Old as the Greater Galangal

Tua Seperti Lengkuas

I hate to cut fresh galangal roots. They are forever so hard, takes up all my might. They are my main excuse for not cooking rendang and asam.

Vegetables sold in Kota Kinabalu are often old. My honourable mother fries only sawi every day of her life. She always says to me: " The sawi today is as old as your mother." Meaning, the sawi is so hard you have to chew until the jaws hurt. But our friend lengkuas whether "young" or "old", is forever hard. So literally I can agree with the Bahasa Malaysia simile "tua seperti lengkuas."

There are also folks who say :" Tua-tua keladi makin menjadi, tua-tua lengkuas makin buas" implying licentious old men. I really wonder how to explain to kids about the existence of this simile in their school books.

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