My brother who lived in Penang (Kulim to be exact) came to visit us last weekend. He was in a mission sending his brother in law, who serves the Malaysian Arm Forces, to Wisma Perwira MINDEF before his BIL and his family could return to Sarawak on government’s annual return ticket.
After guiding them (reads driving them) to MINDEF, we headed to Putrajaya to see one of his mother in law’s siblings (pakcik la tu). However, no one was at home except for their first daughter. Both of them were busy fishing at nearby lake, Tasik Desa Pinggiran Putra.
That was not the story though.
During lunch-time, we were served with this.
This is buah dabai.
I still remember that Iswardy Morni, a friend of mine, posted on his fB wall asking for any friend coming back from Sarawak to bring along dabai about three weeks ago. Sorry Is, I have it first.
Buah dabai is seasonal, if not mistaken, and coherent with durian season. Ghopanya macam buah kurma Mekah. It is white and turning black as its ripe. Isinya berwarna kekuningan. Rasanya? You can try to lick the picture on the screen. How does it taste?
Normally, people sprinkle some table salt in order to eat it, some like it with budu and serves with rice while it is still hot.
Sama macam budu, ia juga boleh dibuat nasi goreng dan kita tak sedar yang kita makan dabai dalam nasi goreng.
I encounter this dabai while I was serving HCM Engineering and rehabilitating the pavement from Niah to Bekenu and Bintulu to Tatau around 2005. The thing is it is rarely found here in Semenanjung. It is said that it could only be found at Sarawak and Brunei. I am not sure. But I am sure, Iswardy is still looking for it. Hahahahaha….
Adiratna Wira Adnan 