PADANG TERAP: There is something that makes this year's Ramadan even more special for the rural folk in Kedah.
Abdullah Ismail, a coffee shop operator in Kampung Tekai Kiri was lost of words when asked to describe what is so special about lepat (traditional Malay dumpling) made of Chica flowers.
"I don't really know where to begin to describe it... it's the fragrance, the sweetness, it's organic taste, there's no lepat out there that comes close to it.
"Unique doesn't even begin to describe it. Every bite of this traditional dish made with the rare Chica flower is a feast for the taste buds that is unparalleled," said the 48-year-old as he struggled to articulate the lepat's exceptional taste.
The secret behind the exclusive taste of lepat Bunga Chica, Abdullah said, is the Chica flower, which blooms for three months in the year, between December and January until the end of March.
The plant that produces this flower, scientifically known as stereospermum fimbriatum, is a rare tree that only grows deep in the rainforests of Kedah, making it impossible to cultivate commercially.
"It's no ordinary flower, the tree that it blooms from is very rare and grows deep in the forest, you cannot simply plant this in your own lawn.
"In this constituency, we have only six of these trees and getting the flowers can turn into a competition among the local folk here," he added with a broad smile.
He explained that since the Chica flowers bloom only for a few months in the first quarter of every year, lepat Bunga Chica is a cherished annual delicacy that villagers had been enjoying for generations.
"Since this year Ramadan falls in the month of March, we've been relishing it as a delightful dessert for Iftar. There's no better way to break your fast, to be honest," he added.
Abdullah's mother-in-law, Che Tom Othman, 62, said lepat Bunga Chica tasted best when cooked right after the flowers fell off the trees, as this helped to enhance its fragrant aroma when steamed.
"It's essential to wake up early in the morning to pick-up the Chica flowers because they're highly sought after by the locals. If you're not there by 7.30am, you might not find any left," she added.
She said that after the Chica flowers are picked, they would be rinsed and cleaned before mixing them with coconut milk, rice flour, sugar, and salt.
"Once the mixture is ready, we wrap it in banana leaves and steam it until it's fully cooked. When that's done, it's ready to be served," she said whilst preparing the dish with her daughter, Norasyikin Abdullah, 39.
Che Tom said leftover flower petals would be dried up for about a day or two and would be grinded into flakes to preserve the ingredients for a few more weeks.
Although lepat Bunga Chica and Chica flower flakes are highly exclusive, they have only been sold in rural areas of Kedah and Perlis where traders usually sell the lepat for RM1 per piece and the flakes for RM100 per kg.
Despite this, Norasyikin believed that the unique taste and rarity of the dish and the flower flakes would warrant a much higher price point.
"This recipe has been a part of rural Kedahans culture for generations, but it wasn't until the past three years that we started preparing it in our family's coffee shop. Despite its long history, you will struggle to find these anywhere else.
"We never intend to commercialise our lepat and flakes but given the quality of ingredients and the time and effort that goes into making this dish, we believe it deserves to be sold at a higher price," said Norasyikin, who is also Abdullah's wife.
Commenting further on the dish and its potential, Norasyikin contemplated on how her family could one day promote the delicacy and introduce it to the rest of the country or even the world.