5&9 



known or clone in this direction by Europeans— at any rate on a 

 large scale. I was much struck by the many varieties served by 

 the Chinese of Malacca in their own houses to European guests, and 

 I very much wished to have some myself. With this object in view, 

 I engaged two Malay women to come in the mornings to teach me 

 to make some of these preserves. They did so willingly always 

 scrupulously clean and well-dressed. The old woman, HaWA, was 

 more talkative than the younger, HALIMA. The latter did her work 

 in the most serious manner possible with a cast iron expression of 

 countenance. She was a widow, and make money by her cooking. 

 She was distinctly good at her trade, very slow and to her neither 

 time or water had any value. One could not preserve during a water 

 famine. Thev liked to boil their fruit and sugar in a large round 

 brass pot, with two handles which they called a "gensing". Per- 

 sonally, I prefer a white enamelled saucepan. For many of the 

 preserves; it is almost necessary to see the native process in ordsr 

 to thoroughly understand the manipulation of the fruit. Hence it 

 is difficult to write recipes for European understanding. I give, 

 however, two this month as requested. 



The Chermela isxjuite simple and easily made, but the Blimbing 

 is far more complicated. I hope I have made the process plain in 

 my recipe. The Malay women spent endless time and water over 

 the washing and squeezing of this fruit, and it is quite a knack to 

 roll the fruit in salt without breaking the skin. They put green 

 colouring into some of their preserves — Limau kasturi forinstance — 

 and one has to keep a sharp look-out that they do not use the pan- 

 dan reed for this purpose. The smell of Musang-pandan is not an 

 agreeable adjunct to preserves. Chekop manis is, however, quite 

 harmless and can be safely used for this purpose. We made seven 

 different kinds of preservers: — Chermela, Blimbing. Limau Kasturi, 

 Nutmeg, Ginger, Pineapple and Soursop. With the exception of 

 the last named, all were very good, and have been much appreciated 

 by those who have tasted them. Soursop is not worth doing, the 

 fruit is picked unripe and it had such a heavy odour I could not 

 touch it. Perhaps, if crystallized, it could be eaten, but then it 

 would have no distinctive flavour of its own. Th* domestics did 

 not, however, share my opinion. Neither, do I think the local gin- 

 ger worth preserving. Chinese ginger is much nicer. I have also 

 seen and tasted five other preserves: — Limau keah, Chiku, Papaya, 

 Pomaloe Peel and Mangosteen. The first too were very indifferent 

 and I am told Limau keah makes better orange brandy, but I have 

 not seen it so used. The Chiku is preserved unripe and is very 

 difficult to do. What I tasted was gritty like Gregory's Powder, 

 and besides very bitter. The Papaya and Pomaloe are crystallized — 

 the Papaya has very little distinctive flavour of its own but is quite 

 eatable, and the Pomaloe Peel is very good, and also makes an 

 excellent substitute for Candied E-'eel. Mangosteen is very difficult 

 to do, but is much thought of. and is really delicious. The fruit, 

 being out of season, we could not make any of this excellent pre- 

 serve. In addition to these preserves, there are others which I 

 have not yet tasted or seen. Towkay NEO QnG HeE kindly 



