Kapitel 116: Teak II

Other benefits

Teak leaves are traditionally used in Java as wrappers, including food wrappers. Rice wrapped in teak leaves tastes even better. An example is the famous jamblang rice from the Jamblang area, Cirebon.

Teak leaves are also widely used in Yogyakarta, Central Java and East Java as tempeh wrappers.

Various types of insect pests of teak are also often used as food for the villagers. Two of them are the teak grasshopper (Jw. wood walang), which is large brown in color, and the teak caterpillar (Hyblaea puera).

Teak caterpillars are often considered special food because they are delicious. These caterpillars are collected before the rainy season, in the morning when the caterpillars are hanging down from the tree to find a place to form cocoons (Jw. ungkrung). The cocoons of the teak caterpillars are also collected and eaten.

Other economic functions of teak forest