While going through the proof of "Kayu Manis - A Taste of Terengganu's Heritage", I was reminded of the breakfast fares far removed from those offered by McDonald or La Bodega. McDonald finally arrived in Kuala Terengganu recently and ordinary Terengganu folks have no inkling of what or where La Bodega is.
The forthcoming coffee-table book wrote about nasi kapit, pulut chawan, ketupat sebutir, tepung kapor and other dishes Terengganu folks eat for breakfast besides nasi dagang and later, roti Pulau Kambing.
Nasi kapit, or to the non-Terengganu people, nasi himpit is also served during Hari Raya. Some satay sellers replaced ketupat nasi with nasi kapit. Soto lovers will also find nasi kapit in their soto.
Nasi kapit is not an instant breakfast although nowadays you might get instant ketupat/nasi himpit from the supermarket. The rice is usually cooked one day earlier then wrapped in a clean muslin cloth before it is compressed by putting a very heavy object on the rice. My mother used her batu giling, the slab of granite that she mashed her spices on. Bookworms might use volumes of their encyclopaedia. Putting heavy mother-in-laws or other hefty relatives are not advised, however willing they are are. The rice is left to be compressed overnight.
Nasi kapit is usually eaten with kuoh kacang (peanut sauce). The sauce is similar to satay sauce although I find satay sauce today too sweet for my liking. Kuoh kacang takes some doing too. First the peanuts have to fried (without oil). Then the peanuts are broken into small bits by pounding them in a mortar or if you prefer the modern style, run them through a mixer/chopper. Then it is cooked with other ingredients like chilly, water, salt and a judicious amount of sugar.
Although nasi kapit and peanut sauce would be breakfast enough for a Terengganu person, some would like to heighten the experience by adding sambal daging (meat floss), sambal ikan or serondeng. Sadly, the best sambal daging is not from Terengganu. I would say that the best sambal daging I have tasted came from Langgar, Kota Bharu.
Those interested to try cooking nasi kapit might want to have a look at this page. Oh, what is ketupat sebutir? You have to wait for the book to come out.
We say goodbye to Ramadhan and welcomes the first day of Syawal. Allahuakbar, Allahuakbar!
To my regular readers and friends
Anak Telosan, ciktu, Puteri Kama, Baines, Awang Goneng and Mek Jarroh, Angelina Jolie in Ozzieland, Mek Yam in Manhattang, Pak Idrus, Pak Zawi, Pak Adib,Joe of Kuala Ibai and other supporters of this blog that I do not mention, Maaf Zahir Batin and have a good Hari Raya wherever you are.
I am away from home and temporarily using a Mac, a machine I am not familiar with but grudgingly admit seems to display pictures better than my Window 7 machine.
See you here soon.Insyaallah.
To the people in Darat Terakit, Maras, Jambu Bokok and other places where Raya 6 is celebrated more joyously than today, Selamat Raya Nang!
No, I am not talking about the annual mass circumcisions. I am talking about children in Terengganu losing fingers messing with firecrackers. It has become an annual affair. They never learn, do they? Very soon, people would be able to identify Terengganu lads by their missing fingers. " Only 3 fingers? Must be from Terengganu!"
I wonder if Awang Goneng can tell us whether Britons lose digits during Guy Fawkes Day. In the same vein, Mek Yam in Manhattang, New York New York could furnish us with statistics on lost fingers on 4th of July.
Parents of Terengganu children must let their children know that it is quite difficult to use the laptop issued by the State government when one does not have enough fingers. Of course if the trend continues and more and more children get their fingers blown off by ngecung (firecrackers) then it becomes necessary for the state to order modified laptops. Probably the kind that can be operated by nose-sensistive pad.
Firecrackers originated in China where they were exploded to ward off evil spirits. Apparently, in Terengganu it had the opposite effect. It severed fingers of the children. It also caused several ngecung pushers in Marang to lose their wares. It is interesting to note that the latest cases of severed fingers were not from Marang. I congratulate the Marang Police for their pro-activeness. Firecrackers are prohibited items. Other police stations in the state should get cracking before more children lose their fingers and the adults lose their hearing.
Since I am too cheap to make the long-distance call, I will let off several virtual ngecung to celebrate Elisa's birthday today. Alhamdullillah, she still has 10 fingers. Happy Birthday, sweet!
While going through the proof of "Kayu Manis - A Taste of Terengganu's Heritage", I was reminded of the breakfast fares far removed from those offered by McDonald or La Bodega. McDonald finally arrived in Kuala Terengganu recently and ordinary Terengganu folks have no inkling of what or where La Bodega is.
