ABSTRACT
Fish and vegetables, and on rare and ceremonial occasions meat and eggs, are only the relishes to a Malay peasant meal. Rice is evedently liked for its own sake, and those with a higher standard of living, enabling them to buy these things, do not do so except as an occasional extra. It is significant that where Malay Government officials adopt European standards of dress and houses, they maintain their own food habits. A chentong is a measure for rice of half a coconut; four chentong equal a chupak; four chupak a gantang, or gallon, which is about eight pounds. An amusing example of material culture contact, the most common measure for a chentong was a European cigarette tin, such as is used for packing in the tropics. In addition to its magical and ceremonial uses, rice in particular and food in general is used as payment for labour. The bulk of the rice eaten is imported Siamese “polished” rice.
