HEALTHY SNACK

I have seen the Jering fruiit sold at the market but never really bothered to ask what it was for.  Today I read an article about the Jering and found out that it is a healthy snack.  Next time, I will give it a point to give it a try.

Here is the article.

June 19, 2011

Snack much sought after for health properties

By FARIK ZOLKEPLI
farik@thestar.com.my

KUALA TERENGGANU: The buah jering, which grows in the wild and is taken during meals as ulam (table salad) by many Malaysian families, has become a much sought-after snack, thanks to 79-year-old trader Ali Omar here.

He sells it both as a snack and as a cure for many types of ailments.

“The jering (which is actually a type of legume) is known to have medicinal benefits.

Healing food: Despite his age, Ali continues selling buah jering at his stall in Kampung Bukit Besar, Kuala Terengganu.

“It can reduce one's blood sugar level and improve the digestive system.

“In the west coast it is taken as ulam but it is commonly prepared as a snack and eaten with coconut floss in the eastern states like Terengganu, Kelantan and Pahang,” he said.

“It's not easy to prepare the snack as I have to boil the pod for about 14 hours and then deep fry the seeds with ingredients such as serai (lemon grass), ginger and sugar.

“It is a painstaking chore but I do it to help people.”

“If boiled wrongly, there could be side effects like a bad toothache,” said Ali, who sells the snack from a stall at Kampung Bukit Besar near here.

Although it started out as a hobby, the father of six and grandfather of “dozens” said it had now become more than just a side income for him.

“Many customers come back for more as their health improved upon eating the snack regularly,” he said, adding that the jering snack has also done wonders for his family.

“It has produced a stable income that has allowed my children to further their studies,” he said.

His only regret is that none of his children are keen to follow in his footsteps.

“The young people complain about the long hours of preparing the snack,” he said.

He added that he had hired an assistant because of his age.

Ali said the snack was only prepared during the hot season when the jering was easily available.

He said because of the weather in Terengganu, which becomes wet during the monsoon, he often has to buy the jering pods from Malacca and other places.

Source: estar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/6/19/nation/8932401&sec=nation

To find out more about the jering,  visit http://malaymedicine.blogspot.com/2010/03/buah-jering.html