Solanum nigrum var. patch
Local name: Pucuk Meranti, Taok Merantik (Temuan)
Considered to be one of the many Old World species in the Morelloid clade of Solanum, it is known to be a source of food since the early times of humankind. It is also naturally very bitter in taste and needs to be cleaned and blanched or thoroughly boiled the right way for consumption. The leaves are collected by the Temuan women and they prefer to pair the blanched vegetable with anchovies or dried shrimps upon frying for added flavour. Due to its’ rugged nature, it thrives on fresh swiddens, cleared plots of land and grow wildly on its own.
There is little to no demand for this plant elsewhere, hence making it hard to come across in local wet markets — leaving them abundantly available as one of the sources of Indigenous food.
Elettariopsis curtisii
Local names: Daun Semomok (Temuan), Daun pepijat, Daun kesang, Kemumuk
Long before onions and other relishes were exported into the country, the Orang Asli relied solely on plants such as Daun Semomok to season their food. The distinct odour of the leaves is very much similar to the smell of bugs, hence the name pepijat. It serves to reduce the strong smell of fish and meat in dishes. Eventhough it would easily repel some, but once the leaves are cooked, they would release a strong scintillating aroma.
Daun Semomok belongs in the Ginger family and it is known as a wild plant which survival depends on the forest, given the right amount of humidity and shade. It thrives on the dark forest floor of healthy ecosystems, sheltered by tree canopies. Taking the appearance almost similar to that of the Daun Kunyit (Curcuma longa), one way to distinguish between the two is through the smell and their significantly different flowers.