Ulam (salad)

Ulam
Raw vegetables for ulam.
TypeSalad
Associated cuisineIndonesia, Malaysia and Singapore
Created byMalays
Main ingredientsvegetables
Similar dishesLalab, Ngapi yay, Nam phrik
  •  Wikimedia Commons logo Media: Ulam (salad)

Ulam is a traditional salad produced from the fresh leaves, vegetables or fruits which can be eaten raw or after soaked in hot water e.g. Centella asiatica. It is typically eaten with sauces such as anchovies, cincalok or sambal. It is recognised as a popular vegetable dish in traditional villages.[1][2]

Ulam can be eaten simply as it is such as cucumber, cabbage and longbean. Another type of ulam is traditional ulam, in which it is used more as an ingredient, such as in nasi ulam (ulam rice),[3] nasi kerabu (a type of bluish-coloured rice) and cooking with other vegetables. It also has its uses in Ayurvedic and traditional medicine, such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

Etymology and definition

The word ulam originates from the Malay language. It is derived from Proto-Malayic *hulam, which traces back to the Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *qulam, historically meaning "side dish." In modern usage, it refers to a raw vegetable dish traditionally eaten with boiled rice.

The term encompasses various edible plant parts, including shoots (pucuk), leaves (daun), stems (batang), pods or seeds (biji), fruits (buah), tubers (ubi), and flowers (bunga). While it is traditionally a staple of rural Malay communities, it has become increasingly popular in urban areas. To enhance the flavor of the raw or blanched (celur) vegetables, they are typically paired with traditional dipping sauces (cecahan) such as sambal belacan, budu, or cencaluk, and served alongside rice and other main dishes.

Health benefits

Because ulam is largely consumed raw or only briefly blanched, its essential heat-sensitive nutrients—including fiber, vitamins, and minerals like calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), iron (Fe), sodium (Na), and potassium (K)—remain intact. For example, wild betel leaf (daun kaduk) contains particularly high levels of calcium and iron compared to other local greens.[4]

In traditional Malay medicine, various types of ulam are consumed for targeted health benefits:

  • Pegaga (Centella asiatica): Recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) for its potential to support cognitive function, improve blood circulation, and maintain skin health.[5]
  • Jering (Archidendron jiringa): Contains specific alkaloid compounds that act as a natural diuretic and have traditionally been used to help manage blood sugar levels in diabetes.
  • Daun Kaduk (Piper sarmentosum): Rich in calcium, traditionally consumed to help strengthen bone density.[4]

Classification and types

More than 120 plant species across various families are consumed as ulam in Malaysia, ranging from small annual herbs to massive perennial rainforest trees like petai and kerdas. They are generally classified into four main categories based on market availability and origin:

  • Popular ulam: Highly accessible, frequently cultivated, or found growing wild in both urban and rural areas (e.g., ulam raja, pegaga, and bitter melon).
  • Less popular ulam: Rarely found in commercial supermarkets but occasionally available at local weekly agricultural markets (pasar tani). These are often foraged or harvested from backyard trees (e.g., cashew shoots/pucuk gajus, and mango shoots).
  • Traditional ulam: Indigenous species that have been historically consumed by native populations for generations, typically growing in kampung settings or forests (e.g., jering and petai).
  • Non-traditional ulam: Introduced or cultivated agricultural crops that are simply eaten raw as a side dish rather than cooked (e.g., cucumber, cabbage, and long beans).

Categories by plant structure

Based on traditional agricultural classifications, ulam can be grouped by the physical structure of the source plant:[6]

Plant Type Common Examples
Trees Cashew shoots (pucuk gajus), jering, kerdas, petai, Neem leaves, and star gooseberry (cermai).
Small Trees & Shrubs Papaya leaves (pucuk betik), Moringa, noni leaves (mengkudu), curry leaves, and banana heart (jantung pisang).
Palms & Bamboos Bamboo shoots (rebung buluh madu), and the edible pith (umbut) of coconut or bayas palms.
Herbs & Leafy Vegetables Ulam raja, pegaga, sweet leaf (cekur manis), water dropwort (selom), wild betel (kaduk), laksa leaf (kesum), and Ginger rhizomes.
Creepers & Vines Winged bean (kacang botor), long beans, ivy gourd, cucumber, and bitter melon (peria katak).

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Masakan Melayu Riau Khas Pekanbaru" (in Indonesian). 2009. Retrieved September 15, 2020.
  2. ↑ "3 Rekomendasi Resep Masakan Khas Riau untuk Menu Spesial Akhir Pekan" (in Indonesian). 2018. Retrieved September 15, 2020.
  3. ↑ "Nasi ulam". Retrieved 2009-05-07.
  4. 1 2 "Kaduk ulam berkhasiat", Utusan Malaysia, 12 August 2001.
  5. ↑ "Growing our herbal industry", The Star Online, 5 December 2011.
  6. ↑ Siti Fauziah, Y. (2012) Ulaman di Sekeliling Anda. Batu Caves: Ar-Risalah product. ISBN 978-967-0268-06-4

Further reading

  • Wan Hassan, W.E. and M. Mahmood.(2010) Ulam: Salad Herbs of Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur: MASBE.
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