Sarawak is the largest state in Malaysia. It shares a surrounding border with Sabah, Indonesia and Brunei. It is also known as the “Land of the Hornbills”. With its large state size, there are more than 40 different ethnics in Sarawak. The common ones are like the Malays, Chinese, Indians, Iban, Bidayuh, Melanau, Orang Ulu and many more. Hence visitors can expect to try on many different kind of food from different ethnics as well.
Sarawak Laksa and Kolo Mee
Like its name, the Sarawak Laksa is one signature dish most recommended whenever you visit Sarawak. The dish consists of rice noodles or commonly known as “Bee Hoon”, cooked in a shrimp-based broth and mixed with coconut milk. It is then served with crunchy beansprouts, boiled prawns, shredded chicken and slices of egg omelette. There are accompanying thick sambal paste and lime juice to add and eat together. On the other hand, Kolo Mee is noodle made from eggs which come with lard, sauce of barbequed pork and black vinegar. Both of these are easily found in most eateries in Sarawak.
Ayam Pansuh and Midin Belacan
The Ayam Pansuh dish is originated from the Iban. Ayam Pansuh means chicken in bamboo. Chicken pieces, mushrooms, lemongrass and tapioca leaves are all stuffed into bamboos and then cooked over fire. When served, the chicken meat is very tender and juicy and best eat together with the provided lemongrass and bamboo gravy. Another dish is the Midin Belacan, Midin is a type of fern found in the South East Asia country. It is cooked together with belacan, some Malay chili paste and is widely welcomed by the locals and visitors from other places or countries.
Ikan Terubuk Masin and Umai
Ikan Terubuk Masin is a typed of fish deep fried until very crispy and then later on a gravy is cooked with onions, garlic, tamarind juice, dried chili and lime juice and pour over the deep fried fish. The dish is known as Ikan Terubuk Masin. It is a popular dish among the locals and the salted Ikan Terubuk can be easily found selling in markets around Sarawak. Umai is a traditional dish where it is eaten mostly by the Melanau fisherman way back. It is made from raw fresh fish, onions, chili, salt and assam juice. It is like a raw fish salad. Do try it out if you are brave enough.
Dabai and Foo Chow Mee
Dabai is a type of seasonal fruit found in Sarawak. It is a hard fruit with black skin and yellow flesh while the seeds are in diamond shaped. The fruit is sweet-scented and has a soft and chewy texture like dates. On another hand, the Foo Chow Mee is also a popular dish here in Sarawak. It is also known as Kampua Mee. The noodles are served with barbequed pork slices in a bowl of soup and are best eaten with soy sauce and chili sauce provided.