Did you know that every market in Malaysia has at least one jungle stall?
No – neither did I – until yesterday, when I went on a cookery course which began with a trip to the market.
The market is literally within spitting distance – and I can’t spit very far – of the school where I work, so I will be popping in regularly from now on to sample all the jungle produce.
These are pandan leaves
which are a very common flavouring and colouring in Malaysia, but are also used to keep cockroaches away … so I will be ordering a regular bulk supply.
This is called Pegaga or centella asiatica
and is apparently good for warding off dementia, as well as being delicious in a salad – so what’s not to like, for we over fifties?
And fiddlehead ferns look really pretty and make an excellent side dish cooked in coconut.
They contain antioxidants and omega 3 fatty acids, but if you eat too much of them, you could get beri-beri, cancer or be poisoned by an as yet undefined toxin, depending on which variety you pig out on (note to self – caution advised).
This is not a lump of coal – it’s a century duck egg
an essential ingredient in my latest favourite food – salted egg yolk crab/prawns/chicken/croissant/cronut/cruffin etc. etc.
As if fresh durian didn’t smell bad enough, they also sell fermented durian –
– the facial expression here says it all.
The course itself was in a lovely old house in one of the peaceful villages that are dotted around in the jungle areas surrounding the city.
There’s no air con, but a traditional ice shaving machine makes cold drinks and desserts to cool you off.
There is so much pounding involved in cooking here that Malay women must have biceps to rival Amazon warriors –
but I did like the way that the drying pestles and mortars are used to create an installation.
We made fish parcels in banana leaves which was my favourite of the dishes –
The panda sticker on my shoulder is an ingenious mosquito repellent.
Then we pounded yet again to create a chicken curry and fiendishly complicated lacy pancakes, which Hani our instructor made so beautifully –
whereas mine were more blobby than lacy
but they tasted OK.
I will definitely be coming on another course here – if only to keep my biceps beautifully toned and to learn more about the miraculous properties of jungle produce.