SHOOTS IN FERMENTED DURIAN

Tempoyak Daun is a traditional cuisine of the Kuala Pilah communities in Negeri Sembilan. This food is eaten with white rice, omelet, and fried fish. The main ingredients are the shoots of tapioca, pumpkin, and long beans. The side ingredients are the leaves of turmeric, kaduk (a type of shrub), and ginkgo biloba, as well as petai (edible seeds of the petai tree), anchovy, lemon grass, coconut milk, tempoyak (fermented durian), chilies, fresh turmeric, and salt. Slice finely the leaves of turmeric, kaduk, and ginkgo biloba.

Grind finely the chilies and fresh turmeric then fry the sliced and ground ingredients together with the lemon grass. Add in the coconut milk and tempoyak, and stir till well blended and the gravy thickens. Then add in the anchovy and petai. Finally add in the shoots of tapioca, pumpkin, and long beans as well as salt to taste, and stir till well blended.

The uniqueness of this dish is using 99 types of wood leaves which are very difficult to find these days. In the past, 99 types of wood leaves were easy to find because many people planted them, but now there are fewer and fewer because only people who are old are skilled at those wood leaves. Usually, the wood leaves are planted on the side of the house or found in the forest area.