KUANTAN: In the past, suppliers of lemang periuk kera (glutinous rice cooked in pitcher plant) were often described as a rare breed.
It is no longer the case these days as many have began to venture into preparing the traditional dish which involves steaming the glutinous rice and coconut milk in the cupped leaf or pitcher plants.
Due to the tedious process to prepare, the dish in the past was prepared only during Hari Raya Aidilfitri and Aidiladha or based on bookings. But now it is in demand throughout the year.
Suppliers here have their hands full with orders and among them is Latipah Abdullah, who searched for the recipe from the internet to prepare the dish for her family before later deciding to make and sell them.
The 43-year-old from Felda Panching Selatan here said the nutrients from the pitcher cup gives the glutinous rice a soft creamy texture and a different taste compared to those prepared in bamboo casings.
"The uniqueness of the lemang periuk kera is it is steamed compared to the normal lemang which is cooked over fire wood. The process to clean and prepare the pitchers into the lemang casing requires some time but that (casing) gives the special taste.
"I only started selling the dish during the recent Ramadan month and my early customers included some neighbours, working colleagues and relatives. Then I began promoting the dish on the social media and my customers often return to make further bookings," she said when met.
Latipah said due to overwhelming business, her husband Ramli Hanafiah, 50, had to contact a friend who could regularly supply the pitcher plants which grows in swampy forests here.
She said upon receiving the fresh pitcher plants, each cup had to be processed into lemang casings and it had to be cleaned properly as the casings could be damaged.
"The lid and tendrils that link the cup with the plant's leaf are cut and the plants repeatedly rinsed before it is stored in a cool and dark place. Later, the mixture of raw glutinous rice which has been left to soak in water and coconut milk mixed with a little salt is poured inside the plant.
"The dish is arranged in the steamer to cook between 15 and 20 minutes (depending on size), and it has to be handled slowly as a slight mistake will tear the casing and ruin its contents," she said, adding customers usually placed their orders during traditional events and family gatherings.
Latipah sells a kilogramme of the delicacy at RM35 consisting of between 15 and 20 casings depending on size while she charge RM20 (between 8 to 12 casings) for the package sold along with homemade chicken or beef rendang.
Several years ago, there were only a handful of people who commercially produced the traditional dish and many abandoned their business halfway due to the difficulty in obtainingh the cupped leaves as some were forced to go deep into the jungle or hire others to look for it.
Although there are several wild species of pitcher plants in Malaysia, only the Nepenthes species is certified safe for consumption to prepare the lemang periuk kera.