It is a traditional food made of a special rice called "ketan" (Malay "pulut"). To make "tape" people should cook the rice half-baked firstly with water and mix them with certain ingredients. Then the cooked rice should be put for fermentation . (It is the fermentation that generates a little bit alcohol which leads to long controversies among the people, as to whether the "tape" is unlawful for being similar to liquor for its alcohol contain.
"Uli" on the oter hand is the same rice but fully cooked. Then after that they are mashed using stick from wood so it will be ready when already soft (also sticky). People usually eat "tape" with "uli" especially in certain festivities such as Idul Fitri. They are popular among the Malay communities. Nowadays the food is also introduced in certain function/parties like wedding ceremonies and considered as a dessert/cake for its sweet taste.
*****
It was 4 years ago when I was unintendedly given a set of such food from a wedding ceremoy in my vilage. Since none of my kids like the cake (coba bawain pizza, pasti berebut deh...dasar...), I bring them to the office to give to someone who might like it. It was Ibu Shita, the then secretary of Head of Bureau, to whom I present the cake with a doubt that she might not like the cake. Contrary to my expectation, the lady likes the tape-uli so much that she ordered me to find out another one. I said, it is a special occasion cake, so it is not easy to find in daily life.
It was the time almost one month to my 41st birthday (whew..udah tua ni booo) -thanks to Ibu Shita for asking me to find the cake. It was also almost coincident that one of my cousin is considered "expert" in making the cake in our village and always asked to participate in preparation for wedding day by many people. So instead of buying tart cake for my birthday, I better ask her to make the tape-uli to be distributed among my office-mates. But what a sorry is that the lady, Bu Mameh, passed away about 3 months ago after almost 4 birthdays she prepared the cake.
*****
And the tradition continues.... Last week when I was in Banda Aceh for socialization program, I was reminded by ummi whether I would order tape-uli for my birthday cake. OMG, I even didn't remember my own birthday. But who will prepare for me while Bu Mameh already gone? It is also another coincident that ummi's elder-sister (my sister in law) is also known as connossieur in their surroundings. So we asked her to cook the cake for us. We were lucy because there is no order for her to cook something else by her village people, no function held i which she should also participate. So here we are, on my 46th birthday (yesterday, 18th December 2011), after a syukuran gathering with orphans in my Islamic education foundation, I accelerate my car to my in-law house to bring them to you. I hope the taste is not so much different since the cake maker is different hand, not Bu Mameh any longer.
*****
Friends, thanks for greeting and du'as
there is no other intention from me, for presenting the tape-uli for you, except expecting from you a prayer, that my (also my family's)following days will be more beneficial for ummah and the mankind. And special du'a for Ibu Mameh, my cousin who -irreplacably- had been already loyal to my family tradition in making tasty traditional cake.
@ Pebayuran
18th December 2011
No comments:
Post a Comment