For older residents in Kampung Gintong, Pahang, the annual rice-harvest tradition is seen as a time for communal cooperation and strengthening of social bonds.
62-year-old Hariani Zakaria tossing rice as she practises a long-standing tradition passed down through generations in Kampung Gintong. (Bernama pic)
JERANTUT: The rhythmic clanking of pestles hitting wooden mortars greeted this writer’s arrival in Kampung Gintong, enhancing the festive atmosphere filled with chatter from villagers and visitors alike.
The villagers were “mengemping padi” (flaking rice) – a long-standing tradition passed down through generations, carried out every harvest season. “Emping padi” is a type of traditional snack made from young or semi-mature rice grains and typically served as an afternoon treat.
For the residents of Kampung Gintong, located about 21k from the town of Jerantut, the mengemping tradition is much anticipated, especially among the older generation. It is a time for communal cooperation and the strengthening of social bonds as they produce this delicacy.
Side activities are also held to attract the younger crowd and children, such as fishing competitions in irrigation canals, traditional games, and mud play in the paddy fields.
When harvest season arrives between May and July, housewife Hariani Zakaria continues the tradition of making emping using rice harvested from about 200ha of paddy fields, which provide the village’s main source of income.
The 62-year-old said the flaking activity is carried out communally by villagers after the harvest, especially in the presence of visitors.
Explaining the process of making emping, she said freshly harvested rice is soaked for one to two days, with the water changed daily. The rice is then stirred in a hot wok until it pops and dries completely, before being transferred to a mortar for pounding.
Next, a special foot-operated mortar (“lesung indik” or “lesung kaki”) is used – the only part of the process led by men, who stomp on the device in unison to flatten the rice into emping.
Kampung Gintong’s location beside the Pahang River makes it perfect for agricultural activities. (Bernama pic)
“Meanwhile, I use a split bamboo spatula, or ‘pencuas’, to stir the rice. The pencuas user must be skilled to match the rhythm of the stomping, until the rice becomes flat and the grains separate from the husks,” Hariani said.
The emping is then placed into a tray and sifted to remove the husks. Once this is done, the treat is ready to be served.
“I usually make two versions – one mixed with coconut milk syrup cooked with palm sugar, and a dry version mixed with freshly grated young coconut and sugar,” Hariani added.
“This cooking and eating tradition might seem foreign to today’s youth, but once they try emping, it tastes just like oat cereal.”
Meanwhile, Kampung Gintong village development and security committee chairman Shahrulwizam Harun noted that the mengemping event attracts visitors from near and far, and hopes it can be developed further as an ecotourism product.
“This activity not only promotes an ancestral tradition to tourists – it also allows them to experience village life and community spirit,” he said.
He highlighted that Kampung Gintong’s location beside the Pahang River is strategic for agriculture, particularly rice farming, with ample water supply channelled from the river via a dedicated pumphouse managed by the irrigation and drainage department.
“It is constantly monitored by the department to ensure adequate and clean water supply for our paddy fields, farming, and catfish aquaculture, especially during droughts,” he said.
