Native to the islands of Borneo, Mindanao, and the Palawan archipelagic province, tarap is a fruit closely related to the jackfruit, cempedak, and breadfruit trees. Though not technically a dish, the fruit is typically enjoyed on its own in all its pungent and creamy glory.

It appears spiky, however, its shell is usually opened by hand and splits open rather easily to reveal its white, bulb-like flesh. Fans of durian will surely love this unique fruit.

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Umai is a dish from the Melanau population of Sarawak that started when the group’s fishermen had to find a way to cure and “cook” their fish on the boats before consuming them.

The dish is made with sliced fresh fish, shallows, chillies, salt, and lime juice. When combined, the ingredients start to “cook” the fish, making it safe to eat and part of the refreshing, slightly spicy, and tangy salad. For an extra kick of adventure, give sago worm umai a try!

Also a ceviche-like dish, Sabah’s hinava is usually made with sliced tenggiri fish (mackerel) that is tossed with sliced cili padi, grated ginger, shallots, bitter gourd, grated Bambangan seeds, and lime juice. Because citric acid is used as the cooking agent in this dish, it doesn’t have a long shelf life. 

Most popularly made within the Kadazan-Dusun population, hinava is enjoyed both as a starter or entrée and can be served with steamed rice. You can also find different iterations of this tangy and spicy dish made with prawns and squid. 

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Uniquely Sarawakian, kacangma was initially made as a confinement dish served to Hakka women after giving birth. However, it eventually transcended cultures and communities and became a widely available local favourite.

The dish is made with a combination of motherwort, chicken, a heaping serving of ginger, and sweet Hakka rice wine. The result of this mixture of flavours is a comforting and nutritious dish that locals love but may be an acquired taste for those unfamiliar with it. 

Starchy, gooey, and translucent, ambuyat is a traditional rice replacement made from sago. In terms of taste, this dish is rather bland as it usually accompanies dishes that boast a lot more flavour and aroma. You can pair it with a dipping sauce, sambal belacan, or dishes like pinasakan (Kadazan-Dusun preserved fish dish).

Ambuyat is usually eaten using a pair of chopsticks or a bamboo fork, called a candas, to twirl and roll the ambuyat around before eating it with the paired sauce or dish.

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