By Iskandar Tajuddin | news@nst.com.my KUANTAN: Boiled “ubi kayu” (cassava) and other food made from the edible root are now considered as exotic delicacies by modern families. However, during the Japanese occupation and communist insurgency, cassava and “ubi gadung” have been the staple food for most of the people in the country, when rice and wheat flour were scarce. “Ubi gadung” is the root of a toxic plant scientifically known as “Dioscorea hispida”. To enable its pupils to experience how difficult life was during that period, Sekolah Kebangsaan Wira here prepared more than 50kg food made from cassava. While their grand or great granparents might have eaten boiled cassava and “ubi gadung” to survive in a hostile environment, more than 1,000 pupils at the school could sample the exotic delicacies in a peaceful situation at the school canteen in conjunction with the Merdeka celebrations today. School headmistress Nooraziza Sabarudin, 49, said this was the first time such a programme was organised, with its main aim to educate the pupils about history and the hardship faced by their forefathers. “I’m shocked when some of the students do not know what cassava is as they have never seen it before,” she said adding that some of them were initially hesitate to sample the food. “Hopefully, our efforts to introduce such food will allow our children to know what the older generation consumed during the trying time,” said Nooraziza who received strong support from her teachers to prepare various cassava-based food such as “tapai”, “ketuk, “lepat ubi” and “kerepek”. Apart from that, she said the teachers and students also had their drinks served in a bamboo containers during the programme. “The teachers also shared stories about the hardship and suffering during the colonial and insurgency periods,” she said. They also hoisted Jalur Gemilang and organised decorated bikes parade apart from singing patriotic songs in conjunction with the auspicious occasion. Ahmad Faiz Mohd Fauzi Syauqi, 9, said he had no problems to eat boiled cassava as he had tried it before. However, the Year Three pupil said many of his friends were not keen to try the food at first as they had never seen it before. “I encourage them to try it and most of them like its taste,especially when the boiled cassava was mixed with grated coconut and sugar,” said Faiz whose parents hailed from Johor Baru. Read more: Boiled ‘ubi kayu’ considered exotic delicacies – Latest – New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/latest/boiled-ubi-kayu-considered-exotic-delicacies-1.347990#ixzz2hlp4fpfB Link forwarded by Adeline Ooi on October 15th 2013