Other Foodstuffs #4

I recently embarked upon a mini-adventure. The coming of Chinese New Year begs for cooking delicacies and delights, some arguably more delightful than others. Yesterday, I was fortunate enough to witness an intriguing albeit not-so-delightful treat*.

*This is a treat to some, but not to me.

Fig 1: Many seeds are laid out for classification. Some are young, and their innards are brown. The old ones are black - they take months to ripen.

The nature of this Peranakan dish is to have the filling stuffed into the shell after the original seed filling has been cooked alongside various delicious condiments. In order to retrieve said filling and then replace it, each seed is required to be carefully hacked into.

If seeds are of inferior shape or size, they are merely pounded for their filling.

 

Fig 2: A pestel and mortar set does some of the work.

Fig 3: While waiting for their brutal examination, they pile up, motionless.

Fig 4: My mother's hands display an okay seed.

Some seeds are not completely waterproof. They tend to leak a little, but this does not mean anything with regard to their quality or type.

Fig 5: A frightened seed cries.

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