Edible Palms of Malaysia

Subfamily : Arecoideae

Cocos nucifera - kelapa

The endosperm, ( commonly known as coconut ‘meat’), is crated and toasted to make ‘kerisik’ for use in cooking and bakery.  Coconut milk ‘santan’ 椰浆is extracted from crated fresh endosperm, while coconut oil ‘minyak kelapa’ 椰油is from dried endosperm.

Coconut water ‘air kelapa’ 椰水is consumed fresh, or fermented into liquor and vinegar.

Sap derived from incising of the flower cluster ‘mayang’ too is consumed fresh as nira, fermented into liquor ‘toddy’ 椰花酒, reduced to make coconut sugar ‘gula Melaka’ 椰糖.

Apical buds of adult coconut tree is harvested and consumed as vegetable ‘umbut kelapa’ 椰心.


Subfamily : Arecoideae

Bactris gasipaes - peach palm

Apical bud is harvested for vegetable.

Subfamily : Nyphoiceae

Nypa fruticans - nipah

Just as coconut, its flower cluster can be taped to yield sweet sap.  The sap can too produced into liquor, vinegar and sugar ‘gula apong’.

The seed of young fruit, ‘attap-zi’  is used as a dessert ingredient.

Buds are harvested and consumed as vegetable.

Subfamily : Coryphoideae

Arenga pinnata – kabong

A sugary sap is harvested from incised flower cluster.  The sap is then reduced to make ‘gula kabong’.

The seed of young fruit is a delicacy.

Subfamily : Calamoideae

Salacca zalacca ( Salacca edulis ) - salak

The sweet and acidic flesh is eaten fresh, or pickled.

Subfamily : Calamoideae

Eleiodoxa conferta  - asam paya

The flesh is very acidic and often used in cooking.  It is also pickled into ‘jeruk kelubi’

Umbut Sawit - Experimental Cooking

Palm heart, also called palmito, burglar’s thigh, palm cabbage, swamp cabbage, or umbut ( Malay ), is a vegetable harvested from the inner core and growing bud of certain palm trees ( notably the coconut ( Cocos nucifera ), oil palm ( Elaeis guineensis ),  Eutere edlis , Euterpe oleracea , Sabal spp ,  Bactris gasipaes , Deckenia nobilis ).  It is costly because harvesting kills the tree.  Heart of palm often eaten cooked, or fresh as salad.  It is sometimes called the ‘millionaire’s salad’.

There are domesticated palm species which are self-suckering and produce multiple stems.  The main domesticated species is Bactris gasipaes, known as the ‘peach palm’.

In Malaysia, I encountered 2 type of palms harvested for its umbut : coconut and oil palm.   Coconut has been the traditional choice.  However, oil palm is becoming a popular alternative since it was planted abundantly in plantations.  It grows easily in almost any soil conditions, making it a noxious weed at times.   Thus removing a weed oil palm, at the same time harvesting its umbut, is killing 2 birds with 1 stone, an exhausted yet fruitful task.

The simplest way to cook an oil palm heart is clear soup with dried anchovies and chilies, a straightforward way to enjoy its natural taste and texture.

On the other hand, Malaysia has some 3.38 millioin hectare of various stages of oil palm planted in 2000.  Their hearts can be harvested for comsumption, when these oil palm grow old and need to be replanted, instead of just destroy them.  So, we will have all-we-can-eat supply of oil palm heart !