BINTULU: Sarawak should be able to become a major producer of halal food once Tanjung Manis Halal Hub is fully operational in the next five years, said Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud.
And the state must adopt modern agriculture practices to achieve that.
Taib noted that the state had the ingredients to become a major halal food producer if it put greater emphasis on agriculture as one of 10 sectors to be implemented under the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE).
The chief minister revealed that in 2009, the halal food market was worth an estimated US$600 billion and would reach US$1 trillion in the next three years.
"Through modern agriculture, Sarawak can become a major halal food producer once Tanjung Manis Halal hub is fully operational in the next five years," Taib said at the State Farmers', Breeders' and Fishermen's Day at Bintulu Old Airport here yesterday.
He revealed that some 70,000 hectares of land in Tanjung Manis had been set aside for the halal hub, where some 40,000 hectares were allocated to farmers under the first phase.
"The first phase will benefit farmers with contract farming to ensure their products have ready markets," he said.
Taib who is also Minister of Planning and Resource Management revealed that his deputy, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu, who is also minister of modernisation of agriculture would be tasked to duplicate the halal hub model in other districts to increase the income of rural farmers.
"He (Jabu) is to lead the state forward to embrace modern agriculture," he said.
Taib assured non-Muslims that the government's emphasis on halal food production was not meant to Islamise them as even Nestle, a non-Muslim major global food producer based in Switzerland, has gone into halal food production.
Sarawak's livestock has been known to be free from the dreaded foot and mouth disease.
"Our farmers must expand their knowledge and adopt modern agriculture to raise their income. Modernisation of agriculture means we have to adopt biotechnology to ensure our food is safe for consumption and for export," he said.
Taib urged youths to be involved in agriculture as it is a lucrative endeavour.
The cottage industry must continue to be developed as it would be a major contributor to the economy.
"We must be willing to learn modern techniques of packaging and marketing," he added.
The chief minister announced that from next year two special prizes would be awarded for food processing and entrepreneurship.
Courtesy by: Borneo Post Online
Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts
Monday, March 14, 2011
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Do you know where your meat has been?
As a practitioner of Islam, I am only allowed to eat meat that is "halal," or in other words, the Jewish concept of kosher. Halal is an Arabic word meaning "permissible." Kosher, according to the Jewish website Jewfaq.org, is a Hebrew term that means "fit or proper."
So where do the laws of which meats I can and cannot consume come from?
According to the same website, both of dietary laws go back to the guidelines outlined in the Holy Quran for Muslims, and the Torah, or Holy Bible, for those practicing Judaism.
So why should you care if Muslims and Jews are catered to on the campus?
A major point regarding catering to different groups on campus is that it allows the university to promote "a sense of community."
According to the Office of Institutional Research, there isn't any data or reports on the numbers of Muslim and Jewish students on campus. However, based on the 2007 Campus Climate Service Report, "75 percent of the respondents think that Sac State should place an emphasis on promoting a sense of community."
Though, can food "promote a sense of community," and bring different types of people together?
"Yes, and this is why we have many ethnic food choices on campus such as Gyro 2 Go, Mother India Express, Saigon Bay Express, Crepe de Paris, etc." said Ruedi Egger, director of Dining Services at University Enterprises Incorporated.
So, does that mean the Sac State campus caters to the Muslim and Jewish community as a whole, with regards to campus eateries?
I asked around campus and many of the eateries were familiar with kosher; however, they did not serve any kosher meats.
"Dining Services does not cater to any specific religious or ethnic group," Egger said. "We cater to the campus community as a whole depending on survey results and our capabilities."
However, there is an outlet for Muslims to eat on campus. The new Gyros 2 Go in the River Front Center, provides halal meat to the general Muslim body on campus.
I asked where the Gyros 2 Go meat came from.
"The halal meat we get is brought all the way from New York," said Wahida Kakar, Sac State alumna and owner of the Gyros 2 Go in the River Front Center.
Kakar said she knows the person who sends her the halal meat and that the business that she runs is a family trade.
"I can give you the name and the number of the man I get my halal meat from, he is central to our business not only in the east coast but also in the west coast, as well," Kakar said.
So what about catering to the Jewish students on campus? If we now have an outlet for Muslims to eat on campus, shouldn't we have an eatery for the Jewish students as well?
Some Jewish students think that having a kosher eatery on campus would be too complicated and that having a vegetarian eating place such as Fresh Choice would be better, not only for Jews but for Muslims as well.
"Many youth are keeping kosher for ecological reasons—however, having a vegetarian institution on campus would better serve the needs of both populations - it's nice to serve the Jewish populations needs, but the process for practicing kosher are complex and most Jews will bring their own food or they will be lenient on the institutions in which they buy their food from," said Sheree L. Meyer, associate dean for Undergraduate Studies for Academic Affairs, and a self-considered liberal Jew.
The rules for practicing kosher are complex. Some rules include not mixing meat with dairy; your cheese pizza, for example, cannot have any pepperoni on top. Other examples would include keeping all your silverware separate, Meyer said.
"Personally, I don't keep kosher; however, I do try to understand the reasons behind the dietary laws of Kashrut," Meyer said.
I hope for the near future both Muslims and Jews will see a number of halal and kosher eateries on campus. Having such eateries on campus will not only affect both Muslims and Jews, but more and more people should know where their meat is coming from and how it is processed; through the dietary laws of both Muslims and Jews, people will find it easy to have access to clean, and natural meat.
Furthermore, do yourself a favor, the next time you get hungry, open your horizons and visit a place that is culturally different from your own, in hopes that you will become a more tolerant, respectful, and understanding human being.
Courtesy By: The State
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Nestle suspends halal products due to pork traces
Nestle (NESN.VX) said on Tuesday it was suspending all production of its Herta halal products after a laboratory found traces of pork.
"We have decided to carry out DNA tests so this will delay deliveries ... As a result we are suspending production in France until we find a new production process," a spokeswoman said.
Retailer Casino (CASP.PA) decided earlier on Tuesday to pull from the shelves halal sausages with the Herta brand. (Reporting by Gerard Bon; Editing by Will Waterman)
Courtesy by: Reuter
"We have decided to carry out DNA tests so this will delay deliveries ... As a result we are suspending production in France until we find a new production process," a spokeswoman said.
Courtesy by: Reuter
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Abu Omar: Houston's Only Halal Taco Truck
I scanned the short menu on the side of Abu Omar, a silver-sided taco truck on Hillcroft at Pagewood. It wasn't very forthcoming about the kinds of meats it served, just listing items like tacos and tortas.
"Do you have chicharron?" I asked the smiling young man, Roberto, inside. "No," he replied. "We're...um..." He trailed off as the word seemed on the tip of his tongue. Finally: "Halal! We're halal. Only beef and chicken."
Abu Omar is, as far as I know, the only halal taco truck in Houston. And even more interestingly, it switches from Mexican specialties during the day to Middle Eastern cuisine at night: After 6 p.m., the truck offers shawarma, falafel, foul, Turkish coffee and much more. When you think about it, shawarma isn't all that different from al pastor-style meat (except with regard to the meat itself) -- so an Arab taco truck isn't that much of an aberration.
Nevertheless, it's an exciting and wondrously new thing here in Houston. So when my friend John, who works with refugees in the area, emailed me to tell me about the little truck -- which just opened two weeks ago -- I was incredibly excited to check it out.
Arriving on a sunny afternoon last week, John and I took in the hand-painted, bright yellow sign next to the truck, displaying its name in both English and Arabic. As I snapped a couple of pictures after ordering, a handsome young man got out of a car parked near the truck and walked over to me and John, curious about our intentions.
The owner introduced himself as Alex, a young man originally from Amman, Jordan. Upon hearing this, John eagerly launched into a discussion about restaurants and food in Amman and the foods that Alex carries in his little truck.
"Do you have lebne?" he asked. Alex nodded yes. "What about hummus?" Another nod, as John continued listing off items.
"We also have hot tea everyday," Alex said. "For free."
"With mint?!" John seemed to be barely containing himself.
"Of course!" Alex responded.
And just then, our orders were called up. My lengua taco came on two fresh, hot corn tortillas with plenty of cilantro, which I quickly doctored up with some creamy salsa verde that sat on the truck's ledge. It tasted like the wonderful ají amarillo sauce at Pollo Bravo, all spicy jalapeno and olive oil and a pinch of salt.
The sauteed tongue nearly melted in my mouth, a wonderful sensation that tasted almost like someone had made lengua butter and spread it on the hot tortillas. And although I'd been wary of ordering a chicken quesadilla (I'm pretty much a tacos and tortas kind of girl), it was equally good. But I noticed it had a distinct Middle Eastern quality about it.
The chicken tasted like shawarma-style chicken, seasoned with plenty of garlic and hints of cinnamon and nutmeg playing at the edges. It made me even more excited to come back here on one of these cool Spring evenings and try Alex and Roberto's real specialties.
And as much as I enjoy the chef-driven, gourmet taco trucks that have sprung up around town, there's a lot to be said for this kind of adventurous, cuisine-spanning spirit in a simple little taco truck off Hillcroft.
"Do you have chicharron?" I asked the smiling young man, Roberto, inside. "No," he replied. "We're...um..." He trailed off as the word seemed on the tip of his tongue. Finally: "Halal! We're halal. Only beef and chicken."
Abu Omar is, as far as I know, the only halal taco truck in Houston. And even more interestingly, it switches from Mexican specialties during the day to Middle Eastern cuisine at night: After 6 p.m., the truck offers shawarma, falafel, foul, Turkish coffee and much more. When you think about it, shawarma isn't all that different from al pastor-style meat (except with regard to the meat itself) -- so an Arab taco truck isn't that much of an aberration.
Nevertheless, it's an exciting and wondrously new thing here in Houston. So when my friend John, who works with refugees in the area, emailed me to tell me about the little truck -- which just opened two weeks ago -- I was incredibly excited to check it out.
The owner introduced himself as Alex, a young man originally from Amman, Jordan. Upon hearing this, John eagerly launched into a discussion about restaurants and food in Amman and the foods that Alex carries in his little truck.
"Do you have lebne?" he asked. Alex nodded yes. "What about hummus?" Another nod, as John continued listing off items.
"We also have hot tea everyday," Alex said. "For free."
"With mint?!" John seemed to be barely containing himself.
"Of course!" Alex responded.
And just then, our orders were called up. My lengua taco came on two fresh, hot corn tortillas with plenty of cilantro, which I quickly doctored up with some creamy salsa verde that sat on the truck's ledge. It tasted like the wonderful ají amarillo sauce at Pollo Bravo, all spicy jalapeno and olive oil and a pinch of salt.
The sauteed tongue nearly melted in my mouth, a wonderful sensation that tasted almost like someone had made lengua butter and spread it on the hot tortillas. And although I'd been wary of ordering a chicken quesadilla (I'm pretty much a tacos and tortas kind of girl), it was equally good. But I noticed it had a distinct Middle Eastern quality about it.
The chicken tasted like shawarma-style chicken, seasoned with plenty of garlic and hints of cinnamon and nutmeg playing at the edges. It made me even more excited to come back here on one of these cool Spring evenings and try Alex and Roberto's real specialties.
And as much as I enjoy the chef-driven, gourmet taco trucks that have sprung up around town, there's a lot to be said for this kind of adventurous, cuisine-spanning spirit in a simple little taco truck off Hillcroft.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Nashville Red Cross to cater to religious dietary needs
The American Red Cross learned a few lessons from last year's catastrophic flood, including the growing religious diversity of Middle Tennessee and the food needed to honor those different ways of worship.
The result is a push by the charity to find vendors that can supply kosher meals for the area's Jewish population and halal meat for Middle Tennessee's Muslims.
It is part of an ongoing effort by the Red Cross to take more note of what different populations eat in order to better prepare for disasters.
"In a disaster, there are very limited resources, but we try to plan menus to accommodate as best as we can," said Joel Sullivan, CEO of the local chapter of the American Red Cross, which serves 17 counties surrounding Nashville. "We learned during the flood that there are dietary needs out there that there wasn't a demand for in this area before."
In the months after the flood, staff at the Red Cross have been calling community leaders to get advice on how they could have better responded.
Food was a popular topic.
The local Red Cross' primary meal suppliers are Second Harvest Food Bank and Southern Baptist Disaster Relief. They are looking for more vendors, especially those that can in a pinch supply meat-free and ethnic foods.
Kosher meals are prepared by Jewish standards, including the way an animal is slaughtered. Of the 8,000 Jewish people in greater Nashville, about 500 have strict kosher diets, said Rabbi Saul Strosberg of Congregation Sherith Israel on West End Avenue.
Rabbi Yitzchok Tiechtel of Chabad Nashville said he applauds the effort. The day the flood hit, Tiechtel and volunteers from Chabad Nashville delivered to shelters more than 300 kosher meals that had been prepared for an event that day.
"The Red Cross raises money from the general public, so the food it serves should be available to the general public," Tiechtel said.
The result is a push by the charity to find vendors that can supply kosher meals for the area's Jewish population and halal meat for Middle Tennessee's Muslims.
It is part of an ongoing effort by the Red Cross to take more note of what different populations eat in order to better prepare for disasters.
"In a disaster, there are very limited resources, but we try to plan menus to accommodate as best as we can," said Joel Sullivan, CEO of the local chapter of the American Red Cross, which serves 17 counties surrounding Nashville. "We learned during the flood that there are dietary needs out there that there wasn't a demand for in this area before."
In the months after the flood, staff at the Red Cross have been calling community leaders to get advice on how they could have better responded.
Food was a popular topic.
The local Red Cross' primary meal suppliers are Second Harvest Food Bank and Southern Baptist Disaster Relief. They are looking for more vendors, especially those that can in a pinch supply meat-free and ethnic foods.
Kosher meals are prepared by Jewish standards, including the way an animal is slaughtered. Of the 8,000 Jewish people in greater Nashville, about 500 have strict kosher diets, said Rabbi Saul Strosberg of Congregation Sherith Israel on West End Avenue.
Rabbi Yitzchok Tiechtel of Chabad Nashville said he applauds the effort. The day the flood hit, Tiechtel and volunteers from Chabad Nashville delivered to shelters more than 300 kosher meals that had been prepared for an event that day.
"The Red Cross raises money from the general public, so the food it serves should be available to the general public," Tiechtel said.
Shelter is concern
Amir Arain, public relations director for the Islamic Center of Nashville, regularly buys meats from area restaurants that supply the center with halal meats, which are also slaughtered in a specific way. Most Muslims, per their religion, will eat anything in a disaster situation, he said.
Arain said there are 25,000 Muslims living in Middle Tennessee.
Arain's primary concern is for emergency shelter. Women must stay in a separate area, he said.
Santosh Kortian is the manager of Woodlands Indian Vegetarian Cuisine on West End Avenue.
During the flood, he sent money and vegetarian foods to shelters. The India Association of Nashville called him to send meals.
He said he hopes to never have to be in a situation in which he has to decide whether to compromise his vegetarianism in an emergency. Like Strosberg, Arain and Tiechtel, he appreciates the preparedness.
"It's impressive," Strosberg said. "They did such a good job that people are complaining about the food. That means they covered all the necessary ground."
Courtesy by: WBIR.com
Amir Arain, public relations director for the Islamic Center of Nashville, regularly buys meats from area restaurants that supply the center with halal meats, which are also slaughtered in a specific way. Most Muslims, per their religion, will eat anything in a disaster situation, he said.
Arain said there are 25,000 Muslims living in Middle Tennessee.
Arain's primary concern is for emergency shelter. Women must stay in a separate area, he said.
Santosh Kortian is the manager of Woodlands Indian Vegetarian Cuisine on West End Avenue.
During the flood, he sent money and vegetarian foods to shelters. The India Association of Nashville called him to send meals.
He said he hopes to never have to be in a situation in which he has to decide whether to compromise his vegetarianism in an emergency. Like Strosberg, Arain and Tiechtel, he appreciates the preparedness.
"It's impressive," Strosberg said. "They did such a good job that people are complaining about the food. That means they covered all the necessary ground."
Courtesy by: WBIR.com
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