Devil's Fig, a.k.a Turkey Berry, Wild Eggplant, Prickly Nightshade, Pea Eggplant and locally known as Terung Tipit (literally translated as sparow's brinjal/eggplant), Terung Belanda or Terung Rembang. Scientific name is Solanum torvum Swartz
terung pipit (devil's fig)
This shrub is found widely in the Tropics including Malaysia. It grows in abandoned lands, in kampungs (villages), wastelands, by the roadsides and open forests. The shrub is about 2 or 3 m high. The stems have spikes, so you have to be careful when you pick the fruits. The fruits are berries that grow in clusters of tiny green spheres about 1cm in diameter resembling green peas. Locally we cook the fruits as ulam (salad) by scalding first, then eaten with sambal belacan (hot chili padi with prawn paste) or fried with ikan bilis (dried anchovies) with blended dried chilies...hot but delicious! But in Negeri Sembilan their trademark recipe is gulai lemak cili api ikan keli, a concoction of coconut milk, chilies and catfish or any freshwater fish.
The flowers are white and tubular and will shed soon after its open
This is the plant of Terung Pipit taken at my son's MIL in Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan when I went there for a visit. I saw a lot of seedlings near the surrounding area, probably the fruits are eaten by birds and the seeds are spread out by their droppings. Its a hardy plant and will grow on its own like weeds.
This is the plant of Terung Pipit taken at my son's MIL in Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan when I went there for a visit. I saw a lot of seedlings near the surrounding area, probably the fruits are eaten by birds and the seeds are spread out by their droppings. Its a hardy plant and will grow on its own like weeds.
The fruits have many medicinal values. Its taken as appetite enhancer and to lower hypertension. The leaves is believed to be capable of curing headaches, rheumatism, cholera, diarrhoea and to bring down high fever. The roots are pounded to use in poulticing cracked heels.
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17 comments:
You made me hungry and think more about the food than the plant. LOL!
-- Bom @ www.plantchaser.com
Really? I must take some in order to release the pressure from work.
I have seen this being sold in the market, but have not tried them before. Will give them a try soon!
Funny I think i have seen this as weed back at my country. I never knew the name tho.
You named all my favourite dishes as father is orang negeri. Air liur meleleh...
I hope the sambal belacan can be found in Japan. I want to try it!
Bom...you can try it since some of our dishes are very similar in taste.
Rainfield..why not try it to prove it works!
kitchen flavours...try the sambal tumis ikan bilis with terung pipit, make it a bit dry and taken with hot steaming rice...hmmmm simply delicious!
fer...its a weed actually cos it just grows every where esp in wasteland, by the roadsides but the fruits are sold in our markets!
Malay-Kadazan girl...really? then you are familiar with the dish masak lomak cili api ikan keli + terung pipit + belimbing , I got to taste it for the first time when I went to visit my besan last wk...its sooo sodap! :)
takaeko...its easy to make sambal belacan if you can find belacan in yr supermarket! You just pound fresh red chilies, belacan, a bit of salt, sugar n lime juice...smoke will be coming out of yr ears cos its super hot! hehe..
It's known as "sundakai" in tamil!
The fruits are full of nutrition!
Salam,
This terung belanda nice to eat with 'sambal tumis' ikan bilis/prawn...eat with nasi lemak...Wow very deicious! Watering my mouth.
If come to northern state we call this terung belanda...if terung pipit, when it matured become yellow or the scientific name is 'solanum elaeagnifolium'...too bitter, if you bite after that you cannot taste anything for few moment. Usually they used for traditional medicine....i cannot remember but already tried before.
Hi Malar...do you have any favourite Indian recipe for Sundakai?
Orchid de dangau, yes I love that sambal tumis dish too n of cos hot steaming nasi lemak! Mak Mentua lalu pun tak perasan kan :) If you cant feel anything after you eat the yellow ones, then it must be for tooth ache cos it numbs your senses...
Oh dear, I have never seen or heard of this one. I am learning something today!
Really Autumn Belle? Maybe you cant find it in the supermarket, but the wet market or pasar tani, try the sayur kampung stall...
Thanks for stopping by my own blog! I enjoy seeing what grows in other parts of the world. I look forward to learning more about your garden.
I like the purple flowers more but those thorns do look very intimidating, they even have thorns on the underside of the leaves!
debsgarden..you are welcome n thanks for dropping by too!
James, yes you have to be carefull when you pick them. Actually I prefer the taste of the usual eggplant - purple, green or white ones for curry and dalcha but terung pipit I will only have it with sambal tumis.
Thanks for the info.
Cher
Goldenray Yorkies
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