Diary 18: Petai

27 Jan 2010. Other the durian, my other favorite forest fruit is petai (Parkia speciosa). Again, the petai trees are normally planted by the Orang Asli (aborigines) living in the forest areas in Peninsular Malaysia.

In the past, petai is food of the Malays and the aborigines. Since the last two decades, the fruits are highly demanded by the Chinese and Indians. The fruits do not taste nice but they are perceived to have medicinal value. Friends are telling me that the fruits help to control high blood pressure and reduce diabetes.

The fruits are mere health food for me. Just like the hill durians, they are considered organically grown.

Normally, I buy 100 pieces of petai from the harvesters or sellers in the rural areas. That meets my family need for about 2 weeks. Buying petai from rural areas provides additional income to the low-income rural folks.