Dr Rachel Thomas, lecturer at the School of Hospitality and Service Management presented her latest research on the Orang Asli’s cooking methods and food preparation. The Orang Asli, the indigenous people of Peninsula Malaysia, still hold very firmly to traditional food production methods, in terms of land cultivation, food preparation and daily lifestyle.

The research mentioned that there are several cooking techniques and eating habits that the modern-day society could replicate given its health benefits. One of the prevalent cooking techniques of the Orang Asli is the light-boiling of food. The action of lightly boiling food can remove toxic substances and anti-nutrient compounds. Stir-frying methods are also generally preferred as it helps to retain essential vitamins and minerals required by the body.

In a study conducted by Chong et al., (2015) comparing the effects of ethnicity and socioeconomic status on gut microbiota profiles, it was observed that pre-adolescent Orang Asli possessed richer microbial diversity compared to the urbanised Malay and Chinese population. It is worth noting that the oral microbial composition and functional profiles between the Orang Asli sub-groups differed depending on the location and gender according to Yeo et al. (2019). The ones that are still actively practising hunter-gatherer lifestyles have a more diversified diet, hence greater microbiota variation. Extensive gender-specific variation in their gut microbial composition can be observed, likely due to food taboos, where women and children are restricted against the intake of certain foods e.g., game animals, jackfruit, coconut and Mahseer (a type of fish) while men are allowed to consume a wider variety of wild and game animals.

The research also suggested that one could look to the Orang Asli for examples of sustainable living. At times, food is prepared using bamboo for the purpose of reducing non-communicable diseases (NCD), especially for the elderly. It is also believed that cooking in bamboo could enhance the flavour of the food and improve its texture. The Orang Asli also utilises different firewood to achieve different food flavours. Apart from that, food waste is not a norm as extra food will be shared among households or given to children for consumption. It is noteworthy that the food storage concept has not been fully embraced by the Orang Asli community as there is a preference over fresh produce or meat to stored food. Since the livelihood of the Orang Asli revolves mostly around subsistence activities, livestock and vegetation that are hunted and foraged will be immediately prepared for consumption.

Because of the lifestyle of the Orang Asli community, dinners are consumed earlier in the day unlike city dwellers who have a tendency to consume dinners much later in the day.

In conclusion, the research mentioned that there has been a shift towards looking for new trends for sustainable eating and living habits while the ancestors to the land have had the answers all along – ones that safeguard the earth as well as improve one’s health and wellbeing.

Dr Rachel Thomas
School of Hospitality and Service Management
Email: [email protected]

This article was adapted from Sunway in the News, 11 November 2020.