Kuih Jongkong - A Mandailing dessert

Jongkong.

My favourite dessert that is synonym to the Mandailing ethnicity.

Background

The word 'Mandailing' is derived from the word ‘mande’ which means 'mother' and hilang; 'lost' hence, the name Mandailing is associated or meant - ‘lost mother’. I learnt that ethnically Mandailingnese are actually part of the Batak people, where the Bataks are mostly Christians, whereas the majority of the Mandailingnese are Muslims.

The Mandailingneses are known as the great travelers hence the migration of the Mandailingnese to Tanah Melayu (now known as Malaysia) in 1803 and 1845 was during the Padri War came as no surprise. Later in 1860s the overlord of the Mandailings was entangled in the local Klang War (Selangor War) which led them to fled to Perak; Belanja and Tronoh, while some decided to stay in Hulu Langat area.

Ingredients

Rice flour

Cups water

Pandan leaves

Pandan colouring a extracted from pandan leaf

Coconut milk

Caramelise palm sugar (gula Melaka)

Salt to taste

Parched banana leaves

Mix rice flour, water pandan extract, pinch of salt and pandan colouring into a bowl and whisk it. Gently the stir/cook it over low heat and until the mix thickens.

Fold leaf to one side forming a pouch, put floor mix.

Add + coconut milk + Caramelise palm sugar (gula Melaka).

Seal pouch and secure with a toothpick.

Steam for approximately 10 minutes.

Final and ready dessert.

This dessert is best eaten cold in my opinion, especially in Ramadhan. 

Yum Yum...

Will Travel For Food 8 - Eat Travel Write Selangor 2019 Media Fam Trip is in collaboration with Unit Perancang Ekonomi Negeri (UPEN) Selangor and all its sponsors with #GayaTravel Magazine as media coordinator.