A fruity lunch to enjoy

 On this August'17  escapade to Kuching, we found the garden in good condition with the Starfruit tree or Pokok Belimbing (Malay) bearing some fruits. So we thought it's time to be creative and fruity about our lunch.  We had previously bought some fruits along the journey to Kuching, such as the Soursop, Pomelo and Bananas. With a little bit of help from the Ketchup (soya bean) and hot chillies a simple sauce is created to enjoy the fruits with. Sometimes it's good to have a fruity lunch. Little pleasures of life that's really worth tasting!

Ripe Starfruits from the tree.

Flowering and fruiting trees

Flowers of the Starfruit tree (Averhhoa carambola)

Coconut tree in flower

Kedondong fruit

 There are two flowering fruiting trees in the garden right now while at the same time there are also two fruiting trees.  The flowering trees are the Coconut tree and the Starfruit tree.  What interests me the most is the Coconut tree which sets record for the first time flowering since  planted a few years ago,  The Starfruit tree has flowered and bore fruits before in large quantities and it seems that this time around it would not  be that productive judging from the quantities of flowering branches.  A short distance from the coconut tree is the "Kedondong"(Spondias dulcis) and "Ciku"(Manilkara zapota) tree, both are bearing fruits.

Kedondong fruits at Back garden

Ciku fruit at Back garden

"Makan sirih" and the origin of Penang

Ingredients for 'Makan Sirih' - Betel or  "Sirih"  leaves ( Piper betel ), Kapur ( lime) and  Pinang fruit or areca nut  ( Areca catechu) and a mixture of spices

Front side garden

 The palm tree at the side garden is bearing fruits.  This tree is the reason why Penang was called "Pulau Pinang' to mean island of Pinang trees.  The scientific name of this tree is Areca catechu.  Many civilisation in the world are familiar with this fruit especially Indian and the Malay world civilisation.  It is habitual among Indians and Malays to consume the areca nut by chewing it with other ingredients mainly the Betel leaves (Piper betel), lime or 'Kapur' (Malay) and a mixture of spices ( e.g. ketumbar, jintan manis/ jintan hitam, akar 'tahi angin' (Radix usnea), etc.).  In the top picture, I have arranged the ingredients for the culture of eating the areca nuts with other combinations which custom is called "makan sirih" in Malay.  No makan sirih is complete without the Betel leaves, lime and spices.  In fact because of this cultural practice many have mistakenly called the Pinang tree as the 'Betel nut' palm. Scientifically betel is a herbal plant  belonging the piperaceae family whereas the Pinang tree's botanic name is Areca catechu and therefore the Pinang fruit/nut should properly be called 'Areca nut'.

The areca nut cut in half.  The seed or nut need to be sliced or pounded for easier chewing.

The ingredients ready to be wrapped in the betel leaf for chewing.

On the way - the Back Courtyard

Chinese lantern plant

I'll be in Kuching for the whole month of October. While busy studying and preparing for my series of tutorials next weekend, assignments that follow and an exam slotted at the end of the month, I'll continue to pick up on my back courtyard gardening. The side garden is more or less completed by now, though more continuing experiments, additions and subtractions are a pleasant activity to further improve it. The yellow bells flowers (Tecoma stans)(see inset) mark the entrance to the back courtyard. My idea of the back courtyard according to my "Laman Kambatik "or the Malaysian Garden concept is basically that of an edible garden. In Malay there is at present no name for 'edible landscaping'. Thus I have coined a term to describe it. I call it "Sara Landskap" in Malay. Truly, I'm the only one soul to use this term in Malaysia at present. Whether it will be used commonly in future is yet to be seen. If it ever does, then the word originate from me. Will it be taken up by DBP? I wonder.

(Note:  This is a re-posting.  For full story and images,please follow this link...>>>>http://myussop.blogspot.my/2009/10/on-way-back-courtyard.html )

Morning breakfast of fruits from the garden

Selection of fruits from the garden for breakfast

Ripe Ciku fruit on a branch - Manilkara zapota

( Note:  This is a re-posting.  For full story and images, please follow this link...>>>http://mygardeningprojects.blogspot.my/search/label/Ciku )

Belimbing fruits are starring

The Belimbing fruits are giving us the best surprise.  There were many ripe ones to be juiced or blended.  However, we prefer to eat them raw, freshly plucked from the garden.  The Kedondong tree is also bearing some fruits but not as plenty as the starfruit tree.  The Pinang palm (Areca catechu) is bearing its first batch of fruits.  This tree was brought over from Bintulu.  There were many flowers that paraded themselves in the garden and a few were brought in to the house for a simple floral arrangement.Ripe starfruit a plenty

( Note: This is a re-posting from my gardening blog.  For full story and images please follow this link ...>>>>http://mygardeningprojects.blogspot.my/2014/08/the-belimbing-fruits-are-starring.html )

The Mango tree is fully harvested

At the side garden, the mango tree that bears hundreds of fruits are ready to be harvested.  I stripped the whole tree of fruits using a pole and a ladder.  I would bring most of them to Bintulu to be shared with family members and friends there.  Friends and relatives in Kuching have been given the fruits today.   It is the joy of sharing the mangoes that makes today meaningful and gratifying.  It is one of those moments in life when giving is done freely and heartily.

( Note: This is a re-posting.  For full story and images, please follow this link...>>>http://mygardeningprojects.blogspot.my/2014/06/the-mango-tree-is-fully-harvested.html )

A delicious looking tree

View of side garden, looking south west
The Mango tree bearing lots of ripening fruits

Fruits is the main topic on this 48th trip to Kuching.  The Mango tree is full of ripening fruits, bringing much joy and hearty conversation.  It's a gardeners's well-paid labour in kind.  In the Kambatik garden fruit trees are an integral part of the edible landscaping or 'Sara lanskap' in Malay.  There are more fruits to be harvested and they will appear in the next few posts.

( Note: This is a re-posting.  For full story and images, please follow this link ....>>>http://mygardeningprojects.blogspot.my/2014/06/a-delicious-looking-tree.html )