This incident happened way back in October 2000 but I guess the same thing still occurs today. My family and I went to one of the shopping complexes found in Kota Bharu, Kelantan. Our favourites levels there will be (in random order) the households/toys level, the food courts (top most level) and the ground floor where the wet/dry items are.
On that particular day, I was with my only daughter (who was 13 then), in the fruit section. My daughter spotted coincidently with another girl (also with her mom), a heap of kiwi fruits next to a heap of red apples (for readers info., kiwis are rarely found and sold in East Coast, Peninsular Malaysia then). Both girl simultaneously and excitedly called out, " Mama, buah kiwi. Kita beli nak?" (Mama, look kiwis. Lets buy some). Whilst my daughter and I began choosing the kiwis, the girl's mother replied sternly, " Bukan makanan kita!"(Not our local fruit) and at the same time starts choosing few apples and putting them in the plastic bag. I can see the disappointment on the girl's face while she envied us, and her mother giving us her `jelingan maut' (killer looks). I'd wanted to say," Aren't apples not local fruits too?", but decided its best to keep quiet although I pity the girl.
To my daughter, I told her that we bought the kiwis that day for 3 reasons;
1. To fulfill her curiosity as I always believe it's good to try new things as long as it didn't goes against our religion and not harmful.
2. We can afford it since it was sold at 50 cents each. We bought 4 that day.
3. Educational purpose, now she knows that kiwi is the national fruit of New Zealand and is rich in vitamin C and fibre.
Well, the kiwis we bought that day were a bit sour. So, instead of wasting them, I improvise ( as usual) and made us kiwi's pudding. We gave some to our neighbours and suprise!suprise!, they asked for the recipe the next day. (p.s. actually the recipe called for tinned fruits coctail but I replaced them with slices/chopped kiwis instead). They also want to know whats the fruit called and where to buy that funny, green yet beautiful fruit in the pudding.
