White roses for my beloved mother

Daun simpur

Bunga daun simpur

This is one of my favourite local flowers of tropical wild trees grown in my native country, Brunei. The tree grows wild, not cultivated, with large dark green broad, serregated leaves and round pinkish buds. The flowers are transparent yellow with delicate petals. The buds pinkish and sap green in colour and once opened revealing yellow flowers. The matured leaves are believed to have anti-bacterial substance that the locals used for wrapping tapai. Tapai is a sweetened fermented cooked rice. The process of fermenting rice is simple to do but to reach or to achieve a delicate and sweet fermented rice involves many factors. The main one is the quality of the yeast cake which helps to raise the rice, sufficient sugar and water to feed the yeast and the texture of the cooked rice.

The leaves can also be used for wrapping fish before cooking. In the old days, the leaves were used for wrapping prepared or cooked food such as fried rice or meat.