Tapai

Last Raya, when an elderly relative stopped by at our house after Eid ul Fitr prayer, I asked her if she'd made "tapai pulut"(fermented glutinous rice) as usual.

She did and I asked if she could save some for me, as I'd planned to go to her house that day.

But later in the afternoon, she came to deliver some especially for me as she said just in case its finished by the time I go to her house..hehe..how very thoughtful of her.

I took most of it back with me to KL a week later.. :-)

Tapai in daun getah? Some of the tapai that I brought home

Tapai in leaves always reminded me of my late auntie. When I was small, whenever my family went back to our hometown, we'd stopped by at my auntie's house. Most days she'd make the tapai for her to sell.

Sometimes, she "shooed" us away..because of the "pantang-larang"(taboo beliefs?) in making them, but sometimes she'd let me stay and watched her "packed" them in daun getah(rubber tree leaves),

..but till now I don't know how to make them..hehehe..

Nowadays "tapai pulut" are made and sold in small plastic containers..and readily available most of the time.

Tapai made by an office mate. had this one this morning, cold and sweet..hmmmm... :-)

The other tapai that I like is tapai ubi kayu (fermented tapioca/cassava), and I remember my mother used to add coconut milk and served it cold..yummy!

Tapai ubi kayu - google image

Tapai ubi kayu can also be deep-fried like banana fritters.

Tapai ubi fritters - google image

I read somewhere that early studies by a group of expert in University Putra Malaysia (UPM) on tapai ubi kayu shows that a type of protein, Bacteriocins, resulted from the proses of fermentation, gave positive results of anticancer activity.

mmmm..may be I should go to "pasar malam" (night market) tomorrow..hehe..

:-)

p/s - I'm relieved to know that from the reference in Portal Rasmi Fatwa Malaysia website "e-Fatwa" (here), tapai is halal to be eaten.