The Polla

The polla, or market, across the road had everything and it went late into the night, right outside our family compound. The food came from all over the area and was always fresh. Dad and my aunties were great hagglers, so it was often very exciting. I loved the polla—we spent hours walking around learning about the produce. I also learned the seasons and yearned for the exotics like jakfruit and mangosteen and rambutan to arrive. Jakfruit are large spiky fruits which grow on the trunks of massive trees. When you peel them they ooze a sticky gum—the stallholders would rub palm oil on their hands to soften it and then, using a piece of paper, rub it off. The fruit was then shredded and placed in a pile so the cooks of the different houses could take it home for malum (salad).