KUALA KRAI: Those who have been to Kampung Pemberian, here, may realise that the locals there, especially the elderly, speak with a unique dialect that is not a Kelantan accent.
A resident there, Hashim Hassan, 75, said the first generation of villagers in the village, who are from Kuala Sat, Ulu Tembeling, in Pahang, still conversed in the Ulu Tembeling dialect.
Hence, he said, it is not strange to hear villagers using words like “owng” which means “you” and “kamboi” (close) which are unfamiliar to the Kelantan-born and breed residents.
“Owng come here, kamboi the door? means you come here, (did you) close the door or not?” he said when interviewed by Bernama, recently.
According to Hashim, fondly known as ‘Pakda’, besides speaking in the Ulu Tembilang dialect, the local popular dish in the community is the traditional Pahang dish called “asam rong goulash”.
He said that the dish is made of Borneo nut which is properly processed.
“The Borneo nuts, if not processed properly, can be poisonous, but if done correctly, they can be stored for three to four years,“ he added.
A villager, Zaini Mat Husin, 67, who is known for her “gulai asam rong”, said the Borneo nuts are used in the preparation of the fish dish, normally using river catfish known as kenerak or baung.
“Since the Borneo nut is seasonal, we will normally keep it in paste form known as ‘rom”. It is done by first drying the nuts. When the nuts are dry, the skin is removed and the seeds are dried again.
“The dried seeds are then pounded until oil comes out and stored as paste,” she added.–Bernama
