High demand for cendol palm coconut milk in Kluang

06 Nov 2022 11:24am

Image for illustrative purposes only - FILE PIX

KLUANG - Normally, coconut milk is the main ingredient used to make cendol, but a trader who has been based here, near Sungai Mengkibol, for the last six years has instead has been selling cendol made with coconut milk derived from palm oil.

Telekom Malaysia retiree, Yakob Halil, 66, said his dessert recipe has been well-received by the local community, allowing him to sell up to seven kilogrammes of cendol a day.

"All the ingredients to make this cendol are prepared by me and my family except for the palm coconut milk, which I get from a supplier at Kluang Public Market," he told Bernama today.

Yakob said cendol served with palm coconut milk is indeed tastier and does not have a tangy taste like the usual coconut milk

"Palm coconut milk can last longer and does not go stale quickly, while in terms of price, it is cheaper than coconut milk," said the father of seven.

Besides cendol, Yakob also sells Penang laksa, fried tempeh tofu, and rojak petis (fruit and vegetable salad with a tinge of spiciness) from 10.30am to 6pm daily except on Fridays.

According to Yakob, the use of palm coconut milk is not to stop being overly dependent on coconut milk, which has existed for years but to give more option for his customers.

"Various other foods can be prepared using palm coconut milk, including nasi lemak, dodol, rendang, and curry,” he said.

Yakob's initiative is in line with the Malaysian Palm Oil Board's (MPOB) recommendation for consumers in the country to switch to palm coconut milk as an alternative to increase the use of palm commodities in the country. - BERNAMA