Skip to main content

Baka talisay ang kailangan kung mabilis nilalabasan

KAMBAL na hitang nakabukaka ang pahayag—an open statement na hindi pinid at wala nang pasubali o baka masususugan pa. (“Susog” ang salitang ugat na katakam-takam talagang bigkasin dahil kung nanamnamin at hihimas-himasin para bang susong busog ang ibig sabihin.)

We’re trying to make sense of a claim we stumbled into about the fruits of an ornamental tree. To wit: “The kernel of Indian almond has shown aphrodisiac activity, it can probably be used in treatment of some forms of sexual inadequacies (premature ejaculation).”

For goodness’ sakes, what are those other forms of sexual inadequacies, er, shortages? What’s Indian almond?

Higit nating kilala ang Indian almond bilang talisay. Tinatawag ding tropical almond, Java almond, Singapore almond, Pacific almond. Kilala din sa pangalang umbrella tree, badamier, ketapang, huu kwang, at sa mga botanist na mahilig sa boteny tulad ni Ama, Terminalia catappa.

Makatas ang hinog na lamukot ng bungang talisay—karaniwang dilaw o namumula ang kulay, mala-ulo ng tarugo ang hugis. Pero hindi pa namin nasusubukang biyakin ang matigas na buto para makuha ang laman. Na lasang almond daw. Makatitiyak na matamis ang lamukot nito. Paborito kasing lantakan ng mga paniki at bayakan, na mahilig ding manginain sa mga hinog na bunga ng chico at ratiles.

Pansinin na tinagurian nating talisayin ang mga tandang na mala-luntian ang kulay ng balahibo’t pek… oops, pakpak nga pala. That may be chicken but that’s a game fowl for the likes of Jorge Araneta, Nene Aguilar, Peping Cojuangco and Manny Pacquiao. A fighting cock is what a talisayin is, a nomenclature that’s likely derived from the stately talisay or ketapang the kernel of which—as the claim goes-- has shown aphrodisiac activity and can probably be used to treat premature ejaculation, among other forms of sexual inadequacies.

Kukutuban marahil tayo na hindi lang pagmamahal na sinlaki ng braso kundi kasintikas ng troso ang kaloob ng talisay.

“In Taiwan the fallen leaves of tropical almond are used as an herbal drug in the treatment of liver related diseases. The leaves contain agents for the chemo-prevention of cancer and probably have anti-carcinogenic potential,” so it is also claimed.

“Tropical almond has antibacterial properties. (Its leaves) are used by breeders of tropical aquarium fishes to keep them healthy.”


Tiyak na sangkatutak na kalalakihan ang dadagsa sa sinumang may namumungang puno ng talisay, mangunguha ng bunga’t kasunod ang katakut-takot na biyakan, opo, umaatikabong biyakan para tungkabin ang laman na lasang almond daw—kapag naibusang tila kastanyas o mani na may balat pa.

Inaasahan namin na kagigiliwang exotic erotic pulutan sa mga inuman ang talisay nuts. At tiyak na mabubulabog ng mga nais pang lumibog ang mga kapre, tikbalang at kung anu-ano pang di-nakikitang nilalang na tumatahan, ayon sa mga matatanda, sa mga malabay mala-krus na sanga ng talisay.

Baka naman tinatakot lang tayo ng mga matanda na nagsasabing may mga malignong nakabantay sa mga punong talisay. Pulos naglalakihang bayakan at paniki nga—at mangilan-ngilang matandang lalaki na gaya ni Ama-- ang umaali-aligid dito lalo na’t nangahihinog na ang mga bunga. Kahina-hinala…

Pero baka ayaw lang nilang matuklasan ng mas marami ang kakaibang agimat na tahasang matutungkab sa bunga ng talisay.

We say, go splurge on ersatz almonds—na may tawag din ang mga nagugulantang na mutya, kanilang nasasambitla, “Ang tulis, ay!”

Comments

Paulding said…
pwede pobang makepyas este makopya ito parasa blag ko?

matsalamas
Sige lang. Mas mainam kung marami ang mararating ng ganitong kaalaman. Pasensiya na't ngayon ko lang nabuklat 'tong blog ko-- marami kasing ibang sulatin. Sala'am at salamat sa 'yo!

DONG A.D.
Paulding said…
ayuz!
maraming salamat
permiso din po doon sa ibang tudling ninyo.

Popular posts from this blog

ALAMAT NG TAHONG

SAKBIBI ng agam-agam sa kalagayan ng butihing kabiyak-- at kabiyakan, opo-- na nakaratay sa karamdaman, ang pumalaot na mangingisda ay napagawi sa paanan ng dambuhalang Waczim-- isang bathala na nagkakaloob sa sinuman anumang ibulwak ng bibig mula sa bukal ng dibdib. Pangangailangan sa salapi na pambili ng gamot ng kapilas-pusong maysakit ang nakasaklot sa puso ng matandang mangingisda. 'Di kaginsa-ginsa'y bumundol ang kanyang bangka sa paanan ng Waczim. Kagy at umigkas ang katagang kimkim noon sa kanyang dibdib: "Salapi!" Bumuhos ng salapi-- mga butil at gilit ng ginto-- mula papawirin. At halos umapaw sa ginto ang bangka ng nagulantang na mangingisda, walang pagsidlan ang galak, at walang humpay ang pasasalamat sa mga bathala. Nanumbalik ang kalusugan ng kabiyak ng mangingisda. At lumago ang kabuhayan, naging mariwasa ang magkapilas-puso na dating maralita. Nilasing ng kanyang mga dating kalapit-bahay ang mangingisda-- na hindi ikina...

Cal y canto con camote

FENG shui (literally, wind water flow) lore has it root crops embody a hidden store of treasures. Say, a local food conglomerate needs yearly 35,000 metric tons of cassava for livestock feed-- the available local supply falls short of 13,000 tons. Cassava granules sell for around P9 a kilo. Demand for the same root crop to be used in liquor manufacturing is hitting above the roof. Why, raising cassava is a no-brainer task— this is one tough crop that can grow in the most hostile patches of earth, providing sustenance for ages to dwellers in sub-Saharan parts of Africa. While the hardy cassava is nearly pure starch, the lowly sweet potato or kamote is considered by nutritionists as a super food, the most nutritious of all vegetables— kamote levels of Vitamin A are “off the charts, rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.” A fist-sized kamote can supply a day’s dose of glucose to fuel the brain, muscles, and organs, so they claim. Count the country lucky...

Wealth garden

‘TWAS CRUEL as smashing a budding green thumb: some years back, an abuela warned me about letting any clump of katigbi (Job’s tears or Coix lachrymal jobi for you botanists) from growing in our homeyard. That grass with rapier-like leaves that smelled of freshly pounded pinipig supposedly invited bad luck and sorrows—why, that biblical character Job wailed and howled a lot, didn’t he? (But was later rewarded with oodles of goodies, wasn’t he?) Then, I came across some arcane text that practically goaded folks to grow katigbi in their gardens—why, there’s a starchy kernel wrapped shut in the seed’s shiny coat. A handful or more of kernels could be cooked as porridge. Too, one could whisper a wish upon seven seed pods, throw ‘em pods in running water—a river or stream—and the wish would be granted! I was warned, too, about planting kapok or talisay trees right in the homeyard—these trees form a cross-like branching pattern. Pasang-krus daw ang bahay na kalapit sa puno ng kapok, tal...