If you’re a naughty beverage enthusiast, you’ll need to take a road trip down to Dale Rok Kubang Kerian, an eatery in the town of Kota Bharu, Kelantan.
Why? Well, besides a variety of Kelantanese delicacies like sup ayam kampung (chicken soup) and sup daging bakar (roasted beef soup), the outdoor eatery serves an interesting green-hued beverage named “ketum float.”
Before you get excited or scandalized, the green beverage at Dale Rok is not really made of ketum leaves. In reality, “ketum float” is just the nickname for this drink, which costs RM3 (US$0.70).
In response to an online query, the eatery told Coconuts KL that Dale Rok’s “ketum float” is actually made with green tea leaves steeped for a long period of time for stronger flavor and color. The ice-cream topping is also green tea-flavored.
Ketum is made from leaves of the Mitragyna speciosa tree native to Southeast Asia, and can be found in Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Also known as kratom, it produces similar side effects to opium when consumed, which is why it is banned in Malaysia under the Poisons Act. Growing ketum for research and education purposes is still allowed.
The eatery did not clarify why it had chosen to sell green tea as “ketum” other than drawing attention. But we’re confident that this “ketum float” is safe to drink and worth a try if you’re driving down to Kota Bharu for a day. Green tea is also known to help boost metabolism and lower the risk of cancer.
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