The Silent Language of Ulam-Ulaman: How a Plate of Greens Spoke Love

A Grandmothers' Quiet Devotion

For more than half of my childhood, my grandparents’ quiet devotion shaped my memories. Though they lived in Indonesia, they would cross the sea to live in Singapore for months at a time, just to care for my sister and me in Singapore. When school breaks came, we’d reverse the pilgrimage, returning to their kampung in Indonesia.  

Besides our goodbye hugs and kisses, Nenek never knew how to show us affection, like uttering the words, I love you. Her affection lived in the steam rising from the ketam kukus (steamed crabs) for my father, the tang of asam pedas ikan sembilang (spicy and sour catfish stew) for my mother, and the sticky-sweet lemang (glutinous rice cooked in bamboo) she wrapped in banana leaves for me. Even now, bedridden, Nenek assembles these flavors through my aunts’ hands, making sure we always had our favourite foods served.

Ulam-Ulaman - The True Anchor of Every Meal

But the true anchor of her meals wasn’t the rich curries or coconut-scented rice. It was the ulam-ulaman (lalapan in Bahasa Indonesia), a mosaic of raw greens that changed daily. Some days, crisp kacang botol (winged beans) and cool timun (cucumbers); others, the peppery punch of daun kesum (laksu leaves) or the faintly metallic tang of ulam raja (cosmos leaves). On bold mornings, petai (stink beans) and jengkol (dogfruit) would appear. No recipe, no fixed formula, just whatever the garden or market offered that day.  

Capturing the Invisible - The Ulam-Ulaman Candle

Most ulam-ulaman whisper rather than shout. Long beans and winged beans offer crunch, and cucumbers bring coolness, not scent . The true fragrance lives in the lime squeezed over the plate and the earthy greenness of daun kesum, the peppery greenness of daun kesum, and the wild edge of ulam raja.

Our candle distills this fleeting essence:  

• Top: Bergamot and tangerine's zest, like citrus dashed over greens. 
• Heart: A cucumber accord, not sweet, but cool and watery, like the refreshing crispness of the crunchy greens.
• Base: A wisp of cedarwood, like the comforting warmth and subtle earthiness of Nenek’s old wooden kitchen table, holding every gathered meal.

This isn’t nostalgia. It’s an invitation to the table, where love was served without fanfare, where care was measured in foraged leaves and shared silence.  

What dish, for you, needs no words to say I love you?  

Watch our new series, Behind the Scent, where we explore the inspirations, memories, and traditions behind our fragrances.