Category: Events

Key Lime

I love citrus fruits either used as a flavoring for dishes or making drinks.  At the farm, we have planted a few varieties including key lime or limau nipis (botanical name: citrus aurantifolia) grows well in tropical climates.  Locally, this fruit is often used to flavor dishes such as laksa, curries and also to make drinks.  Many people are also familiar with key lime pie of which the key ingredient is the key lime.

We planted a few trees and from the baby plants to fruiting, it took about 2 years.  Growing it has been a challenge because there are some pests that just love to eat the leaf shoots, most often the caterpillar.  Every few months, I will prune the tree to encourage growth of new shoots and flowering.  The trees can grow to around 5m tall so by keeping it pruned, I can better control the growth of the tree.  It has thorns on the stems so be careful when you are handling the tree.  Continued maintenance will help ensure that the tree fruits around the year.

The fruit has a tart flavor with a slight bitterness.  It has a relatively high level of vitamin C with traces of iron, calcium and niacin.  The therapeutic value of the juice is purported to be to help detoxify the liver as well as a blood cleanser.  Some have mixed it with honey to help with sore throat and the common cold.  The juice of this fruit is also often used in beauty and hair treatments.  It can be applied to the face as an astringent and to help tighten open facial pores and reduce facial oil.  It is also often used as an ingredient in cleansers.  I have used a mixture of the key lime, including its skin, with water and sprayed it as an odor eliminator leaving a nice citrus fragrance.

Ramadhan 1434 at SHL

Fasting does not mean that you stop doing what you are doing but I view it as a time to review, prepare, improve and adjust.  An opportunity to “hijrah” to be better.  It has been four years since I first started out on transforming SHL to overgrown “jungle” to a farm and it now does not look anything like what it used to although I have tried to preserve the land contour as much as possible.  I am not so much a lover of totally flat land – to me, it doesn’t look natural and you will have gotten rid the rich, beautiful top soil by bull-dozing the land.

Through the years, and many experiments, we have decided to focus on a few vegetables, albeit in favor of what I love.  The chosen ones: cabbage, tomatoes, long green beans, French beans, baby cucumbers, petola, okra, the green mustard family (sawi and the like) and a variety of aubergine (terung).  Also selected are peria and chili.  We also plant tapioca and I am never sure what category to place this in as we do use the young leaf shoots for vegetables and the tuber can be eaten in many ways – both savory and sweet.  The aim is to make the produce available every time we go to market.  Taking the lessons learnt from the soil composition, soil preparation, care and maintenance of them, we are starting a new cycle.  It is a great time for us to do this as we do not do Sunday market during Ramadhan and re-start two weeks after Syawal.  With this time frame, it gives us time to grow and care for them.

A few days before Ramadhan, we completed the back-breaking work of creating planting beds and mixing goat/cow manure into the soil.  It is mainly manual labor as we do not use any herbicide so removal of grass and weeds and turning the soil give a superb workout.  We leave the beds for a week whilst we start seeding and by the time we feel that it is time to plant the beds, the seedlings are ready to be transferred.  It is also a time for us to construct the support for the climbers – reusing materials as much as possible such as the fencing material that have been removed now that we have replaced the boundaries with a wall and zinc fence.
It has also been raining almost daily so this gives the soil a good water supply helping with the decomposition of the manure and spreading of the nutrients.  The planting beds are covered with black plastic material to prevent weeds and to reduce the weeding required around the planted area.

The fruit tree planting is also done – have so we are moving to care and maintenance on the fruit trees. I am happy with the selection that we limau bali, calamansi (limau kasturi), jackfruit (nangka), cempedak, soursop (durian belanda), delima, avocado, dukong, coconut and of course, an extensive variety of bananas.   The list I think is good enough considering the amount of space we have: durian, mangosteen, mango, longan, papaya, rambutan, pulasan, Quite a few of the trees have begun fruiting so we are able to enjoy the “fruits of our labor”.

On the herbs and condiments front, there are still some varieties that I would like to plant and I need to make some time for this area.  The tea-making herbs that I am focusing on are misai kucing, lemon basil (kemangi) and ruku.  These are my favorites and I like the therapeutic properties that they have.  The herbal plants selected are based on their traditional uses of Malay homeopathy and its therapeutic values.  For condiments, we have turmeric, galangal (lengkuas), ginger torch (bunga kantan), ginger and lemon grass (serai) – these I consider to be the staple condiments in a lot of dishes that I cook along with the other herbs.

Of course no farm is complete without some animals.  The chicken count is up to 60 now of the ayam kampong variety.  From time to time, I get people who come by who want to buy my chicken but they want to buy the cockerel.  I am always suspicious because when I say I only sell my chicken slaughtered and they say that they prefer to slaughter it themselves.  When I offer the hens, they are not interested.  I know that the kind that I have is what some crazies look for in cock-fighting and this is one activity that I am against.  This Ramadhan we will be selling 20 chickens as part of the activity of breeding and growing them.  We will need to do some repairs and maintenance work on the chicken run which I am planning to start after Ramadhan.We also have fresh water fish but this will be a topic in a future blog. 

All in all, you could say that we are still active in Ramadhan and these activities remind us of the bounty from Allah s.w.t.  To all my Muslim readers, we wish you Selamat menunaikan ibadah di bulan Ramadhan yang mulia ini.

Herbal Teas – Kemangi (Lemon Basil) Tea



Kemangi leaves and flowers

 I enjoy tasty herbal teas as addition to having a healthy diet so I started on a quest to discover herbal teas that can be produced from Malaysian plants.  After my experiment with Misai Kucing, my next experiment was with Kemangi (Lemon Basil) (Botanical Name : Ocimum x Citriodorum).  Kemangi planted on the farm was growing very well, producing substantial quantities of leaves and flowers – more than what I can sell on a weekly basis at the market.  As the plants need to be pruned on a weekly basis to ensure quality production of leave and flowers, I decided to try making tea leaves out of it mainly due to the lovely citrusy fragrance which I theorized should produce a citrusy tasting tea which I hope would not also include a bitter taste.  In my research, I had found that this leaves have been turned into tea.
What I have found is that if water remains on the leaves for a long period of time, the leaves will bruise, causing them to turn brown.  With this is mind, I rinse the stems of leaves and shook off the excess water, and hung them “upside down” to dry them off as quick as possible.  To preserve the nutritional values of the flowers and leaves, it was air-dried out of direct sunlight. It takes about one week for it to totally dry. 
Once it was dry, I only crush the leaves and the flowers turning them into my tea.  I store the leaves in air-tight containers and in the chiller but I am also experimenting in storing them in containers on the shelves.  I want to see what is the best way to store them and I hope storing them on shelves produce favorable results as sometimes out fridge fills up so there is no place to store them in cool places, with our lovely warm, tropical climate.
To make the tea, I use about 1 teaspoon of tea and let it steep in just-boiled water for about 3-5 minutes.  It produces a golden brown color tea with a fragrant citrus smell, that wakes up the senses.  True to its English name, the tea has a refreshing, lemony taste to it and yes, not bitter at all, and taste great with or without honey.  For me, I avoid using white sugar and use either brown sugar or raw sugar if I want to have the sweet taste and do not have honey handy.  It can be served hot or cold – I prefer chilling it if I want it cold rather than adding ice as it will then water down create an uneven tea flavor. 
Since Kemangi is purported to aid in strengthening the heart and helping reduce stress, I call this my Heart Love tea, which I enjoy sipping in the late afternoon whilst enjoying the green scenery of Helang Lui.  One thing for sure, this is a definite great addition to Suria Helang Lui Herbal Teas.  Now, on to the next experiment……:)

Edible Landscape – Ubi Kayu (Tapioca or Cassava)

Many of us are familar with the tapioca as a good carbohydrate food source and some are familar that is used to produce a popular food flavor enhancer commonly known as monosodium glutamate or MSG.  A widely-known brand in Malaysia is Aji-no-moto.  There are many grandmother stories that eating a lot of MSG causes you to go bald but I have yet to find scientific proof of this.  However, our “grandmothers” are wise and as in many traditional Malay grandmother stories, there must have been some reason as they tend to use euphemisms.  

There are many varieties of tapiocas but at the farm three types are planted – ubi kayu merah, ubi kayu pulut  and multi-colored leaf tapioca which I have named ubi kayu bunga.  We do not plant the ubi kayu kuning as these are not as tender and has a more fibrous texture thus is used mainly for making tapioca chips or kerepek ubi kayu and fermented tapioca or tapai.  

Ubi kayu pulut leaf shoot

Both the ubi kayu merah and  ubi kayu pulut have green leaves but the young leaf shoots of the ubi kayu pulut has a dark red tinge and takes about 4 months to produce good-sized tubers which breaks easily whilst the ubi kayu merah has a light green young leaf shoot and takes 8 months to produce good-sized tubers which breaks with a “snap”.  The leaves of both these varieties is edible.  In Malay cuisine, it is often cooked in coconut milk on its own or with dried or fresh shrimps.  It is also a great ulam ,which is done by blanching the leaves, to eat with sambal belacan.

The tapioca plants can be used as windbreakers or as an ornamental with the added benefit of being an edible addition to your landscape.  I paticularly love the multicolored leaves variety and plant them at the banks of my fish pond,  This variety though is a slow grower and it produces a tender tapioca in about 10 months.  There is also another variety that we plant at the farm which has a more needle-like leaf shape.  This variety doesn’t produce edible tubers and is planted for the leaves, which is more tender than the normal variety.  

The tapioca plant is propagated using stem cuttings that have at least 2 “eyes” visible above ground level when planted.  At the farm, it is planted at a 45 degree angle.  I normally dig a hole about 6 inches deep and place the stem  (about 9 inches long) at an angle.  It is important to place the stem with the eyes upwards or else you will have funny-looking stems sprouting.  The tapioca produces tubers best in slightly sandy soil mixture with a good amount of organic matter and in sunny areas.  Heavy clay soil is not conducive to the production of tubers and you will end up with more fibrous roots.  We fertilise it 1 month after planting and will rake more soil around the base after fertilising.

Tapioca is gluten free, rich in starch and contains a significant amount of calcium, phosphorus and vitamin C and protein free however the leaves are a good source of protein and rich in amino acid lysine.

The ubi kayu pulut tastes creamy and is the most tender of the species,  I have even eaten this raw.  It takes 10-15 minutes to cook and has a “fluffy” texture.  According to “grandmother” stories, this was the favourite kind to replace rice during the Japanese occupation of Malaya.  The ubi kayu merah is also tender when boiled and takes about 15-20 minutes to cooked when boiled.  I prefer using the ubi kayu merah for desserts because it is “sweeter” and less creamy as our Malaysian desserts for the tapioca tend to include the use of coconut milk so the dessert may turn out to be too rich tasting.

For whatever dish you want to prepare, the tapioca is best cooked within 1-2 days after harvest.  If you want to cook it a few days after buying, do not wash it or remove the outer layer of the skin and this will affect the taste and texture of the tuber.  To test freshness, you can try to break the tapioca tuber and if it tends to “bend” than it is not so fresh.

Updated: 12 December 2014

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Edible Landscape – Ulam Raja

A refreshing herb that is often consumed raw, Ulam Raja, as it is called in Malay,  (Botanical Name : Cosmos Caudatus) has small, pink colored petals with a yellow center.  This herb is another one of the leaves that I regard as a “Super Ulam”.

Ulam Raja leaves

 It grows easily in direct sunlight to a height of approximately 1m.  With insufficient water, it wilts easily.  It propagates via seeds from the mature flowers.  It loves to be well-watered and soil with high organic content.  This is an annual although it can be prolonged longer than a year but the quality of the leaves will reduce.

Beautiful Cosmos flower

Since it wilts easily, it is best kept with its stems in water after harvesting to maintain its freshness and to preserve its taste.  The leaves are rich in Calcium and Vitamin A as well as antioxidants.  Traditionally, it has been used as a “blood cleanser” as well as for strengthening the bones.

It propagates from the seeds from mature flowers, which are light as feather, hence the wind blows them around.  Not controlled, it can become a pest in your garden.
The beautiful flowers that are produced along with its distinctly-shaped leaves make it a beautiful addition to your garden or landscape, adding color and beauty while providing you with great nutrition.

It is always eaten raw to preserve as much as its nutrition with a taste similar to English Parsley and is often added to nasi kerabu or to salads.  It also tastes great when eaten with sambal bellman.  Vegetable juicers often like to add this leave due to its nutrition value.

Updated: March 21, 2015

Edible Landscape – Lengkuas Kecil

One plant that I find produces beautiful orchid-like flowers with its long stem and multiple flowers on a stem is the Galangal (Malay name: Lengkuas Kecil; Botanical name: Alpinia Conchigera).  This plant belongs to the ginger plant family.  Locally, it is used both in culinary and in traditional therapy.  This is one of the first few herbal plants that I planted at the farm and I obtained the starter plant from Hj. Hassan Awang Din who lives in Jeniang, Kedah, one of my “teachers” in the traditional herbs arena.  The original source was from Gunung Jerai in Kedah.  At the farm, it grows to about 1.5m tall and grows well in both semi-shady and sunny locations.  The leaf is long measuring around 20cm and has a slightly waxy texture on the upper leaf surface.  As with most of the plants in the ginger family, it requires substantial water and well-drained soil, not soggy.

I find the whole plant adds a lot of aesthetic value to the landscape.  The flowers can also be used as cut flowers and placed in a vase for indoor display.  However, I prefer to leave it on the plant and enjoy its beauty as I walk around the farm.  Once the flower dries up, it produces a red fruit which is used in Chinese herbal medicine.  I started with one starter plant in in the course of 3 years, have managed to multiply it.  I propogated it from its rhizomes.  It took 6-8 months for the plant to start flowering and this is a good indicator of the presence of rhizomes that are ready to be harvested. 

In Malay traditional therapy, the rhizome  is one of the items used in creating a bath for women post-pregnancy.  The rhizome is also transformed into a paste and applied to the skin as a treatment for skin infections such as for eczema.  The rhizome is also boiled to produce a concoction to treat stomach ailments and in Malay traditional therapy, to treat “angin dalam badan“.  In local culinary, the rhizome is used in cooking savoury dishes such as rendang, one of the herbs in creating a marinate for friend chicken and many other dishes.  To me, it has a taste of being slightly “gingery” with a touch of black pepper.

So, why not plant this along the borders of your garden and you can enjoy its beauty as well as get a great rhizome to spice your cooking.