Sunday, 26 February 2012

Mengungkap rasa dengan kata

Diwaktu senja menjelma
hariku menjadi sunyi dan sepi bertemankan pilu
merenung jauh dengan hati yang bersendirian

kesunyian membawaku dihujung siang hari ku
Bukan mengeluh namun merindukan dirinya 

aku merasakan aku seperti hanyut dibawa arus
tidak pasti ke mana jalan hala tujuku
kenapa semua ini harus terjadi?

telah banyak aku harungi seumur hidupku
susah, senang, sedih dan bahagia ku lalui
semuanya ku terima dengan hati yang redha

mungkinkah ini dugaan Illahi terhadap diriku?
namun sedemikian, aku tetap redha diatas semua ketentuanNya

aku hanya mampu tunduk sujud kepadaNya
berzikir diwaktu resahku
berdoa dan mencurahkan rasa hatiku kepadaNya

ketenangan hanya dapat kurasakan dengan mengingatiNya
semuanya telahpun termaktub di dalam luh-mahfuz ku
adakah ia cukup?

ingin ku selami hati nurani ku ini
sedalam mungkin..
sebelum aku jauh melangkah ke depan

Ya Allah.. ampunkan dosa-dosaku
tunjukkanlah sebaik-baik jalan bagi diriku menebus dosa-dosaku
aku memohon keberkatan dariMu Ya Allah..

bukakanlah mata hatiku ini
demi kebaikan diriku untuk memahami diriku ini
agar aku menjadi lebih dewasa
dan mengenali jalan hala tujuku
dalam hidupku ini..


Nukilan hatiku,
Anak Melayu Brunei

Fun with Ukulele

Here is what I do for fun with my ukulele..

Dreams come true.. :)

Oh baby.. ehe..

Friday, 24 February 2012

Kuih Tapai

How Kuih Tapai is made..

Firstly, just like making kuih Jelurut, Kuih Tapai also use the peeled leaves from the “Batang Nipah”. These peeled leaves are cuts into few inches long before it is opened as shown in the pictures below. 

Before cutting the peeled leaves into few inches long
A peeled leaf cut into few inches long
The peeled leaf is opened and bent.


This is the “Kelukur” of Kuih Tapai. 


Below is a video how my mom made the "kelukur"



Batang nipah can be obtained from the “Daun Apong” as shown in the picture below. It is the young shoot or in Brunei language we called it "Pucuk" of the Daun Apong.

Daun Apong
Pucuk Nipah

A brief information about Daun Apong. Apong produces “Nipah” fruits and the young of this fruit is called the “Mayang”. The juices from the “Mayang” is extracted and fermented and became “Gulanau”. Gulanau is a sticky wet brown sugar which is used to sweeten a drink such as the “Tea ‘C’ Special” and as an ingredient to make some of the Brunei traditional delicacies such as the “Penyaram, Ardam, Kipang” and the like. 


Next, while preparing or “menganyam” the “Kelukur”, cook the rice of kuih tapai using Siam rice, Bruneian called it “Beras Siam”.

Cooked "beras Siam"
As soon as the rice is cooked, it is poured on the “Nyiru” and let to cool down. Then, “Laru” which has been mixed and blended with sugar is spread equally on the rice. 

* "Laru" can be bought at Tamu Kianggeh.

The amount of "Laru" used are as follows:
1 bushelful of Siam rice = 1 piece of “Laru”
Half bushelful of Siam rice = Half piece of “Laru”
“Secupak ampat” of Siam rice = Quarter piece of “Laru”

* “Secupak ampat” is a local dialect used to describe a small portions of commodity such as rice.



The rice is left cool down on "Nyiru"


Laru (Round in shape)



Spreading the blended laru and sugar equally

When the rice has been mixed equally with the blended laru and sugar, then it’s time to put it inside the “Kelukur” and sealed it with “Samat”. 


Samat in different lengths



Putting the rice into the "Kelukur"

After the Kuih Tapai is in shape as shown in the picture, it is put inside a container and kept sealed for 24 hours. After 24 hours of fermentation, then only the Kuih Tapai is ready to be served and edible. 

Tapai in shape

My mother told me that, back in the old days, they will use “Bayong” to keep Kuih Tapai fermented. Bayong is a basket made from the Daun Apong as well.
Ready to be fermented for a night in a sealed container























Another brief history about "Kelukur" J
Back in the old days, Brunei people does not use Daun Apong to make the Kelukur, instead they use “Daun Simpur” or “Daun Tarap” for the Kelukur but then, since Kuih Tapai is made majorly for sale, these “Daun Simpur” and ”Daun Tarap” was not suitable to maintain the freshness of the Kuih Tapai while it is put on sales. Unless you are consuming it for themselves then only they will use either leaves.

That's all about how to make Kuih Tapai from me, I hope the brief information will help you to know more about how the famous and delicious kuih Tapai is made.

Cheers! Assalamualaikum from AMB J 

Thursday, 23 February 2012

Daily activities among the villagers...

Merambat..

"Rambat" is a casting net, which is weighted with lead pieces at the bottom, for catching prawns or fish in shallow as well as deep waters.








Merambat is a very interesting activity especially during leisure time and it is also becoming a hobby among Bruneian nowadays. The young people at my village goes 'merambat' as part of their leisure time with their friends and family. Back then, most villagers who lives on the river (eg. Kampong Ayer) works as a fisherman (nelayan). They would go fishing (mengail), merambat, membintur (use for catching crabs) at the 'pantaran' or balcony of their house. Moreover, they will use a boat to go 'mengandang' and 'membubu'. 

'Kail' is a simple tackle made up of a hook or barb, a line and the flexible but tough stem of belubu, which is a member of the Salacca palm.

Going merambat with their father.



One of the child helping the father to retrieve the rambat after it got stucked.

The father is showing his children how to throw out the rambat.

Beautiful scenes along Brunei river..


The view of Kampong Pudak.
Late afternoon scene from the peer.

Sunset view.

Long pathway at the front peer.

My nini laki paid a visit to his neighbour.

Playing around.

The young childrens.

Bertukang kayu "Carpentry" 

'Berdudun' or 'Beriadah' in the later afternoon.

Fishing activity


Transportation.



Transportation used along the river. 

Happy 28th National Day Brunei Darussalam :D

Pigeons are resting on the electric cables.

Late scenes and activities in Kampong Serdang..


Monday, 20 February 2012

Kuih Jelurut (Selurut or Celurut)

How to make local delicacy name Jelurut, Selurut or Celurut.

Bakau Area

'Batang Nipah'
'Kayu Bakau'


Firstly, we need to find the leaves from the 'bakau' area, cutting down some 'batang nipah'.

Samat
Peeled leaves
     
From the batang nipah, we peeled it's leaves one by one using knife and the hardest backbone of the leaves will be use as the "Samat" or the holder after the leaves is rolled, (like a staple). Will show it on the video how my mom does it :)

End product of the 'acuan'

Jelurut, Selurut or Celurut





Then, my mom will put all the 'acuan' into a steel pot, cramping it tightly. Then, pouring the mixed ingredients (sugar, flour, eggs, santan, flavouring and colouring). I couldn't recall much on the ingredients but will provide the exact ingredients in the near future. :)

The pots will be steam heated and must be frequently checked until its cooked. Approximately 2+ hours.

After it's all cooked, all the jeluruts will be left cool down as shown on the picture.


Left cool down for a while
 Wala!! it's all ready to be eaten.. Usually, in any functions, this food will be serve as an appetizer or dessert. Jelurut have some flavours too depending on which flavour you prefer to have either "Pandan" in green colour or "Durian kuning" in yellow colour.









Enjoying it while it's still hot.. :D
The video below will show you how my mom roll the peeled leaves and put the 'samat' to hold the rolled leave.





I hope it'll be much helpful in preserving our local delicacy which I believed not many are able to know the inside and outside of making a "Jelurut". I will keep on updating for other delicacies as well from time to time :)


My mom do accept pre-order if you're interested to order the "Jelurut", Bnd $1 for 5 pieces. Just leave me a comment Thanks :)