & with an unsteady daze, groggily drove 10 minutes back to the awaiting pillow.


Jering - = Archidendron Jiringa.

Changkit Jering - A hill full of Jering trees
Changkat = Low Hill/slightly elevated platform of earth, Jering/Jengkol. Dont eat too much of jering, you might get "Kapit" / difficulty when peeing! The beans are mildly toxic due to the presence of djenkolic acid, an amino acid, which causes djenkolism (Jering/Jengkol bean poisoning). It can cause "spasmodic pain, gout, urinary obstruction and acute renal failure". Even though it has a bitter taste and foul smell, the large brown legumes can be eaten raw, are very popular and cooked with coconut milk & chili (Masak lemak). It's best boiled till soft and eaten with sprinkled sugar & grated coconut.

Growing to about 21 metres, the Jering (Archidendron Jiringa), as it is known locally, has smooth, pale grey bark, originated in Southeast Asia, it grows wild and also cultivated in Southeast Asia. The most striking feature of this tree is the massive purplish-brown pods that suspend coiled from its branches. The pods, that measure 20 to 25 cm long and 5 cm wide, are used to extract purple dyes to colour silk.
As part of traditional medicinal usage, the Jering seeds are extolled for preventive diabetes, hypertension and high blood pressure. And as a remedy to eliminate stones from the bladder, a decoction of finely pounded ginger, Jering seeds and water, is consumed.

The leaves can be pounded and applied in chest pains, pains, skin ailments. Ashes obtained by burning the old leaves can also be applied on itch, cuts & wounds. Its bark powder are sometimes applied on to one's body for treating chest pains, skin ailments, made into a gargle for treating gum pains & toothache.

*Warning! Never go into a lavatory knowing a person who has consumed Jering.

Boria
Boria is a traditional song and dance sketch or dance drama, found mainly in Penang, believed to have originated from Persia & India. Boria made its appearance in Penang in the later decades of the nineteenth century It is described as a traditional quatrain song form or pantun which is performed in a fusion of traditional & western music style and with dance forms such as quick-step, rhumba or soul juxtaposed with inang, zapin & other classic dance steps.
Although it was probably brought in by Indian Muslim traders of long ago, it has today come to be identified mainly with the Penang Malay community.
Boria incorporates the elements of dance, music and comic sketches. The troupe has a leader, a chorus, comedians and musicians.

A Boria performance begins with a comic sketch, followed by a song and dance featuring a juxtaposition of choral and solo parts. The lyrics amplify the gist of the comic sketch. The violin, maracas and tabla are used to accompany the singing, although the western pop band may also be used.

"Hangpa ni semua borialah..." Translation "You guys are so "Boria"". Meaning - To wear something similar / same costume / same outfit.
Surf http://warisanboria.blogspot.com



Lokan - Polymesoda expansa / Marsh/Mud/Swamp Clam
(Is a kind of clam/mollusks mainly found within the mangrove forest). This large, heavy bivalve formerly known as Geloina expansa is found buried in the stiff mud of the landward fringe of mangroves. Shell length is mostly around 9 cm in diametres almost as huge as your fist, with thicker and heavier shells. In the thick black mud of the mangroves, its well-adapted to this habitat, being able to tolerate long periods of low tide, and has the ability to resume filter-feeding rapidly when inundated.
As an important adjunct source of protein. this mollusks presents a healthy relief from the normal meal monotony in coastal villages. .
It's really a bivalve mollusk, tasting (to me) like a sweet, delicious oyster.
Best cooked with lemongrass as a soup or fried with chilies. My late grandma's & uncle recipe. Locals claim that this mollusk improves general health as well as enhancing s**ual performance!


Don't confuse yourself with Kristanna Loken's clams

Behind my granny's house in Kampung Panchor lay a huge mangrove area. During Lokan season, we would scour the swamp at low-tide & get a gunny sacks full!
Lokan is huge compared to the tiny "Remis"/a dime sized clam, me & my cousins loves getting soaked in the black mud ala Arnold Schwarzenegger in the movie "Predator" "& catch the cute Silver Leaf monkey's babies ("Lotong" not Lontong ok?).

Recipe - Lokan fried in chili

Ingredients:
Enuff for me & my clone.

1 kilo of lokan
12 red chili
10 red onions
1 bolb of garlic
2 slices of tamarind
2 sticks of lemon grass
1 teaspoon of sugar or none at all
A pinch of salt
1 piece of Curcuma Longa leaf (Daun kunyit)
1 bowl of water

How to go about cookin it:
Soak briefly & clean the clams thoroughly in cold water. Remove the excess membrane/loose skin around the Lokan & discard the shell (Unless u wanna break your teeth). Pound all the condiments into a paste & fry it on a slow fire in a wok. Make it to a boil & as the gravy thickens, throw in the lokans & make sure it's properly cooked. Serve to the glutton! Best eaten with soft rice & soy sauce. That's it baby!

Achtung! Never over-cook Lokan, it’ll be too tough & taste like rubber!

*Indemnity clause - The author shall not be made responsible for your health, that could result in death or permanent disabilities for the consumption of the concoction, remedies, potions & recipes detailed in this blog.

240410 Ridin d Surf with Mermaids

Pit Stop Island/Pulau Perhentian

When a friend invited me to tag along to Perhentian Island, I couldn't resist the temptation as an 'Escape' from the modern world. (Even though I had to drive like 4am in the morning). Lemme drive the first leg or u're gonna regret it. I did drive all right but after 2am my eyelids began to feel like Gates of steel. So cumbersome they are, I even had to prop them up with my fingers aka Mr. Bean.

Pulau Perhentian Kecil & Besar

A bottle of some root power tonic did help...for an hour - the most, besides the stiff side effect afterwards albeit the wrong timing. By the 61st minute drowsiness starts to kick in & nothing in this world can make me eyeball. My delusioned brain-mass started counting sheep pigs jumping across the moon & stars with the cows.
Half way down the 543km route thru Kuantan , my co-driver, tried massaging my stressed neck & shoulder muscles to no avail. Veering right nor left, the 4WD began to slow down...almost to a snail pace. We did stop a couple of times to put out some fires but our hoses were either too stubby or too short to reach the interior. The forest were too thick - leave it to the firefighters. Pity the parched flower bed. Not a single drop of rain in these part for almost a month. There were no ladies on board so no one would water the plants.

Finally after what it seems endless hours of monotonous line driving, finally destinantion arrived. Break of dawn prayers at Kuala Besut & off to the jetty for some morning Nasi Dagang & Wood Fish/"Ikan Tongkol/Kayu = Tuna.

Nasi Dagang recipe
Literally meaning "Trading Rice", this signature East Coast dish has become a well-known breakfast food of Peninsular Malaysia,made by steaming rice and glutinous rice together, to which is then added coconut cream once it is cooked. Tuna fish curry is the main gravy with extra condiments such as fried shaved coconut, hard-boiled eggs and vegetable pickles.

Ingredients (Enuff to serve 3-4 hantu raya)
4 cups of Nasi Dagang or fragrant long grain
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) thick coconut milk
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) thin coconut milk
10 shallots, sliced
2 cm ginger, cut into thin strips
5g fenugreek seeds
1 teaspoon salt

How to go about doing it.
Wash rice, drain it well and soak overnight in water. Next day, drain the water and steam the rice for half an hour. Remove from steam and stir in the thin coconut milk and re-steam for 15 minutes until the rice is almost cooked.
Mix the thick coconut milk with the ginger, fenugreek seeds and salt and then mix well into the cooked rice. Re-steam for another 15 minutes until the rice is completely cooked. Serve there & then.

The Wood Fish/Tuna curry
Ingredients (Enuff to serve 3-4 clueless clones)
2 medium sized Tuna (Max length 1 feet)
*too big it's gonna taste like a piece of plank
20 shallots, pounded or blended
3 cm turmeric, pounded once to get the aroma
2 cm galangal, pounded or blended
4 table spoons of grated & toasted coconut
2 bowls of coconut milk from 1 coconut
1 bulb of garlic
2 cm ginger, pounded once to get the aroma
20 pounded dried chilies
A bit of tamarind
Cooking oil
5 green chilies

How to go about doing it.
Clean up the Tuna & cut into desired slices. Sprinkle a little salt, tamarind.
Chuck everythin into a pot & get the fish to boil on a medium fire till the water is all dried up.
Simmer the oil & sauté the garlic, shallots, pounded dried chilies, turmeric, ginger, galangal (Lengkuas) & the thick coconut milk.
When it has come to a boil, submerge the Tuna, green chilies, salt & sugar with the grated & toasted coconut.
Serve when it’s thoroughly cooked.

Ohhhhhh... never tasted better with Kopi O/Black thick hot local coffee "Chap Hang Tuah" to perk you up. This kick-ass coffee will launch you like a pocket rocket. Two packets pliz makckik/aunty. Life wouldnt be perfect if you have only one. Two mounts of rice makes a perfect combination & the right "Balance". I give it a Bo Derek score of 1 - regarded as the most perfect of numbers.

Kuala Besut minaret during the golden hour/twilight

40 minutes that what it takes from Kuala Besut to the main Island with 400hp of power that pulverized the calm salty water. Skimming the waves & wobbling out of sinc, you get delirious - overwhelmed by the vast seas & deep abyss.

You'll start seeing things. You hallucinate... silky waving mane but her hidden shadows seems to disappear into the vast open... Well I believe, mermaids are actually manatees or dugongs. Conjured by the the spirits of the seas, searching for lost souls who long for the mystique.

Manatees are large, fully aquatic, mostly herbivorous marine mammals sometimes known as sea cows. Bcoz of their friendly nature, men confused them with mermaids.

Pulau Perhentian is located in the South China Sea 19 km/10 nautical miles from the coast of Kuala Besut. It consists of two islands, Pulau Perhentian Besar and Pulau Perhentian Kecil. Both islands are surrounded by beautiful palm-fringed sandy beaches andcrystal-clear turquoise-blue sea.

How they got their names.

The two main islands are Perhentian Besar /"Big Perhentian" and Perhentian Kecil /"Small Perhentian". The small, uninhabited islands of Susu Dara/Virgin Milk, Serenggeh and Rawa lie off Kecil. The Perhentians belong to Pulau Redang National Marine Park, which means that fishing, collecting coral and littering are strictly prohibited. Like Besut, people here generally speak Kelantanese Malay dialect.
Why? A few generations back, Besut was part of the Kelantan state. The name "Perhentian" means "Stopping point" in Malay, referring to their longstanding role as a pit-stop/way-point for traders during the turn of the century & have been sparsely inhabited by fishermen for centuries. The Perhentian Islands appear on many maps of the nineteenth and twentieth century as 'The Station Islands'.

Aha, do you know that Virgin's milk is used to cure Pink/Red Eye infection / Conjunctivitis? "When you have goopy eyes, followed by redness & mucous; Virgin breast milk expressed directly on the eye area immediately dissolves the mucous painlessly. Rather than using a warm wet cloth (as recommended by many). This is a well-known cure for eye infections, whether its pink eye or the clogged tear ducts so common in humans. "Breast milk is anti-fungal and anti-bacterial. I followed an old folk remedy and it worked beautifully!" This is truly a natural cure.

Ingredients
1 or a pair of breast
A bowl of warm water (Wash them up thoroughly)
Pat to dry

How you go about doing it.
Have your eyes wide open - with a glee
Ask your partner or you to squeeze/squirt a few drops of her milk directly into his/her eyeballs.
Blink a hundred times.
Do it a frequently within the 24-hour period and the results will be truly amazing.
I bet its pain free and red eye free for over a year.

Oh here comes a stingray, there goes a manta ray. In walked a jelly fish. There goes a dogfish, chased by a catfish.
Plodded along the beach hoping to catch a glimpse of the two ABBA looking dames who hitched the same boat with up but to no avail. Instead I came across lots of narwhals and bikini whales. Tanning on the white sand in the glarin sun, darkened from the usual pale.
One thing I noticed when we were at the beach. Everybody had matching towels. Then somebody went under a dock. And there they saw a rock. It wasn't a rock. Looks like a croc covered by a frock. It was a rock...lobster.

100 meters to the beach, the boat stopped & we're forced to hop on a small sampan that charges us 2 ringgit per bloke to ferry us to the white sands of Long Beach. There you have a newly build jetty splitting the waves & these buggers tell you that the water is too shallow to dock? I'm no cheapskate but fleecing tourist in broad daylight is uncalled for.Another paradise going to the dumps.

To add salt to the wound, this place is hounded with cut-throat entrepreneurs. Bowelless readiness to take advantage of harmless poor souls like us. A plate of fried rice would come to a hefty 16 ringgit with a glass of tea. The so called chief waiter needs a bath & some lesson in manners. This place needs some sprucing up too. Run-down-semi-haunted chalets, creepers clinging to the balconies, unswept leaves & rubbish strewn all over the place. Not to mention the "Everlasting" plastic materials.

Threading on plastic, the bartender had an overblown chest & manly nip**es ready to pierce your eyes. Oh yeah, this fella was happily bouncing his artificial over-blown assets, as if we care. Runnin away from civilization & you encounter with "Unnatural things", leaves a bad lingering taste in your already bitter tongue. Duh...
Bad enuff? I regret wearin the bike tights. Unlucky me, this place acts as a pod for the transgenders aka "Sotong" - Lost souls in limbo. I mean, I don’t really care what their preference are but you'll never get this kind of treatment like I had in The Land of Make Believe.
I dunno about the others but if you ever go Long Beach, Perhentian Island don’t ever go to this so called paradise corner - Moonlight Chalet & Cafe. Looks, first impression & recommendation by the tour agency was seemingly-beaming with incomparable beauty was a BIG MAJOR let down. Clean water is only available every other day. Can’t even get a decent bath, let alone a proper tooth brushing. Shampoo? You must be kidding!!! And yet the proprietor had the cheek to ask me to come back again.
I'd never - EVER! Shame on you, you bloody moron - your place is a mess.

Went wading late in the evening & caught a glimpse of two imported mermaids submerged by the corals. The fishes in the ever-clear water were dodging playfully among the seaweeds, scavenging the remnants of biscuits strewn by eager yuppies.



I then took charge of the stern & skimmed the waves. Manoeuvering a boat is not like driving a car with a slight difference. Even it may look the same; you gotta like turn it half way round the globe before you get the rudder to turn left or right. There’s no red, yellow or green light to guide you as long as you follow your six senses & hope for the best not run aground.

After some provisions of burgers, fried rice & nice cool soda in Perhentian Besar tiny island town, I ventured within the fridge of the kampong & chatted with an old lady who was born in Redang Island which is about 20.5 nautical miles away & met his late husband in Perhantian.This quaint town in the middle of the ocean offers cheap, clean food & accommodation. No fancy restaurants, nice humble-simple local folks making a living. Food costs the same here like the 2 ringgit burger. Could even fry on your own - they'll obliged with a smile. I would take my family here.

Old man of the sea

We were then taken to the middle of the ocean & hours were spent lying on the upper deck, lazing & gazing the darkness of the evening, watching the clouds go by - waiting for the sun to go down on the Milky Way. The disappearance of the sun below the horizon engulfed my conscience. I felt eerie & somber...It was a priceless encounter.

We were rolled by the sea, churned upside down as we fish for "Sotong"/squids - I've had too much to chew of "Sotong" for the day. Bobbling up & down made my nauseous & choose to lie on the upper deck & gaze the empty parallel universe.

Fried squid with brown sugar & soy sauce

Early the next morning we were awakened by crows banter. Where's the droning sound of hum from the diesel motorboat engine? It got stalled as we docked by Perhentin Kecil Island & marooned us for 3 hours. The rough seas wouldn't about to let up & we're caught off-guard without food. Finally the skies shone bright again. Far beyond the horizon, small speedy boats came to our rescue & took us back to civilization.

Trekking across the island from Long Beach to Coral Beach took 20 minutes through some light undergrowth. 2 years from now, I bet this place gonna be swarmed with too many humanoids & wreck this heaven. Makes me wonder who gave these landowners the right to encroach the jungle like nobody's business.
Since the tidal were huge in Long Beach, there's no way that any motor powered dingy would ferry us back to Kuala Besut. With infants shrills & loads of frustrations, we squeezed through sweaty armpits & clamored to our waiting boat.

Saw a croc with a frock under the dock

Rumbling skies made the journey back treacherous & made worse by the "Couldn't care less" attitude of the young looking lad who tried hard to look like a seasoned seaman. I could have smacked his toothless sneer but as a "foreigner", I could be thrown overboard.


Rumbling seas & the seasoned sea-man

Fresh cool "Land water" never felt better. After all the salted attire it was a relief to be on safe land, I mean four wheels. Rolled on towards Kelulut Beach which is the gateway to Kapas & Gemia Island, another paradise.

Oh... so droopy eyed & most demure

These tired eyes were suddenly affixed to this dame on two feet. Waving us with such beauty - We parted our ringgit & sens (senses too). She hypnotized us with her lovely flawless features that melted our souls, which seduced & altered our state of consciousness into buying 4 packets of "Keropok"/local crackers.

Keropok = fish / prawn / dried & fried crackers.
Not to be confused with cream or firecrackers.


Keropok Lekor - Tail-like crackers. Boiled, soft & uncut

By late evening we filled our tummy with some stuffed crabs in Maran. Couldn't stomach anymore as the fried "Keropok lekor"/Tail-like crackers have expended.

In all. It's a time well spent even though we had to work the following day. It was definitely a short pit-stop but it's not gonna stop me from stoppin by again.

I shall savior the moments I had, underneath the waves - with the mermaids...

Ridin d waves with Swedish mermaids

Mermaids calls are hard to resist...

10 - Derives from a rating system used by people to rank members of the opposite sex based upon beauty, with a 10 being the epitome of attractiveness.
Bowelless - Ruthless in competition; "cutthroat competition"
Sotong - Squid or queer, tranny, transgender, transvestite or Pondan, Ponen, Bapok, Daghai (Nothern slang)
Nasi Dagang - Literally meaning "Trading Rice", this signature East Coast dish has become a well-known breakfast food of Peninsular Malaysia, made by steaming rice, fenugreek seeds and glutinous rice together, to which is then added coconut cream once it is cooked. Tuna fish curry is the main gravy with extra condiments such as fried shaved coconut, hard-boiled eggs and vegetable pickles.
Tongkol - A piece of wood hence Ikan Tongkol/Wood like fish.
Keropok - Crackers. They are made by mixing prawns/fish/squids/seafood or from exotic fruits like Belinjau (Gnetum Gnemon), bananas, jackfruit & tapioca flour and of course water. The mixture is rolled out, steamed, sliced and sun dried. Once dry, they are deep-fried in oil (which must be at high heat before cooking). In only a few seconds they expand from thumb-sized translucent chips to white fluffy crackers.
Lekor - Spiral, like a mosquito coil/Similar to a coiled ropes or a spring
Keropok Lekor - Uncut crackers/Tail-like crackers. Kept in spiral. Keropok are deep fried crackers made from starch and other ingredients that usually give the taste. Keropok Lekok is also prepared from fish meat grounded with sago and salt; these are then rolled and made into the shape of long tubes similar to sausages/dildos/phallic in appearance. They are then boiled or fried & dipped in chilly sauce.

210310 Labu, Underrated

Unikeb - Labu - LBJ - Kampong Jijan - Salak

Pumpkin was the order of the day.
We had cycled around this area numerous times & not know the significance of this place. Sad but most of us are rather blur about our own history. Go & ride by the N38 main road & you'll catch a glimpse of the huge pumpkin sculpture. The regular place where CIOCC's Clan cam-whores would stop for a snap.


me, Bokat, John John, Dr. Taufik, Rahman, Mr Won, Faris, Cikgu Hisyam,
Awie, Dr. Hassan & Bulat. my clone, Zharin, Wak Jali, & Baby.

Labu is a small town in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. The town is located between Seremban and Nilai. There is also a commuter train station that located here. How Labu Town got its name? I believe the kampong folks cultivated this plant in abundance when they first settled here.

During the Japanese occupation of Tanah Melayu, Labu became their headquarters as there were old railroads linking the peninsular from north to south. When they got tired of slashing & burning the crops to starve my forefathers, they resorted to chopping off the heads of locals. True? Due to KTMB double tracking works since 1995, most of these relics have disappeared.


Lyndon B. Johnson @ Labu bin Johnson

Former American President Lyndon B. Johnson once landed via a helicopter in Felda LBJ (1966), hence the name of the Felda settlement, Labu B. Johnson. The first and remains the only US President to ever visited Malaysia.
Excerpts of remarks upon Arriving at Subang Airport, Kuala Lumpur, October 30, 1966 “...I feel that I know you because Malaysia, like the United States, is a federation of States which were once colonies of Great Britain and because Malaysia is, like the United States, a nation of many diverse peoples, different religions, and different cultures..." Link here.

Butternut squash

Firstly, lemme explain to most of you out there who only know how to wallop this vege but wouldn't even know how the hell it looks like. Labu translated to English would be pumpkin or butternut squash. So Labu is a Pumpkin & vice versa. Scientifically a pumpkin is a gourd-like squash of the genus Cucurbita and the family Cucurbitaceae which is a creeper plant. They are typically orange or yellow and have many creases running from the stem to the bottom. Have a thick shell on the outside, with seeds and pulp on the inside.
Variations within the species are common. Locally you can also get butternut squash. This variety is very popular because it's so easy to use. It's small enough to serve a normal family without leftovers, and the rind is thin enough to peel off with a vegetable peeler. As an added bonus, the flavor is sweet, moist (Mmmm..) and pleasantly nutty. Eat too much you'll go loco...

The word pumpkin originates from the word "Pepon" (πέπων), which is Greek for “Large melon". I love a pair of solid looking ones. The French adapted this word to pompon, which the British changed to pumpion and later American colonists changed that to the word we use today, "pumpkin".

If you're thinking about Labu & Labi, it has got nothing to do with the pumpkin or the terrapin. The latter apparently is an aphrodisiac, deliciously made into a bowl of soup. Labu & Labi refers to a comedy directed by the late Tan Sri P. Ramlee, my kampong neighbor. Both of us migrated from Pulau Pinang but he made it big in Singapura. During the 11th century, Singapura was attacked by schools of swordfish because someone said a boy "Cried Wolf".

Ironically "John Labu" was the name given to M. Zain, P. Ramlee's partner in this classic movie.

The 1963 production is a story about Haji Bakhil, a miser with two servants, Labu - the cook, and Labi - the driver. The two of them have secret admiration for Haji Bakhil's beautiful daughter, Manisah. After a hard day's work, Labu and Labi started talking about their girlfriend not knowing that they both admire the same women. During bedtime, they lamented to each other about their life being poor and wondered what would happen if they were rich and famous. Labu pretended that he was a doctor, Tarzan, cowboy and Labi a magistrate judge...

As simple as it is, a pumpkin has carved its name in the Guinness Book of World Records.The largest & heaviest record breaking pumpkin weighs a whooping 1,725-pound (782 kilograms)!!! If I got my face in-between those, I'll suffocate & die with pleasure.

Jack O Lanters for Halloween

Carving pumpkins (Jack O Lantern) preceded the Great Famine period of Irish immigration and was originally associated with harvest time in general, not becoming specifically associated with Halloween until the mid-to-late 1800s. In medieval time these candle lantern were initially carved from turnips (Sengkuang).
In Malaysia the sengkuang will be skinned alive, stripped bare from its skin, sliced 1/2 cm into a few slices. They will then be topped with a generous amount thick soy bean spread (Kuah rojak hitam). A sprinkle of "Belachan/Fermented shrimp cube", "Otak udang"/Shrimp paste) grounded/blended ground nuts & sugar will add flavor. Muaaaah! If you're born in the 70's you're one lucky bugger. For a sunny day, a shaved iced ball poured over with syrup is most welcome too.
It leaves a lingering taste in your tongue. Mummy...!!! I wanna turn back the clock...

For the Malay community, the pumpkin leaves are also a popular vegetable to be cooked with coconut milk = "Masak Lemak Daun Labu" minus the terrapin meat. It’s sweet but not sugary like. Add some sweet potatoes, mash & eat it with newly cooked rice. The leaves can be an "Ulam" which you dip into "Sambal Belachan"/Pounded chilies with roasted shrimp cube. Once you've tasted it, I bet you wouldn’t even notice your mother in-law passing by!

Pumpkin made into "Labu Sira" dessert.

"Labu Sira" is pumpkin/butternut squash cooked in palm sugar. It is traditionally served during special occasions/weddings.

Pumpkin in Palm Sugar Recipe

Ingredients (Enuff to serve 3-4 clones)
1 Medium size pumpkin
5 Tablespoon sugar
2-3 Pandan leaves (Pandanus amaryllifolius)
1/2 pcs palm sugar/brown sugar
2-3 Teaspoon salt
2-3 Teaspoon liquid limestone / Kapur makan not kapur tulis (Not blackboard chalk!)

How to go about doing it.
Peel the skin, cut into half lengthwise/ quarter & sub-quarter it into small chunks or chop them (Not too small please). Spread some liquid limestone & leave it for an hour (To ensure that the pumpkin would not go overly gooey/too soft). Wash them thoroughly later & boil them with sugar, Pandan leaves & salt. Splash with water & with the ingredients on low heat, add palm sugar/brown sugar and mix. Leave it for 30 min with the lid. When they have gone tender (Checklah...not too soft), let it cool. Serve them chilled ; P

*It can stay fresh up to one week, when refrigerated.

Do you know that the chemical compounds found in pumpkin promote regeneration of damaged pancreatic cells? Resulting in increased bloodstream insulin levels. According to the research, pumpkin extract may be "a very good product for pre-diabetic people, as well as those who already have diabetes," possibly reducing or eliminating the need for insulin injections for some type of diabetics.

Labu in Malay could also suggest the calves’ size of a person, besides the normal term "Betis". No wonder John John & Faris sped ahead like a torpedo - Both of them have muscular "Labu's".
In the northern parts of Malaysia, a person's calves can also be referred as "Anak Anjing/Puppy". An old term which is rarely used nowadays.


Uncanny resemblance?

Other Labu meaning,
1) Labu sayong, a pottery craft.
2) My mom would say "Azman, skin a "Labu/Bulb" off garlic". Se-labu bawang putih = A large "Bulb" of garlic (Notice the garlic & the pottery? Uncanny resemblance to the pumpkin eh?)
3) Anatomical wise - His/her belly looks like an overgrown "Labu" or she has a nice pair of "Labu/Jugs". He he he...

Dr. Hassan & Faris

Dr. Taufik & Awie jelingan manja...aww!

Other than some history lessons & recipe to make your saliva trickle, it was a fun & fast ride with some new friends. Dr. Hassan, Faris, Dr. Taufik & Awie the firefighter. Kudos to Bokat & Bulat, u guys have improved tremendously. Syabas!!!

To Syarul Hulk, that's a fancy "PANAURELLO". Bro, with or without "Panau"/Tinea Versicolor or Pityriasis Versicolor (a condition characterized by a rash on the trunk and proximal extremities), you're still the same.

Two doctors will tell you the benefit of exercise & good eating habits. John John can tell a tale or two about nutritions.

Nutritional Value & Health Benefits for the mad cyclist.
The orange-flesh is a dead giveaway that pumpkin is a source of beta carotene which is a powerful antioxidant. Beta carotene is converted to vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A is essential for healthy skin, vision, bone development and many other functions.
Just look at me, I'm pushing 45 but with the helmet, jersey, tanned skin & slim physique, I'm a dead give away 25 year horny dude!!! Vain vain vain...
Pumpkin is also a tasty source of carbohydrates and potassium.

Nutrition Facts (1 cup cooked mashed pumpkin)

Calories 24
Protein 1 gram

Carbohydrates 5.98 grams
Dietary Fiber 1 gram

Potassium 280.6 mg

Phosphorus 36.6 mg

Vitamin A 1320 IU

Vitamin C 5.73 mg

No wonder Dr. Hassan had some mashed pumpkin in Salak town.

Last but not least, The Clan would like to wish Dr. Hassan - "Happy 49th. Birthday". Thank you for "Belanjaying/threating" RM50.
49-50 = 4950, Wah! can strike 4D, sure kena one...

Njoy Ridin' & Gobblin'!

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