September 4, 2010

Woman Fruit Seller by the Roadside

"This is from my own tree." Whenever you hear these words you can be sure of the ISO or quality standard of the fruit. This is the kampong way of telling you the fruit is a good one. And in the past her word was her honour. But these days when you buy from hawkers you might not be sure of the standards. So you have to be able to evaluate yourself.

How do you buy dabai? You have to see if the "eyes" are big or not. If they are big then the flesh is good. Don't buy dabai with small eyes.


Next you might be given some cooked ones to taste. That's a good way of course. But then some people may just slip the bad ones into the pile. So you can't really tell sometimes. This Kedayan lady has a story or two to tell you. But she sits here patiently and waits for her customers to come and she has been doing this for almost the whole of her life. She is comfortable on her bench and is quite happy she has almost sold every fruit by evening!! In modern terms you can say that she has a good "brand name".

How do you know if the dabai has a soft and great texture? Try to use your hands to get hold of a handful. If the dabai stick to your hands then the dabai are "nichak" or smooth and creamy like peanut butter or a good avacado texture. Also never buy those which have lots of wrinkles. These wrinkled ones are several days old. Choose the shiny ones. But the best ones are the ones which come from trees you know.


This is the tarap fruit....nice to eat. It used to fruit at the same time as the dabai.

Dabai used to ripen at the  end of the year but now with global warming one cannot be sure of its season. And strangely according to some friends today the tarap does not have a real season. When it fruits it fruits nowadays.


8 comments:

Jay said...

Tarap one of my favourite local fruit. I do plant few tree in Kampong

Anonymous said...

Changyi
Don't buy all as I am hoping they may be some fruits when I return in Oct.I love dabai whatever ways you cook it.Last yr I managed to preserve about 5 kgs wt with salt and sugur and brought it to NZ.One must remove the seeds of course.My sis-in-law will prepare for me in Bekenu.One reason why I come back in Oct too .
Lisa

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

I love the dabai, but can't eat the Tarap.

My sis had been traveling to the USA and Mexico. She is still some where there, sorry if she hasn't replied you.

Sunflower said...

I have never tried dabai. Seen it in Tamu. How do you eat it. What is it taste like? I must try some when I go home next time.

Love tarap. Slippery old thing.

Love cempedak, tampoi, salak etc...

How I miss all the local fruits!!

Ensurai said...

Jay...that's nice...to have a farm and have time to grow favourite fruits...a dream come true.

Ensurai said...

Ann...still not in touch with her yet...may be one day...when she comes to Miri.

Ensurai said...

Lisa....hope to meet up...

Ensurai said...

Sunflower...yes I know how you feel. I started missing home food the moment I reach a new country....

Soh Mien on First Day of Lunar New Year

 Today 10.2.2024 is the first day of the New Lunar Year of the Dragon. Yes I have cooked the chicken and made the soh mien. Happy New Year!!...