Bamboo Rice.

It was shown in local TV about this Bamboo Rice Stall somewhere off the old highway between Slim River and Sungkai. I was born and bred around this vicinity and I was surprise this Bamboo Rice Stall suddenly shot to fame.

Rice is Malaysian staple food and normally cooks in pot over fire or at this modern time in Rice Cooker. Only glutinous rice with coconut milk is cook in bamboo and we call it lemang. From Primary school, I learnt only the orang asli (Aborigines) of Malaysia cook their rice in bamboo.

My cousin and I decided to have lunch at this stall on our recent trip to Sungkai. Upon reaching our destination we saw rows of cars with outstation number plates seen parking at both sides of the road. We wondered ……….. the food must be something special.

  

We settled for two set of bamboo rice, grill red tilapia fish, kerabu pucuk paku and ulam with sambal belacan. For the drink we had kelapa muda. The rice was wrapped in some sort of fern leaf and inserted into the bamboo. Perhaps they steam the bamboo. I did not find any special about the taste of the rice. Just for the kick of trying something new. I did not finish the rice, sorry to say.

The stall also provides varieties of chicken, fish and meat (no pork, off course) as side dishes but we did not order. They gave funny names to them and were smiling. Where the hell they got the chicken from Kampong Bunian?

Whatever, I am glad to see my own countryman venturing into something different in the food industry..