Botok-botok

Aha! Don't get me wrong, it is not about Botox, it is about food.  A traditional dish which is best served with hot white rice and with all its blended spices, layers and layers of leaves (herbal) and a chunk of fleshy fish (ikan tenggiri) it is a complete meal.  Remembering one of my late grannies (Tok Teh) who used to make Botok-botok whenever she came to my house in KL all the way from Batu Pahat; at times she would bring with her the leaves (mind you....the leaves had to be imported from Batu Pahat), perhaps some of the leaves could not easily be found here in KL.  Being a kid (I was about 8, 9 or 10 years old), I would sit near her watching her (with patience)... cleaning, wiping, sorting, and arranging each piece of leaf as her early preparation into making this special dish.  The cleansing of the leaf is accompanied with selawat under running tap water.   Some of the leaves need to be sliced thinly before mixing it with coconut milk and dessicated coconut.  Somehow, the secret recipe was not revealed....

However, one day I was browsing through a recipe book and I found its recipe.  The problem here is always to find all the leaves as stated in the recipe.  I tried looking for them at Pasar Tani, Pasar Malam, Pasar Chow Kit and even Pasar Borong, they were still incomplete...no wonder Tok Teh had to bring the leaves from Batu Pahat.  Nevertheless that did not deter my spirit into trying this exotic dish with all the resources available. 

Now, Botok-botok is one of my signature dishes, just like my late Tok Teh...the recipe is my trade secret...hahahaha. I will make Botok-botok an exclusive dish for making it is rather tedious.   During fasting month, I had tried selling them to my office colleagues and even placing Botok-botok at a Ramadhan Bazaar; they were sold off in an instant.  As I said, the process is tedious, and the supply of raw ingredients is rather limited, therefore I could only make it once a while.  

Have you tried one?  Well, any family member or friend craving for Botok-botok, do let me know, OK?:)

P.S. : Tok Teh is a lady, Johoreans called their grandmas Tok.  My Tok Teh originated from Terengganu, related to us through marriage, therefore I had been thinking whether her recipe came from Terengganu or Johor..? hmmmmm......