|
|
|
Wild Silom
This month,
let us look at the Daun Silom (Oenanthe javanica).
It is also a very popular ulam in Kedah and can be found growing
wild throughout the state, especially in flooded waste lands
and shallow drains or swampy areas. It probably got its name
from the Thais who referred to the herb as Chi Lawn or from
the Indians who called them Shellum. The Chinese called them
Sui Karn.
It is a perennial herb and erect to semi-erect in nature with
shoots averaging from 20 cm to 40 cm in height. If left uncut,
the shoots will keep on growing upwards until its stem can
no longer support its weight; then it will fall onto the ground.
|
|
New roots and shoots will develop from the nodes giving rise to
more plantlets. The creeping stolons (stems) can grow to a length
of 1 to 2 metres. The stem is hollow with a diameter of about 1
cm. The leaves, dark green in colour, are bipinnate with uneven
number of 1, 3, 5 and 7 leaflets with deep serration. Its flowers
are white, small and fragrant, in umbels (of about 20 florets with
short peduncles), are borne on a long stalk sprouting from the leaf
axils.
The daun silom has a whole range of minerals (Calcium, Phosphorous,
Iron, Sodium and Potassium) and vitamins (Beta Carotene, Thiamine,
Riboflavin, Ascorbic Acid and Vitamin A). It has a very distinctive
and pleasant flavour, quite close to that of celery. That is the
reason our western counterparts call them "water celery".
Daun silom is mostly eaten raw with sambal belacan. Shredded finely,
it gives a special aroma to Nasi Kerabu. Often, I chop it up to
compliment the Laksa Telok Kecai bought from a pasar malam.
Another interesting recipe I whip up is my sardine/tuna kerabu which
is simple and fast to prepare. Just open up a small can of sardine
or canned tuna (pour away excess oil) and mix with a bunch of daun
silom (coarsely chopped), one onion (halved and finely sliced),
a juice of 1 lime or 2 limau kesturis and a couple of chilli padi
or more if you like it hot. Mix and mash up the fish well and walla
...... you have a delicious sardine/tuna salad! This sardine/tuna
kerabu can also be made with daun pegaga. Spread between
two slices of bread and you have a nutritious sandwich. Give it
a try and I am sure you''ll like both recipes. My son does not particularly
go for ulams but this is one way I can get him to consume the herbs.
Propagation for this herb is very simple. Just get a stem cutting
with 2 or 3 nodes and just insert the lowest node into a pot of
soil and it will grow. Daun silom likes plenty of water and can
stand water-logged conditions and therefore thrives very well in
hydroponics. It can also be grown in normal aerated soil. When the
root system is fully developed, the plants must be exposed to full
sunlight. It does not flourish well under shade.
by Koon Hup
9th April 2003
Copyright 2002 MNS Kedah
This article is used with permission. For more information, surf
to www.mns.org.my
The Pegaga...The Chinese associate this herb with longevity. It
was claimed that consuming just 2 leaves a day is sufficient to
maintain your youth. It seemed there was an ancient Chinese herbalist
who outlived his 26 wives and had over 150 children and he gave
credit to the pegaga ...
The Noni fruit...The Polynesians
regard the plant as sacred and practically all parts of the plant
(the barks, the leaves, the roots and especially the fruits) are
edible to them. In Myanmar, unripe fruits are cooked in curries
and the ripe ones are eaten fresh with salt. I have not tried them
with salt, and as far as I could remember, it had a rather disgusting
taste.
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
