Lama tak mengomel di sini. Cuti sekolah ni akak nak berkongsi cerita tentang sotong.
Ketupat Sotong that is!
Last month I had a sudden craving for a local Kelantanese delicacy called Ketupat Sotong. A strange sweet dish made from glutinous rice stuffed into sotong [squids].
Went to the 'nearest-to-a-supermarket' in this quaint little town to get some squids. They only have the large ones. Ketupat sotong is best made with small sized ones. Large ones tend to be tough and chewy. I bought two anyway. Just got to get over the craving. I might die 'kempunan' [unfulfilled wish]. Hehehe!
I used only one squid. Washed it real good, making sure to take out the 'mandible'. Then I half filled it with cleaned and soaked glutinous rice, put in a pot, covered with thick coconut milk and sweetened with palm sugar. Half a teaspoon of fenugreek, julienned ginger and a crushed lemongrass wee used to take away the fishy smell from the squid. The pot was left to boil on slow fire until the coconut milk was reduced to about a quarter and turned clear.
It took some time to get the santan reduced. I forgot all about it until I smelled caramel [burnt sugar]. The sauce ended up slightly overcooked. The caramelised sugar gave it a slightly concentrated taste. The squid was too big and I probably have filled it a bit too much ... the middle part failed to cook properly. Chewing the two ends minus the middle part made a great exercise routine for sagging facial muscles ... 
The endeavour became a great conversation piece with friends and family. Really. The delicacy is becoming extinct. It is a weird kind of food. Squids in sweet sauce? However, it is not strange to me. I grew up savouring it as a special delicacy during my childhood in my small village. Japanese chefs on Iron Chef never have any problem coming up with such food on their menu ... Aiskrim Terung?
Over the weeks, the sotongs were forgotten. I spent last weekend in Kuantan with Robin Hood and Prince of Persia. On the way back, my mum called asking me to stop by her place.
The reason was ....
TA DAAAA
Ladies and gentlemen
Perfectly tender, juicy, lemak manis