Singgang Hulu - Queensland Art Gallery

Written by
Roslisham Ismail a.k.a Ise Parkingproject.
Graphic Design by
Ikhwan Bob Ismail.
Photography by
Roslisham Ismail a.k.a Ise,
Bob MagnusCaleb,
Ikhwan Bob Ismail.
Videographer
Perez OldSkool,
Imran Taib.
Cover Design by
Azzaha Ibrahim.
Artworks and Illustrations by
Roslisham Ismail a.k.a Ise Parkingproject.
Translations by
Teratak Nuromar,
Nur Hanim Khairuddin.
ISBN 978 1 9215 0350 4
The Langkasuka Cookbook was commissioned for
‘The 7th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art’ (APT7), held at the Queensland Art
Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane, 8 December 2012 – 14 April 2013.
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in
a retrieval system, or transmitted on any form or by any
means, electronic, mechanical, photo copying, recording
or otherwise without the prior written
permission of the writer.
i

Contents
Pembuka Bichara
A Micro Study Of Langkasuka 3-14
Pembuka Selera & Menu Sampingan
Kerabu macang and Kerabu jantung pisang 16-19
Teresek 21-24
Laksam 25-31
Hidangan Utama
Returning & retuning 33-34
Serati solor 35-42
Nasi kerabu 43-52
Solok lada dan Solok tene 53-56
Nasi dagang 57-61
Gulai kunyit lengkuas ikan tongkol dan Gulai udang 62-66
Cuts of British and Malay beef 67-68
Singgang limpa 69-70
Story of Singgang hulu and Singgang hulu recipe 71-74
Pencuci Mulut
On food & travel 76-79
Sira labu 80-85
Sira pisang 86-88
Ketupat sotong 89-91
Lompat tikam 92-97
Glossary 98-100
Acknowledgments 101-103
ii

Roslisham Ismail aka ISE
Ise was born in 1972 in Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia. He is a
conceptual artist whose work is based on his personal experience of
urban communities and their culture. Ise’s interactive works celebrate
his introduction to, and dialogue with, different cultures. He also
works with comic narratives and his collection of popular material
and is a co-founder of sentAp!, an art journal published
quarterly in Malaysia.
Ise received a Bachelor of Arts from Mara University of Technology in
1997. He has taken part in a residency through the Artspace Studio
Residency programme in Sydney (2006), and received a grant from
the Japan Foundation Kuala Lumpur (2007). He held his first solo
exhibition at the 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art, Sydney, in
2006. He has taken part in the Istanbul Biennial (with Indonesian
collaborative group ruangrupa) in 2005, the Jakarta Biennale in
2009, and the Singapore Biennale in 2011.
The Langkasuka Cookbook was commissioned for ‘The 7th Asia
Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art’ (APT7), held at the
Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane,
8 December 2012 – 14 April 2013.
iii

Pembuka Bichara
Opening

A Micro Study Of Langkasuka
Building A Bridge To The Land Across
Having studied the culture and tradition of the ancient Malay kingdom
of Langkasuka and traversed this ‘resplendent land’ (langkha in
Sanskrit) for more than a decade, the knowledge I have gathered
is still incomplete. I have met thousands of great masters yet feel
I have learned from only one. After each discovery, I sketch my
findings and observations: by drawing motifs to untangle my feelings,
and by seeking out symbols to understand its ancient language,
I attempt to unravel the questions and mysteries plaguing my mind.
Lovers of history share a passion for researching and documenting
whatever materials they can find, in the hope that these will lead to
a great discovery. Records written by past travellers, merchants and
scholars are evidence of the existence of a history or civilisation.
Nowadays, however, with new technologies, new modes of thinking,
and society’s increased awareness of its roots being uncovered and
examined in a critical light, some propose that a number of these records
function merely as channels for the writers to offer practical advice —
promoting civilised lifestyles and didactic narratives — to be used as
guidelines in life. Moreover, the vast diversity of disciplines in the field of
historical study today often leads to confusion about certain historical
facts. It is therefore the responsibility of all researchers, regardless of
whether they are historians, geologists, artists or archaeologists, to
work together to find ways to explain and validate the truth in history.
3

Land Of Langkasuka
The first evidence of the existence of Langkasuka is in a record
left by a Buddhist traveller named I-Tsing. He mentions his journey
to the Malay Archipelago in the sixth or seventh century CE and
describes an old kingdom whose rule encompassed the states
of Songkhla, Patani, Kelantan, Terengganu, and the eastern part
of Kedah. There are also other accounts confirming the presence
of this kingdom. Some of them were written by Arab merchants
who called at its port to trade in spices. Its fame is also cited
in the History of Liang Dynasty (502–556 CE). Other than written
records, some antique maps depict the location of Langkasuka,
but the question still remains as to whether or not this civilisation
truly existed or if it is a mere myth or literary fiction, fabricated by a
previous society. Many have put forward hypotheses regarding the
actual centre of administration for this kingdom, suggesting it was
it located variously in Patani, Kedah, or Kelantan.
According to ancient records, Langkasuka was situated
midway between the Kingdom of Khmer (Angkor Wat) and
the island of Java and had been in existence since at least
the second century CE. Hinduism was the original religion
practised there, and the spread of Islam many centuries later
led to significant changes in its administrative and social
structures, finally turning the kingdom into an Islamic realm.
No-one to date, however, has been able to give detailed and
accurate explanations concerning the Kingdom of Langkasuka.
4

Malays Of Langkasuka
It is traditionally understood that Malays have inhabited the land
of Langkasuka since the second century CE. They were then
steeped in animism and mostly lived near beaches and rivers
because their principal food sources were abundant there.
They were largely engaged in farming and craft activities that
were rooted in their beliefs and customs. The society eventually
saw the emergence of a group of people who dabbled in art
and produced objects of artistic value — the legacy of their
artistic achievements is still evident, especially in the form of
wooden artefacts and architectural elements.
Further development of Malay society in Langkasuka took place
when it adopted a monarchy. Intricate works of art, from palace
architecture to small carved panels, suggest that the kingdom
was among the greatest civilisations of its time, even though it
is sketched only briefly in the history books of South-East Asia.
With the founding of the kingdom, the people of Langkasuka
started to forge their own identity, which can be characterised
by the following factors:
Aesthetics
The Langkasukans used many motifs and symbols — largely
influenced by religious beliefs — on their weapons, boats,
tombstones and architecture. Close study of objects and
artefacts has revealed that the Malays of Langkasuka mastered
a form of artistic language. Their aesthetic concepts, and their
philosophy, favoured moderation, decency, tranquillity and
humility, and these were expressed through specific motifs and
symbols. Objects created by other historical Malay cultures
reflect similar aesthetic values, despite being produced at
different times and places and by different people.
Artefacts
In the present day, artefacts function as a type of historical
text. They provide an excellent source of study to verify the
grandeur of the Malays in the past. From these artefacts, we
can evaluate the immense artistic talents and technological
skills of these earlier people. Their knowledge and expertise
were so remarkable that they were able to build a civilisation of
tremendous significance.
54

Systems
The Malays of Langkasuka had long adhered to systems that
over time became gradually internalised. From the time they
practised animist beliefs, they had lived in a milieu that placed
high value on systems. This situation endured until the coming
of Islam in the twelfth century, which subsequently served as a
powerful influence in shaping the norms, values and behaviours
of the Langkasukans. Under the rule of Islamic monarchs, the
kingdom of Langkasuka became more organised, managing to
lay out more refined rules and systems.
Kings Of Langkasuka
In principle, a government or kingdom can only exist when
a ruling class is installed as its leader. The genealogy of the
Langkasukan kings is found recurrently in records written by
merchants frequenting the port, as well as in many ancient
Malay hikayats (royal epics). The kings were appointed to govern
various parts of the kingdom; from the beginning, the land had
been divided into several territories, with each territory having
its own ruler or ruler’s representative. With so many versions of
stories about the Langkasukan royal family and its lineage, the
system of monarchy in Langkasuka is highly complex.
The kingdom went through a few phases of grandeur, such
as the reign of Sultan Mudzaffar Shah, who ruled from Patani
(1530–1564). Under his sovereignty, trade in Patani flourished
and it became known as an Islamic state. The kingdom enjoyed
the next era of prosperity during the reign of several female
sovereigns. When Raja Hijau ruled from Patani (1584–1616),
Langkasuka reached the peak of its greatness. After her
demise, the throne was successively inherited by Raja Biru,
Raja Ungu and Raja Kuning.
A government must have enough wealth to generate the
economy of the country. As trade was a vital element for this,
Langkasuka established its port to attract foreign merchants.
The port town was dynamic, bustling with activity and inhabited
by distinguished people. Alexander Hamilton, an English trader,
stated that Patani ‘was formerly the greatest Port for Trade in
all those Seas.
7

. . . It was the staple Port for Surat Shipping, and from Goa,
Malabar, China, Tunquin, Cambodia and Siam. . .’1 One
important consequence of the port was that local people could
learn and gain new skills from foreign traders and visitors.
Langkasuka began to enter the modern era, rising above
the trappings of its ancient traditions. As its society started
to engage in creative thinking, a number of innovations were
made.
Arts Of Langkasukan
During this ‘golden’ age, from the fourteenth to the sixteenth
centuries, Langkasuka became well known for its people’s
unique virtuosity in diverse fields. The Malays of Langkasuka
were profoundly creative and innovative in architecture,
gastronomy, weaponry, costume, games, transportation,
carving, writing and religion. Even though they practised
their own unique traditions, some refute the originality of the
Langkasukan culture, pointing out that it had close similarities
with the cultures of other societies. It was, in fact, the tendency
of the Langkasukans to modify other peoples’ ideas and
inventions, reconstructing them into something new and fresh.
It is difficult to ascertain, by way of physical evidence, the
grandeur of the Langkasukan civilisation. Its traditional buildings,
having been made of wood, could not withstand centuries of
insects and heavy floods and collapsed before they could be
preserved. Nevertheless, there are still fragments of collapsed
8

palaces, mosques, temples, houses and wakaf pavilions, many
of them hundreds of years old. Fortunately, due to initiatives
taken by the government, universities, non-government
organisations and individuals, these architectural remains are
now conserved.
The temple complexes of Angkor Wat and Borobudur, despite
being roughly the same age as some Langkasukan architecture,
survive because they are made of stone. The culture and
customs of Langkasuka were very similar to those of the
Kingdoms of Khmer and Java — with their immense skills and
talents, the Langkasukans should have had the capability to
erect equally impressive structures. There is evidence of this
in the architectural remains of temples built around the Bujang
Valley in Kedah and Yaring in Patani, and the motifs found in
these buildings also closely resemble those used at Angkor
Wat and Borobudur.
9

In general, well-governed people tend to live well. In Langkasuka,
this can be observed in the food eaten by its people, which
was comparable in quality to that consumed by its royal family.
Those in cosmopolitan urban areas also made every attempt to
lead an artistic life and to look attractive; through their style of
clothing, they projected a unique fashion, from the accessories
on their heads, arms, shoulders, chests, waists and ankles,
to their clothes and sarongs. Craftsmen produced sculptural
objects and carved works, including the decorated hilts of kris
(daggers) and other weapons. In terms of art work, carved
panels for example, they used herbs and plants as motifs —
the application of natural elements in this way shows a deep
appreciation for the environment. By closely examining such
artefacts, we notice that some of the artisans and craftsmen of
Langkasuka even studied and carried out research in order to
produce their creations.
Gastronomic Heritage Of Langkasuka
A kingdom’s strength can be measured through its ability
to establish an administrative centre with architecture that
reaches a high level of splendour and prominence. It can also
be determined through culture and wealth. The cuisine invented
by the Langkasukans partly reflects the past grandeur of the
kingdom, from nasi gunung (mountain rice) in ancient times to
nasi kerabu (salad rice), nasi dagang (trading rice), and various
kinds of cakes. Diverse techniques of preparing food, and a
wide range of tastes and colours, developed further during
the early formation of the modern state in the 1800s. As a
civilisation, Langkasuka has left behind an exciting culinary
legacy.
Ingredients are largely sourced locally. Easily obtained, they are
mostly fresh — only dry ingredients are stored for any length of
time. Understanding the basic ingredients is important as different
areas yield different produce, resulting in different tastes
even with the same recipe. The land of Langkasuka had its
own ‘refrigerator’ in the form of an open and fresh environment.
Every kind of ingredient — from eggplant, loofah, kangkong
(water spinach) and petai belalang (wisteria) to chicken
and fish — is abundant nearby.
10

Asam and garam
There is a Malay proverb that goes like this: ‘garam di laut
asam di darat, dalam tempurung bertemu jua’ (‘salt (garam) in
the sea and asam on the land, in a coconut shell they meet at
last’). The creation of the traditional dish ike singge, a type of
fish soup, represents a long journey taken, bringing together
life from upstream and downstream. The same recipe is used
by people in upstream and downstream regions but the dish
tastes different because of the distinctive characteristics of
the ingredients in each area. Local condiments and spices
influence the cuisines of different cultures: Indians cook
curry-based dishes, since spices are easily obtainable in their
country; whenever noodles are mentioned, we may think about
the Chinese, owing to the vast range of soup condiments
available in China. As with ike singge, which developed
because its ingredients can be acquired easily in this region.
The Langkasukans conceived a variety of recipes based on
local ingredients. Air asam (juice of Garcinia atroviridis) and
ike singge not only signify the unification of downstream and
upstream communities but also demonstrate that Langkasukan
cuisine is imperfect without asam and garam to create the right
balance of sourness and saltiness.
Ulam and budu
Nasi kerabu (salad rice) comes in white, blue and yellow (after
the nicknames of three female Langkasukan sovereigns). It is
a type of dry dish that allows one to taste all of the flavours
that exist in it: ulam (dressed vegetables), plant shoots, bean
sprouts, budu (fermented fish paste), telang flower (which
colours the rice blue), solok lado (stuffed hot chillies) and so
forth. As nasi kerabu is served uncooked, one can savour the
original taste of each dry ingredient. Budu and chilli paste are
added to heighten its flavour. Prepared in a culinary style called
‘cooking on land’, it is a unique recipe in which many kinds of
dry ingredients are mixed together to create a thrilling food.
Laksa and laksam also use a large selection of fresh ulam.
12

Nasi Gunung
Nasi gunung, which literally translates as ‘mountain rice’, was
prepared in ancient times for soldiers in battle. It is served on
large trays in order to be swiftly and easily served en masse.
A variety of dishes and vegetables are placed next to the
mound of rice in the middle of the trays (giving the dish its
name), enabling soldiers to have a quick meal when they can.
As the basic ingredients are brought to the battlefield, they
must be easy to carry and long-lasting. If chicken or fish is
difficult to find, other meat, typically bird meat, can be used
as a substitute. The gravy is poured into the centre of the rice
pile along a length of bamboo, with the condiments arranged
to save both time and space. Given that it is usually prepared
during battle, the layout of nasi gunung has probably also
doubled as a model for strategic military planning.
In Langkasukan cuisine, food is customarily served in the most
conscientious and punctilious manner. This is especially so
with royal service: the food is prepared with full ceremony
and only by chefs specially appointed to cook for the kings
alone; the decorations and serving methods must also be of
the highest quality. Langkasuka has a huge range of exquisite
traditional foods and dishes that were originally created by the
people of the country, displaying the brilliance of their artistic
endeavours. The creativity and innovation of the people of
Langkasuka in taste, style and colour — the traits that shaped
the identity of a great civilisation at the height of its power and
grandeur — are revealed in each recipe.
Let’s savour this culinary treasure, this bridge to a distant
kingdom, and preserve it before it disappears.
Article by Azzaha Ibrahim
Translated by Teratak Nuromar
Kota Bharu,Kelantan
2012
Endnote
1. See Andries Teeuw and David K Wyatt, Hikayat Patani: The Story of Patani,
Martinus Nijhoff, The Hague, Switzerland, 1970.
14

Pembuka Selera dan Menu Sampingan
Starter and Side Dish

Kerabu Machang / Mangga Muda
Machang / Young Mango Salad
16

Kerabu Jantung Pisang
Banana Flower Salad
17

Kerabu Machang / Mangga Muda
Machang (Young Mango) Salad
Serve 4-5 people
Ingredients
- 6 young Machang / Mango fruit
- 500gm Sardines
- 10pcs Shallots - minced
- 5 tablespoons of Roasted coconut paste (kerisik)
- 1 cup Coconut milk – cooked with salt and sugar to taste
- 2 teaspoons of Fish sauce (budu)
- Black pepper
- Salt and sugar
Method
- Boil the sardines in salted water.
- When cooked, remove bones and keep the fish flesh aside.
- Peel the machang fruit and finely grate the flesh.
- Add salt to the grated fruit and mix thoroughly to remove all the sap.
- Then wash with water and strain. Keep aside.
- Pound together the coconut paste, fish flesh, black pepper, salt
and sugar until a fine paste.
- Add that to the coconut milk, together with the fish sauce
and minced shallots.
- Stir well and then pour over the grated young machang / mango fruit.
- Mix thoroughly.
18

Kerabu Jantung Pisang
Banana Flower Salad
Serve 4-5 people
Ingredients
- 2 banana flowers
- 3pcs key limes
- 500gm sardines
- 10pcs shallots – minced
- 5 tablespoons roasted coconut paste (kerisik)
- 1 cup coconut milk – cooked with salt and sugar to taste
- 2 teaspoons of fish sauce (budu)
- Black pepper
- Salt and sugar
Method
- Thinly slice the banana flowers and blanch until soft.
- Remove from the water and strain.
- Then squeeze the juice from the limes on to the
banana flowers and mix well.
- Keep aside.
- Boil the sardines with salted water.
- When cooked, remove bones from the flesh.
- Pound together the fish flesh with black pepper,
salt and sugar until a fine paste.
- Add the paste, fish sauce and minced shallots
into the coconut milk, and mix together.
- Pour the whole mixture on to the banana flowers and mix well.
19

21
Teresek

Teresek
Serves 4-5 people
Ingredients
- 1 handful long beans (cut to 1 inch lenghts)
- 10pcs green chillies
- 250gm shallots
- 1 bulb garlic
- 1knob fresh turmeric (approx 1 inch,peeled)
- 1knob galangal (approx 1 inch,peeled)
- 80gm chicken/beef curry powder
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 2pcs dried tamarind (asam keping)
- 1000ml undiluted coconut milk
- 4 tablespoon blended dried chillies
- 4 tablespoon roasted coconut paste (kerisik)
- 200gm chicken liver (cut in small pieces)
- 200gm chicken gizzard (cut in small pieces)
- 200gm chicken heart (cut in small pieces)
- 200gm chicken feet (cut in small pieces)
Method
- Place fresh turmeric, galangal, shallots, garlic and coriander seeds
in a food processor. Blend to a soft paste.
- Mix paste evenly through the chicken feet, liver, gizzard and heart in a
deep pot.
- Mix curry powder and kerisik into chicken mixture.
- Cook over medium heat until mixture is dry.
- Stir in coconut milk, blended dried chillies and tamarind and bring to boil
and simmer until chicken feet soften.
- Stir in long beans and green chillies and leave to cook for
another 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
23

Laksam
Rice cake noodles with condiments
25

Laksam
Rice cake noodles with condiments
Laksam is a traditional Langkasukan dish combining rice cake noodles, gravy and
accompanying condiments.
Serves 7-8 people
Part 1: Laksam (Rice Cake Noodles)
Tools: Pot lids small enough to fit inside the steamer to be used as a mould
Jug
Steamer
Ingredients
- 1 kg Rice flour
- 700 ml Warm water
- Cooking Oil
Method
- Mix well together rice flour and warm water in a mixing bowl. The mixture
should be liquid and should not stick to the spoon. Remove from mixing
bowl and pour into a jug for easy pouring.
- Prepare steamer to boiling stage.
- Oil the pot lid/mould and place it inside the steamer.
- Pour the flour mixture into the lid/mould, maximum 5mm thick.
- Steam for 3 mins and remove the lid from steamer and leave it to
cool at a slanted angle.
- Repeat mould-steaming process with the balance of the flour mixture.
- Always stir the mixture before pouring into the mould.
- Once the steamed flour mixture is cooled, run a knife along the rim
of the lid/mould to detach the steamed mixture and roll it like a swiss roll.
- Set aside.
- Slice the rolled steamed rice cake crosswise, approx. 1/2 inch widths.
- Set aside to be served later.
30

Part 2: Kuah Laksam (Laksam Gravy)
A condiment to serve with the rice cakes.
Tools:
Food Processor
Ingredients
- 2 kg Fresh scad fish (Ikan selayang)
- 1 litre Undiluted coconut milk
- 500 gm Shallots (peeled)
- 1 pc (1/2 inch) Ginger (peeled)
- 1 clove Garlic (peeled)
- 1 tsp Ground black pepper
- 3 pcs Dried tamarind (asam keping)
Method
- Boil fish with asam keping until cooked, remove bones and flake flesh.
- In a food processor, blend until fine flaked fish, shallots, ginger, garlic,
black pepper and 200ml (1 tbsp) of coconut milk.
- In a pot, place and stir well blended ingredients with remaining coconut
milk, asam keping, salt and sugar to taste. Taste mixture before cooking.
- Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat.
- Once boiled, remove from heat and continue to stir until it
cools to avoid lumps.
Part 3: Ulam (Salad Condiment)
A condiment to serve with the rice cakes.
Ingredients
(all in equal portions and mixed together)
- Fresh bay leaves (chopped finely)
- Daun kesum (chopped finely)
- Torch ginger (chopped finely)
- Long beans (sliced thinly)
- Cucumber (sliced)
- Bean Sprout
Part 4: Sambal Belacan (Condiment)
A condiment to serve with the rice cakes.
Tools:
Pestle and mortar
Ingredients
- 11 pcs Bird’s eye chillies (cili padi)
- 2 pcs Red chillies.
- 17gm Belacan
- 1 clove Garlic (peeled)
- 3 pcs Calamansi / Limes
- 1 pinch Salt
Method
- Pound all ingredients except calamansi until fine and mixed well.
- Squeeze calamansi / limes juice over pounded ingredients ingredients
and mix well.
- Ready to be served.
31

Hidangan Utama
Main Course

Returning & Retuning:
Ise’s Interaction With His Roots
In his career so far, Ise has always explored new working strategies and curatorial
schemes for his different art projects. One interesting trait of his practice is
that, throughout the process of creating his art, he frequently establishes close
collaborations and interactions with other people, either among his circuit of
‘superfriends’ or those living in the place, community or social group he is engaging
with. This, in part, is informed by his belief that art is intended to interact with
everyday life and across contexts and shouldn’t be isolated from the dynamics of
culture and the surrounding world.
While Ise’s previous works are largely based on his own life experiences and personal
exchanges, his recent creations seem to be built on a greater awareness of the
potential effect of both society and his subject matter on his art and art-making
process. Ise’s intuitive and candid interactions with the social, political and cultural
realities of his surroundings allow him to identify his artistic oeuvre within the
framework of real-life situations. Consequently, his current artistic direction leads
him to focus more on public-oriented and socially engaged projects. Moreover, by
arranging collaborative programs and interactive events with ordinary people, he
hopes to bring contemporary art to those with limited access to its realm.
Ise has engaged a variety of people to help him create and complete his works,
including 3m x 3m x 3m = 27m3 (National Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur, 2004);
Ghost (15, Kuala Lumpur, 2010); It feels like I’ve been here before (Institute of
Contemporary Art Singapore, 2010); and Trio terror (with ruangrupa, Jakarta, 2010)
among others. In several recent projects, however, we witness how personal stories,
emotions and narratives of ordinary people are altering the methods of his artistic
production. In Secret affair (Singapore Biennale, 2011), we see him collaborating
with six Singaporean families, delving into their personal lives and histories in a
more involved and deeper manner, with Ise as a detached observer. For Variable
truth (4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art, Sydney, 2012), he approached a
young Malaysian couple struggling to make a living in Sydney. Acting as a travel
agent, he took them on an outing of their choice around the city, to give them a
happy experience to be remembered for the rest of their lives.
Ise researches his sociocultural milieu to discover new perspectives and develop
new insights for his art. To bring his artistic practice and discourse to the next level,
he is always willing to take on new challenges and risks. In March 2011, while he
was busy with three major art projects, he made the bold decision to move back to
his hometown in Kelantan, a culturally rich, politically dynamic and religiously active
state on the east coast of Malaysia, but with generally poor contemporary art
infrastructure and exposure. His decision was partly a response to a break-in at his
studio in Kuala Lumpur and partly due to his desire to look after his ancestral house
in Kota Bharu. He knew from the outset that this drastic change might plunge him
into entirely different circumstances, possibly even leading him into a downward
spiral of artistic suicide.
33

Over the last 19 years or so, Ise has rarely stayed in his hometown for long, except
perhaps during the annual Eid ul-Fitr celebration. Having lived and worked in
Kuala Lumpur since graduation, he had not only lost contact with most of his relatives
and childhood friends but also lost touch with the finer aspects of the culture
and daily life of Kelantanese people. Seven months after his return to Kota Bharu,
he gradually acclimatised to his new life and surroundings. He had re-established
contact with several old family members and acquaintances, and even struck up
friendships with a meat seller, a food stall operator and a female fishmonger, among
others. Most importantly, he also managed to build up a new network of collaborators,
including a few prominent master craftsmen and researchers of ancient Malay
culture, civilisation, mythology and history.
Living in a milieu with such a heavy emphasis on the preservation of traditional
values and ethics has, to some extent, inspired Ise to explore materials and ideas
relating to centuries-old culture and history. If life in Kuala Lumpur provided him with
urban experiences, modern narratives and decadent things, his life in Kelantan is
surrounded by many traditional elements that apparently remain embedded in the
identity and culture of most of its people. One of the rich cultural heritages of Kelantan
that caught Ise’s attention was its traditional gastronomic legacy.
Together with his new friends and collaborators, he travelled all over the state in
search of exquisite traditional foods and dishes in an effort to understand the culture
of food and eating habits, and the social, political and economic structure of
food in Kelantanese society. He copied down age-old recipes and cooking techniques
from master chefs, and observed food being prepared by expert cooks,
including his grandmother and aunt. He even tried cooking some of the recipes
himself. He sampled these culinary wonders, including simple foods eaten by the
common people, those consumed by soldiers engaged in battle, and the fine cuisine
served to the royal family.
Ise’s attempt to trace the history and genealogy of certain rare dishes brought him
to southern Thailand: the land of Langkasuka in ancient times and a volatile geopolitical
area in recent decades. The maritime kingdom of Langkasuka, believed
to have been founded in the second century CE around the Malay Isthmus at the
southernmost part of Thailand, had ruled the entire northern region of the Malay
Peninsula, including Kelantan, until its eventual decline and fall around the end of
the eighteenth century. Owing to its long rule over the region, Langkasuka influenced
the life, culture and art of the Kelantanese. This is evident particularly in the
symbols, icons and rituals used by traditional Kelantanese craftsmen in woodcarving,
kris-making and architectural construction; in the performing arts of Wayang
Kulit, Menora and Mak Yong; and in the culinary tradition of Kelantan.
Ise has indeed returned to his roots to retune his personal life to an ancient ethos
and eidos, and to launch yet another interesting phase in his creative career.
Nur Hanim Khairuddin
Kuala Lumpur
2012.
34

Serati Solor
Royal Dish
35

Serati Solor
Serati solor is a traditional Langkasukan royal dish.
Serves 3-4 people
Tools:
Pestle and mortar
Deep large pot large enough for entire duck
Twine
Deep grill
Main Ingredients
- 1 Muscovy duck (Itik serati) weighing approximately 2 kg
(cleaned and innards removed)
Part 1: Ingredients
- 1 pc (1-inch) Fresh turmeric (peeled)
- 2 stalks Lemongrass (serai)
- 5 cloves Garlic (peeled)
- 1 tsp Salt
- Water
Method
- Score the entire body of the duck with criss cross/vertical lines.
- Pound all ingredients to a fine paste in the mortar.
- Rub the paste evenly all over the duck and marinade for 10 mins.
- Use twine to tie the wings and legs together with the body and place duck
into the pot.
- Fill the pot with water until the duck is submerged and boil for an hour.
- Remove duck and set aside to cool.
Part 2: Ingredients
- 10 cloves Garlic (peeled and sliced thinly)
- 10 pcs Shallots (peeled and sliced thinly)
- 6 pcs Star anise
- 5 pcs Cinnamon sticks
- 9 pcs Cloves
- 8 pcs Cardamom
- 1 tbsp Kerutub spice paste
- 1 tbsp Cooking oil
- Water
39

Method
- Fry all ingredients except Kerutub paste in a wok with oil until fragrant.
- Add some water and Kerutub paste into the fried ingredients and
mix evenly.
- Remove from heat and set aside.
- Rub this mixture all over the boiled duck and marinate for 1 1/2 hours.
Part 3: Ingredients
- 500 ml Coconut milk
- 500 ml Water
Method
- Place marinated duck into pot, fill pot with coconut milk and water.
- Boil duck in coconut milk mixture for 20 mins.
- Remove duck from pot and set aside.
Part 4: Percik Gravy Ingredients
- 2 1/2 litre Undiluted coconut milk (separated into 2 litre and 1/2 litre)
- 2 tbsp Gulai darat spice paste
- 1/2 tbsp Kerutub spice paste
- 5 pcs Cinnamon sticks
- 5 pcs Cloves
- 5 pcs Star anise
- 5 pcs Cardamom
- 250 gm Shallots (peeled and sliced thinly)
- 1 bulb Garlic (peeled and sliced thinly)
- 2 pc Yellow onion (blended)
- 4 tbsp Cooking oil
- Salt and sugar to taste
Method
- Heat up wok with oil and sautee spices, shallots and garlic until golden.
- Add in Kerutub paste and Gulai darat paste and stir until fragrant.
- Stir in 2 litres of coconut milk and let it simmer for 20 mins.
- Add in yellow onion and continue to stir on medium heat until
mixture thickens.
- Add salt and sugar to taste. Remove from heat temporarily.
- Remove 1/3 of mixture into a bowl and add in balance of uncooked
1/2 litre coconut milk to thin out this mixture.
- Balance of 2/3 of mixture in wok will now continue to be stirred
till it thickens more.
- Remove and set aside.
Part 5: Ingredients
- 1 stalk Sugarcane (will be used as skewer and therefore needs to
be longer than the length of the duck, skin removed)
- Thin Percik gravy (150ml)
- Thick Percik gravy (100ml)
- Prepared duck, Itik serati (whole duck)
Method
- Prepare hot grill.
- Skewer the duck with the stalk of sugarcane.
- Grill duck for 5 mins to dry out the skin.
- Remove duck from grill to baste with thin Percik gravy.
- Place duck back to grill for 5 mins.
- Repeat the basting and grilling process twice.
- Once duck is cooked, remove from grill and coat with thin Percik gravy.
- Put the duck back to grill for another 3 mins.
- Remove duck from grill and set aside to cool.
- Remove sugarcane before serving.
40

Nasi Kerabu
Blue Rice With Salad
The East Coast’s favourite rice dish is
coloured blue by steaming rice with
Butterfly Pea Flower / Blue Pea Flower. It
is eaten with ulam (a salad of fresh herbs
and leaves), fried grated coconut, salted
egg, fish crackers, budu (fish sauce) and
fried fish or chicken with a drizzle of curry
sauce and sambal on the side.
43

Nasi Kerabu
Rice with Salad
Serves 4-5 people
The Rice
Tools: Rice Cooker
Ingredients
- 1kg rice
- 20pcs Butterfly pea
flowers (Bunga telang)
- 2pcs Pandan leaves
- 3pcs Kaffir lime (Limau purut) leaves
- Water
Method
- In a mixing bowl, mesh the Bunga telang flowers in 1 litre of water.
- Strain out the flowers and keep the dyed water.
- Wash rice as per normal in a rice cooking pot and pour in dyed water – where the
level of water should be as per normal level.
- Add in knotted Pandan and Limau purut leaves and cook per normal.
Accompanying dishes for the Nasi Kerabu
Tools: Pestle and mortar
Coconut Sambal
Ingredients
- 1pc Coconut (flesh grated)
- 1pc (1inch) Ginger (peeled and sliced thinly)
- 2 stalks Lemongrass (Serai)(white part sliced
finely,discard green part)
- 5pcs Shallots (peeled and quartered)
- 2 cloves Garlic (peeled and sliced thinly)
- 10pcs black peppercorns
- 40gm palm sugar or Gula melaka
- Salt & sugar to taste
Method
- Slowly fry the grated coconut without oil in a pan until it turns golden
brown.
- Add in ginger, Serai, shallots, garlic and black peppercorns and continue
to fry for 2-3 mins on medium heat.
- Remove fried mixture into pestle and mortar, pound together
with Gula melaka, until Gula melaka is crushed finely.
- Add salt and sugar to taste.
- Remove from pestle and mortar, serve.
48

Fish Sambal
Tools: Pestle and mortar
Ingredients
- 500gm Sardines/Horse
Mackerel – cleaned and gutted
- 2 tsp salt
- Cooking oil
Method
- Boil the fish in water with the salt until cooked.
- Remove fish from pot and drain out water from fish.
- Fry fish in a pan with oil until crispy.
- Debone fish and place flesh into pestle and mortar.
- Pound flesh to a paste.
- Ready to serve.
Tumis Nasi Kerabu (Saute)
Ingredients
- 500ml Undiluted coconut milk
- 8 pcs Shallots (peeled and sliced thinly)
- 4 cloves Garlic (peeled and sliced thinly)
- 1 pc (1-inch) Ginger (peeled and sliced thinly)
- 2 stalks Lemongrass (Serai) (remove green part, bruise white part)
- 2 pcs Dried tamarind (Asam keping)
- 15 gm Dried chillies (grinded with a little warm water)
- 4 pcs Cinnamon sticks
- 8pcs Cloves
- 4 pcs Star anise
- 5 tsp Cardamom
- 4 tbsp Cooking Oil
- Salt and sugar to taste
Method
- Place coconut milk with a pinch of salt in a pot over low heat, stir
occasionally without bringing into boil.
- Sautee shallots, garlic, ginger and spices in oil, add in ground wet
chillies and fry until fragrant.
- Remove fried mixture into hot coconut milk and stir on medium heat.
- Add in Asam keping and continue to stir for 30 mins.
- Add sugar and salt to taste.
- The mixture is ready when it is well blended and thick in consistency.
- However, if the mixture is too thick, add in some water.
Fried Fish in Batter
Ingredients
- 500 gm Sardines/
Mackerel (cleaned and gutted)
- 4 tbsp Rice flour
- 1 tbsp Corn flour
- 1 tsp Turmeric powder
- 7 tbsp Cooking oil
- 1/2 cup Boiled warm water
- Salt and sugar to taste
49

Method
- Mix well rice flour, corn flour and turmeric powder and add in a pinch of
salt and sugar.
- Add warm water in small portions until batter is thick and even.
- Dip the fish into batter and fry until cooked.
- Ready to serve.
Grilled Beef
Tools: Pestle and mortar
Grill
Ingredients
- 500 gm Beef sirloin cut
- 1 pc (2-inch) Fresh turmeric root (peeled)
- 1 bulb Garlic (peeled)
- 2 stalks Lemongrass (Serai) (white part chopped roughly,
discard green part)
- Salt to taste
Method
- Pound turmeric, garlic, serai and a pinch of salt in mortar until finely crushed.
- Mix evenly pounded ingredients into beef and leave to marinate for 30 mins.
- Grill beef on hot pan until well done.
- Slice beef to pieces when serving with Nasi kerabu.
Chilli Water
Tools: Pestle and mortar
Ingredients
- 15 pcs Bird’s eye chillies (cili padi)
- 1/2 cup Rice vinegar
- 1 pc Lime (Juice only)
- Salt and sugar to taste
- Hot water
Method
- Soak cili padi in hot mater for 5 mins.
- Remove chillies from water and pound them into a paste.
- Mix pounded chillies, vinegar, lime juice, salt and sugar together.
- Ready to serve.
Ulam (Salad)
Ingredients
- Bay leaves (sliced finely)
- Daun kesum (sliced finely)
- Bunga kantan (sliced finely)
- Long beans (sliced finely)
- Cucumbers (sliced finely)
Bean sprouts
Method
- Mix together all fresh ingredients and ready to serve.
- Ready to serve.
50

51
‘Budu’
This is the product of
fresh anchovy mixed
in salt, palm sugar and
tamarind and then left
for 200 days to ferment.
The result is a dark
brown sauce that is an
appetizing blend of salty
and sour. It is served as
a condiment.

Solok Lada dan Solok Tene
Stuffed Chillies and Stuffed Snake Gourd
53

Solok Lada dan Solok Tene
Stuffed Chillies and Stuffed Snake Gourd
Main Ingredients
- 30pcs Green Chillies
- 2pcs Snake Gourd
Ingredients for the filling/stuffing
- 1kg Sardines/horse mackerel
- 500gm Shallots (peeled)
- 250ml Undiluted coconut milk
- 1pc Coconut flesh (grated)
- 1 Egg
- Salt and sugar
Method in preparing the filling
- In a pot, put in fish, water and 1tablespoon of salt and bring to boil.
- Once cooked, remove fish from pot.
- Let cool and then remove head and bone.
- Keep flesh and pound into paste.
- Mix egg and grated coconut into the fish paste.
- In a food processor, mix in fish mixture, coconut milk and
shallots til a smooth mixture.
- Salt and sugar to taste.
Method in preparing the stuffed chillies
- Make a cut in the chillies lengthwise and remove the seeds.
- Stuff the filling tightly into the chillies.
- Bring water to boil in steamer and place in stuffed chillies.
- Steam for approx 7 minutes.
Method in preparing the stuffed snake gourd
- Use knife to remove hardened skin edge and cut gourd into
section of 2-3 inches long.
- Use a spoon to scoop out fibrous flesh, but keep some flesh for
the base to keep the stuffing in.
- Stuff the gourd with filling to the top.
- Prepare steamer in boiling water, place gourd standing
inside steamer to steam for approx 10 minutes.
56

Nasi Dagang
Trading Rice
A speciality of
Kelantan, nasi dagang
is a combination of
glutinous and white
rice cooked in
santan that is served
with sides of tuna and
prawn with yellow
gravy, hard-boiled egg
and sambal.
57

Gulai Kunyit Lengkuas Ikan Tongkol
Tuna with Yellow Gravy
62

Gulai Udang
Prawn with Yellow Gravy
64

Gulai Kunyit Lengkuas Ikan Tongkol
Tuna with Yellow Gravy
Serves 4-5 people
Tools:
Food processor
Deep pot
Ingredients
- 1 kg tuna (cut into 4 pieces)
- 500ml coconut cream
- 10pcs shallots
- 1 knob inch fresh turmeric
- 1 knob inch galangal
- 5pcs dried chillies (cut and soaked in hot water)
- 2pcs dried tamarind (asam keping)
- 3pcs green chillies
- Salt and sugar to taste
Method
- Boiled tuna with dried tamarind and salt.
- Blend shallots, fresh turmeric, galangal and dried chillies.
- Put the blended ingredients in a pot. Add 500ml coconut cream.
- Heat the pot and stir until the gravy boiling twice.
- Add boiled tuna in the gravy.
- Add dried tamarind, salt, sugar and green chillies.
- Simmer for 3-4 minutes.
- Ready to serve with Nasi Dagang.
65

Gulai Udang
Prawn with Yellow Gravy
Serves 4-5 people
Tools:
Food processor
Deep pot
Ingredients
- 2 kg Mid - Large size prawns (remove head only)
- 500ml Undiluted coconut cream
- 10pcs Shallots (peeled)
- 1 knob Fresh turmeric (approx 1 inch, peeled)
- 1 knob Fresh galangal (approx 1 inch, peeled)
- 5pcs Dried chillies (sliced and soften in hot water)
- 2pcs Dried tamarind
- 5pcs Green chillies (keep whole)
- Salt and sugar to taste
Method
- Place shallots, fresh turmeric, galangal and dried chillies in a food
processor, blend to a paste.
- Stir coconut milk and processed mixture in a pot over medium high heat
and bring to boil.
- Continue with stirring in dried tamarind, prawns, green chillies.
- Add salt and sugar to taste.
- Remove pot from heat once prawns are cooked.
- Ready to serve.
66

Cuts of British and Malay Beef
Brain
Otak
- Kerutub
Neck
- Stewing Steak
Daging Tengkuk /
Daging Tekak
- Daging Gulai
- Daging Bakar
- Sup
Chuck & Blade
- Chuck Steak
- Mince
Daging Nggoh /
Bonggol / Kobe /
Sarang Tebuan
(Daging Special)
- Daging Bakar
- Stik
-Gulai
Fore Rib
- Rib-eye Steak
- Boned Rolled Rib
- Bone in Rib Roast
Tulang Rusuk
Atas
- Sup
Sirlion
- Sirlion Steak
- Roasting Joint
- T-Bone Steak
- Fillet Steak
Batang Pinang /
Munsil (Daging
No.1)
- Daging Bakar
- Stik
Rump
- Rump Steak
- Roasting Joint
Hujung Munsil
- Daging Bakar
- Kurma
Topside
- Roasting Joint
Paha Merah
- Gulai Buku Besar
- Kurma
Silverside
- Roasting Joint
Paha Merah
- Gulai Buku Besar
- Kurma
Thick Flank
- Braising Steak
Daging Alu
- Sambal Daging
- Serunding
Oxtail
Ekor
- Sup
Cheek
Daging Pipi
- Gulai Kawah
- Gulai Darat
- Sup
Tulang Kipas
- Sup
Clod
- Burgers
- Stewing Steak
Daging Senonok /
Harimau Menangis /
Lemak Kerak Kelapa
- Daging Bakar
Munsil Luar
Daging Kulit
Perut (Daging
No.2)
Munsil Dalam
Perut
Tulang Mohngeng
Fore Shin
Kaki Depan
- Daging Bakar
- Sup
Gear Box
- Sup
Kuku Kaki Depan
- Sup
Brisket
- Rolled Brisket
- Lean Mince
Daging Dada
- Gulai
- Goreng
Thin Rib
- Short Rib
Tulang Rusuk
Muda
- Daging Bakar
Spleen, Heart, Liver,
Lung and Kidney.
Limpa, Jantung, Hati,
Paru-paru dan Ge’li
(Buah Pinggang
- Singgang
- Gulai
Thin Flank
- Skirt
- Mince
Daging
Cincang
- Daging Bakar
- Gulai Darat
Shin
Daging
Keting
- Sup
- Singgang
Gear Box
- Sup
Batu Pelir /
Lemak Selo
Thick Rib
- Braising Steak
Tulang Rusuk Tebal
- Daging Bakar
Mohd Lukman Ghazali
Butcher
Kampung Pintu Geng
Kota Bharu, Kelantan
Translated by Ise
67

Singgang Limpa
Cow Spleen Soup
69

Singgang Limpa
Cow Spleen Soup
Serves 4-5 people
Ingredients
- 500 gm Cow spleen (Cut into 1-inch cubes)
- 10 pcs Shallots (peeled and sliced thinly)
- 1 bulb Garlic (peeled and sliced thinly)
- 1 pc (1/2-inch) Ginger (peeled and sliced thinly)
- 1 pc (1-inch) Galangal (peeled and sliced thinly)
- 2 tbsp Dried chillies (soaked, then blended)
- 2 tbsp Budu
- 1 tbsp Roasted coconut paste (Kerisik)
- 2 pcs Dried tamarind (Asam keping)
- 1 lt Water
Method
- Place into pot and mix evenly: cow spleen, shallots, garlic, ginger,
galangal, blended dried chillies, budu, kerisik, and asam keping.
- Leave to marinate for 15-20 mins.
- Add enough water to submerge the spleen.
- Cook on medium heat for 45-60 mins, stirring occasionally.
- Ready to serve.
70

Story of Singgang Hulu
Kings of Langkasuka were largely fond of hunting games in
inland forests. During their hunting trips, they would always
bring with them not only palace cooks but also cooking
ingredients found in the downstream region of the empire.
According to stories told by old people, when a certain
Langkasukan king went to the Chintawangsa mountain to hunt,
his royal retinue was greeted with much joy and fervor by the
upcountry community living there, who met with their king for
the first time. To celebrate this blissful occasion, the king asked
his chef to cook the animals he had hunted and killed.
Among the various foods served, the king was particularly
drawn to a soupy dish that had a unique and delicious flavor
he never tasted before. When asked by the king, the chef
apologized and admitted that it was actually not cooked by him
but by the community themselves. Instead of getting angry,
the king instructed the chef to learn how to make the dish.
However, the chef told him that the dish could not be prepared
in the palace because the ingredients to cook it were difficult
to find in the downstream area.
The dish, called Singgang Hulu, was indeed so exceptional
and special that upon his return to his palace the king kept
having a great craving for it. Besides serving as an element
that has strengthened the relationship between the royals
and the upstream communities since from the past until
today, Singgang Hulu also symbolizes the kings’ sincerity in
appreciating and accepting the common people.
Article by Azzaha Ibrahim
Translated by Teratak Nuromar
2012
71

72
Singgang Hulu
Freshwater Fish In Sour Soup

Singgang Hulu
Freshwater Fish In Sour Soup
Serves 4-5 people
Ingredients
- 2 marbled sleeper/marbled gudgeon/river fish (medium sized) – cut into 3
pieces.
- 10pcs shallots – cut into quarters.
- 10pcs cloves garlic.
- 10pcs bird’s eye chillies (cili padi) – cut in halves.
- 3 knob inch piece ginger – finely sliced.
- 4pcs tamarind slices
- 3pcs Polyganom leaves (Daun Kesum)
- 8 1-inch pieces Akar giant (ginger root family) plant - pounded
- 1 litre water
- 1/2 knob torch ginger flower buds (Bunga Kantan) – finely sliced
- 2 inch piece shrimp paste (Belacan)
- 2 tsp salt
Method
- Put on gloves and use your hands to mix the shallots, garlic, bird’s eye
chillies, ginger, tamarind slices, polyganom leaves, akar giant and
torch ginger flower buds together with a little water.
- Add the shrimp paste and salt, and mix again well.
- Then add the whole mixture with the remaining water and fish into a pot
and cook until boiling.
- Serve the cooked dish with rice.
74

Pencuci Mulut
Dessert

On food and travel
I fell asleep in the early part of the flight from Vienna to Amsterdam. It
was Saturday 1 September 2012. I initially thought that the aircraft was
still preparing for take-off at Schwechat’s international airport until I saw
bubble-shaped clouds from my window. We flew upwards. The interior of
the plane felt so quiet. Maybe the passengers were still sleeping. I am not
someone with a high level of flying experience, but my observations tell me
that after take-off is the time when passengers seem to go to sleep. I saw
two flight attendants push a trolley towards me. As they pushed the trolley,
I heard one of them say, ‘Savoury or sweet snack?’
I chose the savoury snack. I first thought that there were peanuts in the
small packages that were handed to me, but inside were pentagon-shaped
salty biscuits. They tasted good. The man who sat next to me chose the
sweet snack. I tried to guess what was inside his package. Maybe it was
a stroopwafel. Or maybe it was a sweet pie. I slowly munched the salty
biscuits. I wondered whether they could fall under the ‘pretzel’ category:
they were pentagon-shaped, not knots or sticks, but they were still flavoured
with salt.
When I was still living in Indonesia, trains were the main means of travel
between cities. The duration of intercity journeys in Indonesia is usually long.
The usual time taken to travel from Yogyakarta, the city where I lived, to
Jakarta is 10 hours by a Taksaka or Argo Lawu train. Whereas the time taken
to travel from Yogyakarta to Surabaya, the city where I was born and raised,
and the city where my parents live, is 6 to 7 hours by a Sancaka train. The
duration of intercity journeys in the Netherlands, the country where I live
now, is usually short. The usual time taken to travel from Leiden, the city
where I live, to Den Haag is 12 minutes by Intercity train. The time taken to
travel from Leiden to Amsterdam is 36 minutes by Intercity train. I normally
just bring along coffee and bread when travelling by train here.
Long journeys can trigger boredom. Some people find happiness in
sleeping, letting themselves be carried away by dreams, or simply tiredness.
Others choose to continue their work — reading books or working on their
laptops. Snacking is done in an arbitrary manner. It is something that has
to be available when needed. The random character of snacks makes
them a good travelling companion, but there is no guarantee that they will
cure boredom. Choosing travelling snacks is a trial-and-error process. We
stand in front of supermarket racks of snacks and try to imagine what they
would taste like. We try to contextualise their taste with particular means
of transportation. We may also consider how their packages would fit into
our bags.
Mobile food
On intercity night-train journeys in Indonesia, Kereta Api Indonesia (the
Indonesian Railway), a state-owned corporation in charge of operating
public railways, will serve snacks and dinner to executive passengers.
Snacks are packaged in a paper box. The box has the Kereta Api Indonesia
symbol printed on it. Each box consists of bread with fruit jam filling,
packaged in plastic, and a cup of mineral water. (rice), oseng-oseng buncis
(green beans with soy bean sauce), fried chicken or fried egg, and shrimp
crackers. Apart from my usual travel snacks, I often brought along a bento
76

crackers. Apart from my usual travel snacks, I often brought along a bento
box from a Jakarta-based Japanese fast food restaurant, Hoka-Hoka Bento,
or a packaged lunch or dinner consisting of rice, sautéed vegetables, and
a fish or chicken dish.
This reminds me of another snack box. My mother used to bring a box of
snacks every time she had a meeting in her office. She was a principal
of a state elementary school in Gresik, a district in East Java province. It
is only 30 kilometres away from Surabaya. It is home to Semen Gresik,
the largest cement factory in Indonesia, and Petrokimia Gresik, the largest
fertiliser factory. What was inside the box varied from time to time. In her
work environment, meetings are apparently the time where everyone would
get a box of snacks. I reminisced about the times when I would patiently
wait for my mother at home, gathering the snack box from her arms with a
heap of smiles.
Snacks, lunch, and dinner services are not provided in economy and
business trains in Indonesia. Mobile vendors provide food in such trains,
serving peanuts, fried tofu slices, chips, different rice-based snacks,
different kinds of bread with sweet fillings, cold drinks. They walk freely
through the train, carrying their products in baskets or portable racks, and
offer them to passengers. As they walk along the train, each will shout out
their items for sale. They form a food choir. In their own way, they contribute
to the train soundscape. As they get out at the next stop, the train returns
to its quiet state.
Food and the city
These vendors remind me of vendors elsewhere. Street vendors are
everywhere in Taipei. I went there two months ago. I saw them in front of
shops, on pavements, and on street corners. Taiwan is a nation of snacks.
I bought a snack from one of the vendors in Taipei City Mall. It was a waffle
in the form of a fish, with a cheese and corn filling. The waffle sellers were a
man and his daughter. The freshly cooked waffles were put inside a rack with
a sliding glass door. They were categorised into several groups according
to their fillings. Cheese and corn. Powdered green tea. Red bean. Why did I
not choose the waffle with powdered green tea or red bean instead? Green
tea powder would give the impression that I just bought a healthy snack. I
think red bean is healthier than a mixture of cheese and corn. I once bought
bread with red bean filling for breakfast. The bread had shredded almond
on top. On my first night in Taipei, I bought a round-shaped waffle with red
bean filling. It seems that Taiwanese people like red beans.
The snacks I ate helped me remember my time in Taipei. I bought a package
of shredded almonds and dried belacan on my first day in the city. It was
Thursday, July 12, 2012. I decided to eat at least two different snacks
each day. I ate thin slices of dried fish on the next day. C, my travelling
companion, bought them from the 7–11 store near our hotel. The same
shop also sold boiled eggs. Two big bowls of boiled eggs were placed
on top of a wooden table at the centre of the store. A pile of paper plates
sat next to the bowls. The colour of the boiled eggs was dark brown.
What is the mixture of herbs and spices used for boiling the eggs? Do the
Taiwanese perceive boiled eggs as a snack or an additional dish for meals?
On Saturday night I bought a package of chocolate biscuits with shredded
almonds from a bakery shop on the street I walked every day from the hotel
to the conference venue at the National Taiwan Normal University.
77

I bought chocolate cake from the same shop on Friday night. C bought me
a pastry with pork floss filling on Monday night. I bought the same pastry on
the night before leaving Taipei. I ate it at Taipei airport while waiting for my
flight to Amsterdam. While slowly eating the pastry, I thought of the shop
which sold ice cream at Shida night market. The vendor sold the ice cream
in big cones. Does the ice cream taste good, I wonder? I regretted the fact
that I did not buy the ice cream. It seems to me that eyes and impulse buying
operate under different principles when travelling.
***
After arriving back in Leiden from Vienna, my snacking continued: this time
with some spring rolls from a small Chinese restaurant called Kwantung.
Nuraini Juliastuti
Netherlands
080912
78

Sira Labu
Sweet Glazed Pumpkin
79

Sira Labu
Sweet Glazed Pumpkin
Serves 4-5 people
Tools
- Deep pot
Ingredients
- 1pc Pumpkin (approx 1kg, peeled, quartered and seeds removed)
- 2 pieces Palm sugar (Gula Melaka)
- 2pcs Pandanus leaves (washed and knotted)
- 250ml Undiluted coconut milk
- 2 tablespoon slaked lime water
- 1 cup tap water
- 1 pinch Salt
Method
- Mix slaked lime water and tap water in a mixing bowl, throw and shake
pumpkin in the mixture quickly. Remove and wash pumpkin.
- Place pumpkin, pandanus, Gula Melaka, coconut milk, salt in a deep pot
and leave to cook on medium heat for 10 minutes. Do not stir.
- Remove pumpkin and leave remaining liquid to cook until it thickens.
- Pour thickened liquid over pumpkins to serve
83

Sira Pisang
Sweet Glazed Banana
85

Sira Pisang
Sweet Glazed Banana
Serves 5-8 people
Ingredients
- 20pcs bananas (pisang abu / pisang kapas / pisang berangan variety)
- 20 tablespoons granulated sugar (ratio of 1 tablespoon of sugar
for every 1 banana)
- 3 Pandan leaves – tied in a knot
- 1 teaspoon yellow food colouring
- Water
- Table salt
Method
- Cut (not all the way through) the bananas with the skin on lengthwise.
- Cook them in water with 1 teaspoon of salt until the water starts to boil.
- This will remove the sap from the bananas and firm up the flesh.
- Then drain out the water.
- Cut the bananas straight through and throw away the skin.
- Keep aside.
- In a pot, cook together 500ml of water, the sugar and food colouring.
- Keep stirring the mixture until it boils.
- Then, put in the cooked bananas and Pandan leaves into the boiling
mixture and stir for 3 minutes.
- Ready to serve.
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Ketupat Sotong
Squid Stuffed With Glutinous Rice
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Ketupat Sotong
Squid Stuffed With Glutinous Rice
Serves 4-5 people
Ingredients
- 2kg squids
- 1 1/2 cup glutinous rice
- 500ml coconut cream
- 4 slices Palm sugar (Gula Melaka)
- 2pcs Pandan leaves (knotted)
- Skewers
Method
- Soak glutinous rice in coconut milk for 20 minutes.
- Loosely stuff the soaked glutinous rice into squid
body (as the glutinous rice will expand).
- Attach stuffed squid body and tentacle with skewers.
- Place attached and stuffed squids, remaining coconut milk
and Pandan leaves and Gula Melaka in a pot
and bring to boil.
- Ready to serve.
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Lompat Tikam Jump and Stab
91

Lompat Tikam
Jump and Stab
Serves 4-5 people
Tools
- Steamer
- Food processor
- Muslin cloth
- Baking pan (Oiled)
Ingredients
- 500 gm Glutinous rice
- 225 gm Rice flour
- 500 ml Undiluted coconut milk (divided into 2 equal portions)
- 294 gm Palm sugar
- 3 stalks Pandan leaves (washed and roughly chopped)
- 1 tsp Red food colouring
- 2000 ml Water
- Oil
- Salt and sugar to taste
Method
- Soak glutinous rice in red food colouring and 1400ml water for 4 hours.
- Drain the water and steam until half cook (approx 20 mins), remove halfcooked
rice and mix in evenly 1 portion of coconut milk in a mixing bowl.
Resteam rice until fully cooked. Set aside.
- In a food processor, blend together pandan leaves and 200 ml of water.
- Line muslin cloth over a bowl, pour out pandan mixture over muslin cloth
and squeeze out pandan juice/extract.
- Stir well together pandan extract and rice flour and cook over medium
heat with constant stirring for 1 hour.
- Prepare a baking pan by coating it with some oil. Pour cooked batter
into baking pan and set aside to cool.
- Add 1 tbsp of salt and remaining coconut milk into a pot and stir
constantly over medium heat for 10 mins. Set aside to cool.
- Heat and stir in 400 ml water with palm sugar until palm sugar is
well dissolved. Set aside palm sugar syrup.
- To serve this dish, on a plate, place equal portions of glutinous
rice and pandan batter, and drizzle over coconut milk
and palm sugar syrup.
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Glossary

Glossary
Air Asam = Juice of Garcinia Atroviridis.
Asam Keping=
Dried Tamarind.
Belacan = Shrimp paste.
Budu = Fermented fish paste/sauce.
Bunga Kantan=
Bunga Telang=
Ginger flower/ Torch ginger bud.
Butterfly Pea Flower.
Cili Padi = Bird’s Eye Chilli , Capsicum chinense.
Daun Kesum =
Daun Pandan=
Polyganom leaves.
Pandan / Pandanus leaves.
Garam = Salt.
Gula Melaka =
Gulai Darat =
Ikan Selayang=
Palm sugar.
Special Kelantanese curry paste.
Scad Fish.
Ike Singge = A type of fish soup.
Itik Serati = Muscovy Duck.
Kerisik = Roasted, pounded dessicated coconut.
Kerutub = Special Kelantanese curry paste.
Laksa = Spicy Peranakan noodle soup.
Laksam = Flat rice noodle.
Limau Purut =
Kaffir lime.
Nasi = Rice.
Nasi Dagang =
Nasi Gunung =
Nasi Kerabu =
Dagang literally means Trade,
Nasi Dagang means Trading Rice.
Gunung literally means Mountain,
Nasi Gunung means Mountain Rice.
Kerabu is a traditional salad prepared as a
condiment,Nasi Kerabu means Rice
with Salad.
98

Nasi Gunung =
Gunung literally means Mountain, Nasi Gunung
means Mountain Rice.
Percik = Literally means splash. Ayam or Ikan Percik:
Grilled Chicken or Fish splashed with
thick gravy.
Sambal = Chilli-based sauce that is usually used as
a condiment.
Santan = Coconut milk.
Serai = Lemongrass.
Singgang Hulu=
Mixed fish sweet-sour soup.
Akar Giant = Root of ginger family that only can
found in Jeli,Kelantan.
Eid-ul Fitri = Muslim holiday that marks the end of
Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting.
Hikayat = Tale or Saga.
Mak Yong = Traditional form of dance drama from
northern Malaysia, particularly from
the state of Kelantan. It has
Hindu-Buddhist roots that long predate
Islam in Southeast Asia.
Menora = Dance drama developed in Thailand about
2,000 years ago.
Wayang Kulit =
Shadow play or shadow performance.
99

Acknowledgments

Acknowledgments
Ise would like to thank:
Allahyarham Hj Ismail Ishak, Allahyarhamah Hj Wan Som Wan
Yusof, Allahyarhamah Fatimah Ishak, Roslawati Ismail, Munira
Ismail, Rosni Ismail, Nik Hasbullah Mat Amin, Nurul Wahidah,
Muhammad Fahmi, Nur Alia Syahida, Rusnah Ismail, Roslan
Ismail, Rosli Ismail, Muhamad Ismail, Aminah Sulaiman, Che
Faridah Yusoff, Sakinah Husain, Mek Hj Muhammad.
Awie + Umie and family, Ujang, Wai, Sitty + Dino and family, Yan,
Rosli, Linda, Eina, Pit + Hanisa , Duta Anwar, Perez + Lily and
Irdina Iyila, Kak Hanim + Abg Syed and Family, Bob MagnusCaleb,
Hasanul + Tet and Doa, Kimi.
Bakawali Sari Warisan - Norhaiza Noordin and family, Nik Rashidi Nik
Hussein, Varna Art Design and Built - Azzaha Ibrahim, Faizal Amer
Abdullah, Imran Taib, Sanusi Khanafiah, Adnan Mat Bunga,
Fadil Mohamed, Ikhwan Bob Ismail.
June Yap, Qinyi Lim, Goh Beng Lan.
Yap Saubin, Rachel + Joshua, Rafizah Abdul Rahman, Halim
Rahim, Im + Zak and family, Erna + Azmir, Hakim Hasnul,
Fahmi Ismail, Kontak, Chang Fee Ming, Mokhasha , Abe,
Ahmad Syahrin, Baktiar Naim, Rahimi , Mr Pakha and Fatimah,
Bingley,Dato Edin, Phuan Thai meng, Nadhirah Nutty, Vincent
+ Nadia,Adline, Beverly, Simon soon, Kyoko Kugai, Goyona
Jung + Seung Jung.
Zamani, Hawari, Abg Lid,Meli, Shamsul (Kedai Patti), Abg Zaid,
Ranizan Yunus, Azlina Ibrahim, Siti Fatimah Hj Muhammad,
Allahyarhamah Hajah Rahmah (Marubo,Tanjung Mas,Naratiwat),
Aishah Ameran.
Toby Chapman, Chloe Lanser, Beattie Lanser, Summar
Hipworth, Aaron Seeto, Simryn Gill, Russell Storer, Reuben
Keehan,Christina Pagliaro, Ellie Buttrose , Amy Moore, Tarun
Nagesh.
Mat Hassan Chabang 4, Abg Loh ( Pattani ), Abg Sod ( Songkhla ).
Mg Pringgotono, Sari Julia, Gusti, Ika, Nuning, Irwan Ahmett,
Ruru.
Ise also would like to thanks to all Facebook friends, people
who love and hate him.
Special note:
Nasi gunung original recipe is from Faizal Amer Abdullah,
he get the recipe from Hajjah Rahmah 1996 - from Marubo,
Narathiwat, Thailand.
101

Graphic Designer
Ikhwan Bob Ismail
Photographer
Roslisham Ismail a.k.a Ise, Bob MagnusCaleb, Ikhwan Bob Ismail.
Videographer
Perez OldSkool, Imran Taib.
Cover Design by
Azzaha Ibrahim.
Artworks and Illustrations by
Roslisham Ismail a.k.a Ise.
Translations by
Teratak Nuromar.
The Langkasuka Cookbook was commissioned for
‘The 7th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art’ (APT7),
held at the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art,
Brisbane, 8 December 2012 – 14 April 2013.
102