Kuala Pilah’s Raihana Ayub doesn’t give up easily – her husband used to grow vegetables through fertigation, giving the family a supply of cucumbers, bitter and water gourds.
So when Raihana tried to emulate his efforts by planting several maman plants and after a year they still weren’t growing so well, she wasn’t giving up.
Now Raihana has 80 plant beds of the popular plant used in traditional rendang dishes and isn’t looking back.
She employs two workers and is enjoying an income of a few thousand ringgit a month.
Raihana got in touch with the state Agriculture Department officers, who guided her on planting the maman and they often helped monitor the crops condition.
Raihana said that maman is a difficult and sensitive plant to take care of especially during the rainy season as too much water will damage the root and stem.
The popularity of the vegetable has now given her an opportunity to sell outside of Negeri Sembilan and she plans to open another farm soon.
Nutritionist Assoc Prof Dr Norazmir Md Nor said maman leaves are rich in beta carotene, calcium and folic acid, with various health benefits for the body.
“Similar to eating other vegetables and ulam-ulaman (fresh salads), the maman leaves is said to be an antidote for several health issues including haemorrhoids, diarrhoea, skin allergy as well as high blood pressure,” said Norazmir who is from Universiti Teknologi Mara, Health Sciences Faculty.
