Ambuyat Traditional Food From Brunei Darussalam

Ambuyat is a traditional food for the Visayas (in Sabah and Brunei), the Labuan Federal Territory, Sarawak and also Brunei Darussalam. Sabah which is famous for various nations such as Kadazan, Murut, Dusun, and Bajau are also interest in this food.

Ambuyat is the main dish for the Visayas after rice. This food is serve as a daily menu and is a mandatory dish during special days such as wedding days and Visayan festival days.

Ambuyat Process

Ambuyat is a kind of dish make from sago rumbia, sago that can obtain from the inner part of the Rumbia tree. In Brunei, Rumbia sago is known as Ambulung.

The process for producing Ambulung is also known as the Pengurus process. The process of flowing usually takes one day. At present, Rumbia or Ambulung sago can be found in markets or guests in Sabah in packet form.

The characteristics and ways of eating Ambuyat

Ambuyat has a white color and a texture that looks like glue. It is a bit sticky and more comfortable eaten using ‘candas’, a type of local chopstick.

Ambuyat is more delicious eat while it is still hot and chopped with various kinds of sauces such as curry sauce, boiled fish sauce, tempoyak sauce and fish sauce.

Because it has a bland taste, Ambuyat depends on the gravy and the gravy used always has a more intense taste, which is more sour and spicy. Ambuyat also does not need to chewed and can be swallowed continuously.

After Eating Ambuyat

According to popular opinion, they will feel very full after eating Ambuyat but will also get hungry again quickly. This is because Ambuyat is more of a watery carbohydrate source.

Therefore, Ambuyat is not suitable for those who are on a ‘diet’ or want to maintain a ‘fit’ body. There is also the view that Ambuyat can make the skin of its fans softer and brighter.

Ambuyat recipe

Ambuyat can prepare easily, but it is necessary to comply with the proper method of preparation. A little mistake can cause your Ambuyat not to be or not the same as the true Ambuyat taste.

The following provides Ambuyat recipes according to their own way.

Dish for 5 people
Ingredients A1 kg (6½ cups) sago rumbia
Freshly cooked hot water
1 liter (4 cups) water
Ingredients B600 g white fish/cob/mackerel/kurau/fun
40 g (5 pcs) shallots
10 g (2 pcs) garlic
10 g (2 sm) coarsely ground live turmeric
10 g (2 tsp) ginger
3 g (5 seeds) chili padi
30 g (2 sticks) lemongrass, tapped
5 g (5 pieces) sour chips
9 g (1½ teaspoons) salt
625 ml (2½ cups) water
C500 g (60 trees) of nail shoots, cleaned and picked
3 g (1/2 teaspoon) salt
10 g (1 tablespoon) vegetable oil
20 g (3 reviews) shallots
10 g (2 cloves) garlic crushed
10 g (1 tablespoon) belacan
125 ml (1/2 cup) water
1 red chili (sliced) for garnish

How to cook Ingredients A

How to make ambush:
Sago is mix with 4 cups of water and steeped for 10 minutes.
Pour the water and put the sago into a hot water-resistant container.
Bancuh sago with hot water that just boiled. Mix until combined and cook until the sago looks clear and sticky (like glue. This indicates the sago is ripe).

Ingredients B

 Fish cleaned and cut into 5 pieces.
 Cook in the pot together with other ingredients. Boil until cooked.

Ingredients C

 Heat oil in a skillet and saute all the ingredients that are sautéed until it smells good.
 Add the nail shoots and salt. Add 1/2 cup water. Cook until tender. Garnish with red chili.

Note:

 Ambuyat is eaten using candas (or wooden chopsticks) and dipped in fish sauce and then eaten together with nail shoots.
 Sago is a staple food for the Visayas. This recipe is a balanced meal, rich in complex carbohydrates and fiber and low in fat and salt.
 For Peninsular Malaysia which is difficult to get sago rumbia, it can be replaced with sago seeds or sago sweet potatoes which need to be cooked over a fire so that the sago looks clear.
 This food is best eaten while still hot.

Hope it is useful.