We live in a multiethnic society in Malaysia. From Perlis to Sabah there are so many type of food that you can try and have yet to discover. When it comes to food, most of us will think of something that looks appetizing, has a nice aroma and also taste good. Food that appears normal. Want to be adventurous? Here are five local traditional food that you should try at least once!
#1 Butod
First let us visit Sabah the land below the wind. This is not for the faint hearted. Eating food that are still moving and pretty much alive may not be your style but this is a delicacy which is quite popular among the KadazanDusun people of Sabah. It is called 'Butod' and are a type of larva which will grow into a beetle. They usually thrive inside a decomposed Sago tree. You can either fry it or eat it raw. Some say it has this milky character and are bursting with protein goodness. The
local markets of Sabah is a good place to start.
#2 Tapai Pulut
It is basically made out of gluttonous rice and yeast. It is the same basic process of making the tapai for producing local wine like in Sabah or Sarawak. The only difference is instead of leaving it to ferment for months, this one is fermented for around 2 to 3 days. It may taste bitter sweet and may have a hint of sourness. It all depends on the amount of water, the surrounding temperature or the quality of the yeast. It is also an acquired taste. I started knowing tapai as a drink instead of for eating so I find it weird. However this is definitely a must try. It is thought to be originated from Terengganu and Kelantan. You may find this item at our merchant
JM bariani House of Puchong. They have it in their outlet.
#3 Pekasam
In the olden days, before the existence of modern day fridge, the local population usually will consume only fresh food. However some food can be kept longer in storage for later consumption. Meat and poultry are usually smoked and dried. Fish are usually salted and dried as well. It can be kept for months and are ready to eat anytime although it is not usually eaten straight up since the taste will not be appealing and are very salty. But fry it and squeeze some lime and add some chopped cili padi and eat it with hot steamed rice, you are set to go! You can also stir fry it with vegetables. Some folks will feel hungry just by mentioning the word Pekasam goreng!
#4 Umai
The name sure sounds like some Japanese dish. It is actually from land of the Hornbills, Sarawak. I guess it does have some Japanese feel to it since this is another raw preparation. It is a traditional native dish for the Melanau people of Sarawak. Usually the fishermen but now are quite popular among other locals in Sarawak too. The preparation is quite simple but importantly you need fresh fish to do this right. The ingredients are sliced raw fish, mixed with chillies, salt, onion and a healthy squeeze of lemon. Tenggiri fish is the type of fish used.
#5 Budu
Heard of Budu? This is not for consumption on its own but is actually a type of sauce. Budu sauce is made out of fermented seafood. Yes. You could pretty much tell what sort of aroma it will produce. But just like the Durian, some may say it smells terrible but for others its one of the heavenly smell one could imagine.Origins are from Kelantan, Terengganu and Southern Thailand. It is used as a flavoring and is normally eaten with fish, rice and raw vegetables
Any other local dish that should have been mentioned here? Tell us what you think!
About The Writer
KAY KASTUM
Born in Sabah with an interest in open water diving, wall climbing,music and video production and a passion for Android custom ROMS on his XT910 Motorola Razr Kay Kastum plans to make the world a better place by empowering people through his work. Whatever that means. You can follow his YouTube channel to see what he is up to during his free time
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