Sago At Kuala Ibai?

How to get sago starch/flour in Kuala Ibai?

First is to find and identify the sago palm. You may find the trees not so far away from TER.

Now, we have to ask whether the owner would allow us to watch how he get the sago from the tree.

If we are lucky, we will have an opportunity to watch the owner do the process alone. He will choose and fell the sago palm just before flowering because the stems are richest in starch at that time.

Then, he will split the trunk lengthwise. The pith is removed and placed on the canvas. He will crush the pith and kneads it to release the starch.

Then he will bring the pith to a special place where the pith is washed and strained to extract the starch from the pith or the fibrous residue.

Finally, the raw starch suspension can be collected in a settling container at the end of the process. He will dry it under the heat of the sun before packaging the same. Now you can make your keropok ikan or fish craker with brand new hand made sago starch.

Amazingly, just one person did the whole process starting from felling the sago palm, split the trunk lengthwise, remove the pith and crush and knead it, wash the pith and strain it, and finally get the starch in the settling container. He did it alone.

That's the art of Kuala Ibai....kampung ku.