Malaysia Vegetables M/S FDC

Malaysia Minisheet FDC
Name: Rare Vegetables
Issue date: 2007 November 26th

A wide rage of rare vegetables species can be found in Malaysia. It has been estimated that about 120 species of rare vegetables or ulam that are being planted in the home gardens or still growing wild. Some of the rare vegetables are known as ulam based on the way it is being consumed such as pegaga, ulam raja or beluntas.

Rare vegetables are categorized as ulam when the fresh orboiled shoots or young fruits are eaten with sambal or budu. Ulam is the favourite appetizer in Malay cuisine. Other rare vegetables are fried or cooked with coconut milk, or made into rojak or other dishes.

Design: (from left to right)
RM1: Petola bantal (Luffa aegyptiaca)
Petola bantal is also commonly known as smooth petola due to the surface of the fruit which is smooth and slightly waxy. The plant is a climber using its tendrils. The fruit is cylindrical in shape, light green with 9-10 dark green lines along the length of the fruit. The flowers are bright yellow and the whole plant is covered with fine hair. Young fruits are normally cooked as vegetables. However, fibres from the matured fruits are used as a sponge for cleaning cooking utensils or as a loofah.

RM1: Winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus)
Winged bean is also know as kacang kelisa. The plant is type of vine growing with a climbing twining stem. Leaves are trifoliate with three leaflets. Flowers are beautiful with bluish purple in colour. Clusters consist of 2-10 flowers. Winged bean is easily recognized because it has a unique bean pod. The bean pod is about 15-22cm long, four-angled with frilly edges running lengthwise. The surface is waxy and the flesh of the young pod is partially translucent. The bean pod has a high nutritional content. Protein content is also high about 29% to 39%.

RM1: Turi (Sesbania grandiflora)
Turi or geti is a perennial plant reaching a height of 4m tall. Leaves are pinnately compound with leaflets in opposite arrangement. Flowers are white or red in colour, drooping from the flower stalk. The boiled shoot is eaten as ulam while the young leaves can be cooked with coconut milk. Petals of young flower buds can also be eaten as ulam or cooked as vegetables. In addition to that, the bark, leaf, root and flower of the plant also possess medicinal values.

RM1: Terung pipit (Solanum torvum)
Terung pipit is also known as terung rembang. The plant is weedy and can easily be found at grass fields, bushes or along roadsides. The plant is a shrub reaching a height of 1-2m tall. The leaf is large, oval in shape with triangular-lobed margin. The whole plant is covered with sharp thorns such as on the stem, leaf stalks and inflorescence axis. Flowers are white in colour and arranged in a cluster. The fruits are similar to berries, round, small in size and are borne in a short bunch. The young fruits are usually eaten as ulam either fresh or boiled. It can also be fried or cooked in dishes. The fruits are believed to reduce high blood pressure.

2007 Malaysia Rare Vegetables FDC
2007 Malaysia Rare Vegetables Minisheet FDC