Substitute food served up

YOGYAKARTA: Researchers at Gadjah Mada University's School of Agriculture are touting processed sorghum, locally known ascantel, as an alternative food in crisis.

Hariyadi, chief of the school's engineering laboratory, said the food was better than thiwul, processed cassava which was promoted by former president Soeharto last year as a food alternative.

"It tastes like glutinous rice," he said after demonstrating how to cook the good so that it could be easily digested. He added the food was part of the maize family and nutritiously similar.

"Cantel has more protein content than rice," he said, adding that it grew in Central and East Java and was exported to Japan.

The university plans to educate the public about how to process the meal. (44)