CASSAVA
or manioc is a name for many species of the genus Manihot of the family
Euphorbiaceae.
In many homes in Sabah,
especially the Kadazandusun community, manioc is consumed as supplementary food,
rice being the staples. It is usually cultivated in the rural area, on hillsides
besides hill rice cultivation areas. It does not need careful tending and even
discarded stalks can sprout leaves as its take roots easily.
In the absence of rice, the
‘ubi kayu’ becomes the people’s staple food. Its roots are eaten boiled ,roasted
or fried, while the leaves can be eaten as vegetable . Cassava roots are also
fermented to make alcoholic beverage. The Cassava is native to Amazonia and has
long been cultivated there by the indigenous population. It is now a major food
source in many parts of the moist lowland tropics.
One of the items eaten with
manioc is dried salted fish or ikan masin, It is a common sight in the
traditional market tamu in Sabah. The salted fish comprise of all sizes and are
salted and sun dried.They are cut into half salted thoroughly and left to dry in
the hot sun.
They are then packed into sacks
and sold in the local tamu or sold off wholesale to grocers. In the olden days
salted fish usually by seafarers was traded with rice from the Kadazandusun
tribes.
Salted fish in many ways
contribute to the people’s diet in those days where the refrigerator was as
alien as little green men. If the people bought fresh fish from the sea, they
usually had to cook it immediately or risk it turning bad. If they bought too
much fresh fish they usually pickled the fish in jars or dry it themselves. The
people were usually unsuccessful at making good salted fish as they lack enough
salt.
So the people preferred buying
or trading their goods with salted fish as this commodity keep longer. The
salted fish would usually cooked with vegetables.Such vegetables like water
spinach of kangkong, young tapioca leaves and young sweet potato leaves taste
delicious when cooked with good salted fish.
Some people like to roast
salted fish, especially the large ones,over an open wood fire. Fresh lime is
then squeezed on the fish. Small fish like Ikan Bilis are also dried. They are
quite delicious and popular with people who like eat Nasi Lemak. To cook Ikan
Bilis all you have to do is drop them by handfuls into hot oil,fry for a few
minutes and drain on paper towels. Them you combine them with roasted, salted
peanuts, and a couple of tablespoons of crisply fried onion.
If you are operating a homestay
or are having foreign guests at home, you may want to introduce fried ikan masin
with manioc to them.
Sunday,May 11th
2008, New Sabah Times
