Grandmother Siew and our adopted aunt Ah Hiong would always remind us that eating too many of these sourish sweet fruit would kill the greedy person: " Wong Dan Dan si nerng."
When we grew up and left Sibu we stopped eating the fruit because the property was abandoned as development took place and we even forgot about the fruit which was phased out by more trendy fruits. Today hardly any Foochow can remember the fruit or even own an old fruit tree some where in the backyard.
Today perhaps only the Ibans and other indigenous people carry on relishing the dried fruit in particular. Added to fish soup this exotic fruit is fantastic. Such dried fruits are only found in the markets of Brunei and Kota Kinabalu. Most of the dried fruits are enough for home consumption today. They are dried and packed in platic bags and sent to loved ones living in Kuala Lumpur and as far away as Amsterdam or Oslo!! This is called a slice of love from home.
I have tried cooking Ikan Senangin Soup with a few pieces of the dried fruit. Refreshing and Excellent! Last week I managed to get a few grams of the sour fruit and will keep them for my Christmas cooking when the children come home.
A slice of buah kundong.
Close up of the dried fruits.
A tray of buah kundong drying in the sun.
6 comments:
waa,...you're good -so knowledgeable with ingredients and add-on foodstuff.do you operates an eateries or restaurant?(you dont mind my being nosy)
Hi Ah Ngao
No I am just a mother who cooks for children and relatives but with a lot of interest in different types of cuisine.
Thanks for dropping by.
Hi Sarawakiana, I have heard of this but first time seeing what it looks like.
Always enjoy your beautiful and heart warming memories.
You have a beautiful Sunday and a happy hari Merdeka. Best regards, Lee.
Hi Uncle Lee
Thanks for dropping by. Well some old timers' food and fruits are being phased out by time and trend.
As the saying goes "Time and Tide wait for no man..." and we cannot arrest change....Happy memories and have a good week ahead too...
Hi Cikgu
Yes I remember these dried red fruits. We used to have them in Sibuti and sometimes my Niah friends will bring them for me too. I think it is the same as the ones you have in Brunei. Nice with fish and chicken. Ikan Kembong cooked in kunyit with these dried fruits...sedap lah...thanks for the photos.
Yes these are nice asam to use. Taste is a bit different from asam paya or asam (tamarind).
I just had some nice Ikan Kembong cooked in asam pedas....sedap nya!
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