Labu Masak Lemak

Ingredients :
1. pumpkin
2. coconut milk, 65ml
3. Sarawak smoked prawn, a.ka. kupas tigah
4. garlic, 5 cloves
5. chili, 2 piece
6. curry powder


First, wash the pumpkin thoroughly, cut into wedges and remove the seeds.  Keep aside.

In a claypot, heat up some cooking oil.  Then put in the kupas tigah, garlic and chili.  Keep heating until the kupas tigah's strong aroma is released, as well as the fragrant of garlic and the chili hot smell fill the kitchen.  Add in the curry powder and stir well.  That will get all the attention. :)  

Put in all the pumpkin, fill the water till full.  Turn on the fire, full throttle.  Once the water boil, add in the coconut milk, and turn down the fire.  Shimmer till the water reduced.

Serve hot.

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’

Labu Masak Lemak Cili Api - Pumpkin in Coconut Milk

This is a Malay dish : pumpkin cook in coconut milk, extra-kicked with chilli pepper.  Almost anything can be prepared lemak-style, mostly vege-dishes. 

The recipe is simple . . .

First, I saute some garlic and shallot, then I add in some chilli pepper, pounded dried prawn and minced chicken.  Next, I put in all the diced pumpkin.  Stirfry a bit before add in the coconut milk. Simmer till the pumpkin softened.  Add salt to taste.

Serve hot with rice.

Ongrizinal Nasi Lemak 王子の椰浆饭

Nasi lemak is rice cooked with pandan flavour  extract and coconut milk.

Serve with sambal bilis, hard boiled egg, sliced cucumber, roasted peanut and deepfried anchovies..  I personally develop a exquisite taste to have it with curry dahl.