Lemak-the fragrance travels
Whimsical, it dances around the air
Drawing me into its frangrant inspiration
The rempah sizzles
Tamarind from the hills,
chilli padi from the sun,
Shallots of the earth
A story unfolds upon the senses,
Receding into my heart as the kersirik roasts
Coconut, cooling the mood,
granting mercy to the mouth
Cattle, raised on the kampong,
tenderness through sacrifice
Rice humbles the plate,
the paddy's fruit completing the circle
Every grain as part of a foundation
Steaming in its delicate aura
Willingly falling into Rendang's trap of affection
I makan as the savoury fire rages,
aromas extending the soul's trance
every taste like divinity
sedap...........
Author notes
I remember this dish. I miss it so much....
Its beef simmered for hours in coconut milk and tamarind juice with a spice paste (the rempah) made of chillies, shallot, garlic, onion, galangal, tumeric, coriander, sumatran bay leaf and more until it becomes a "dry" curry gravy with amazingly tender meat. It is the most satisfying and fragrant dish I know of and it is very spicy! Everytime I smell it, I feel like dropping to the ground. Too bad, there are too many fresh,uncommon ingredients needed to attempt cooking it here.
A little help with the Malay words:
makan-eat
rasa sayang-feel/ing the love
sedap-delicious(only the meaning is even stronger than the english word, like VERY delicious, shouldn't be used as liberally as delicious)
kersirik-grated coconut
kampong-traditional village, used to be many in Singapore but only a few on the off islands since modernisation, many still in malaysia and indonesia
Lemak-fragrant, usually from the smell of coconut milk
A contest entry
- Ages 14 AND UNDER: Your Favorite Food by Sky Prince Ireland.
300 points, ended March 17, 2008, 9 entries
Gold trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Please tell me what you think
Comments
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Mmmm sounds delicious. Thanks for entering Roti.
Good luck.
Brian -
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Thanks Brian
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