# data[].attributes.body
BorneoTalk [Get to know: The Bidayuh of Sarawak]

# data[].attributes.body
Sinar Harian [Keunikan Peranakan Cina Terengganu]

# data[].attributes.body
MySabah [10 Most Beautiful Costumes of Sabah]

# data[].attributes.body
KL Foodie [Top 10 Mamak Stalls in KL and Where to Find Them]

# data[].attributes.body
The Star [Orang Asli Village Chiefs to Get RM600 More a Month in 2023]

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
From the author: Hello! I am Alya Maisara binti Azman from LG2431B :)

# data[].attributes.body
Presently, I am a first year degree student for Bachelor of Degree in Applied Language Studies (Hons) English For Intercultural Communication in Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), Kampus Shah Alam.

In this portfolio, we will take a look at the traditional cuisines of five beautiful cultures in Malaysia. Have a 'tour' and enjoy!

# data[].attributes.body
1. Introduction
2. Table of Contents
3. Traditional Cuisines of Bidayuh
4. Traditional Cuisines of Cina Peranakan
5. Traditional Cuisines of Kadazan Dusun
6. Traditional Cuisines of Mamak
7. Traditional Cuisines of Orang Asli
8. Personal Reflection
9. References

# data[].attributes.body
Bidayuh is a collective name for several indigenous groups of  people living the southern part of Sarawak. They are known for their hospitality and warm smiles. The name “Bidayuh” means “people of the land”. “Bi” mean “people” or “orang” and “Dayuh” mean “Land”.  They are also known as the Land Dayaks, a term first used during the time of James Brooke, the first White Rajah (king) of Sarawak.

# data[].attributes.body
Cina Peranakan (Peranakan Chinese) or also known as Baba-Nyonya are terms used for descendants of late 15th and 16th century Chinese immigrants to the Nusantara region during the colonial era. Nyonya is the term for ladies, while Baba for the gentlemen. Cina Peranakan is the melting pot between Java, Dutch and Chinese cultures.

# data[].attributes.body
Kadazan-Dusun is the term assigned to the unification of the classification of two indigenous tribes in Sabah. They are also the largest ethnic group which comprises about 1/3 of the population - Kadazan and Dusun. Traditionally, they are mostly traditional farmers cultivating paddy rice and upland rice, as well as hunting and ravine fishing. The Sumazau dance is the traditional dance of the Kadazan-Dusun community.

# data[].attributes.body
The term 'mamak' originally refers to migrants of the Indian Muslim community mainly from the southern region of (currently) India or Pakistan. Over the past six centuries, the Mamak travelled the lands, trading with the locals wherever they sailed. Eventually, some of them stayed behind, settled down and started businesses. Instead there is a wider meaning behind it.

# data[].attributes.body
“Orang Asli”, a term officially coined in 1960, collectively refers to the original or native people of Peninsular Malaysia. Currently numbering about 200,000 (about 0.6% of the total Malaysian population), the Orang Asli are the “first people” or oldest inhabitants of Peninsular Malaysia. The Orang Asli are descendants of the earliest known inhabitants who occupied the Malay Peninsula before the establishment of the Malay kingdoms.

# data[].attributes.body
1. Asam Siok
2. Pangkang
3. Bidayuh Sambal Belachan
4. Samal Sorai (Sambal Serai)
5. Ayam Kacang Mai

# data[].attributes.body
1. Asam Laksa
2. Mee Siam
3. Loh Bak
4. Belacan Lady Fingers
5. Angku Kuih

# data[].attributes.body
1. Bambangan
2. Tuhau
3. Hinava
4. Pinasakan

# data[].attributes.body
1. Roti Canai Mamak
2. Mee Goreng Mamak
3. Pasembur
4. Nasi Kandar

# data[].attributes.body
1. Pucuk Seliley
2. Pulut Kukus Periuk Kera
3. Ayam Pansuh

# data[].attributes.body
Asam siok which pronounced as a-sam-see-yok or chicken with rice in bamboo or bamboo chicken in short is an authentic Bidayuh delicacy served normally during special occasions such as Gawai, gatherings or welcoming of special guests/VIPs.

The preparation of the meal is very simple indeed. Nevertheless, the cooking part requires extra care and attention to avoid from overburning of the bamboo. The use of bamboo is a natural way of cooking that seals in the flavours and produces astonishingly tender chicken, perfumed with lemongrass and bamboo. The ingredients are whole chicken, steam rice, salt, ginger, lemon grass, tapioca leaves and of course, a little bit of water to boil.

# data[].attributes.body
Pangkang, also known as pogang, is a Bidayuh staple of glutinous rice cooked in bamboo. While it might look exactly like lemang, it differs in one aspect which is it doesn’t use banana leaves as a sheath.

Instead, it relies directly on the bamboo shaft it is cooked in as its skin. Traditionally, coconut milk was not used for pangkang but today, it has become more common. Without refrigeration, pangkang can be kept at room temperature for days and is only cut when served.

Dishes traditionally paired with pangkang were fried dahang ikan or pekasam ikan or it used to be eaten on its own. Now, with the diffusion of cultures especially from coastal communities, pangkang is eaten with curries, tomato ketchup and even kuah kacang.

Pangkang is usually made and eaten for the harvest festival like Gawai, Christmas, or any cultural or social event. It is sometimes used as offerings for departed family members or rituals to propitiate the spirits.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Photo by: Huntersfood [Sambal Belacan - Sarawak Ethnic Cuisine]

# data[].attributes.body
Bidayuh Sambal Belachan differs a lot from the Malays version of Sambal Belachan. The most basic of Bidayuh Sambal Belachan consists of anchovies, belachan and bird's eyes chillies only. All ingredients (except onion and shallots) shall be pounded roughly together. The sambal belachan is very nice to be eaten with fresh vegetables such as cucumber, salads and other 'ulam-ulaman'. To make a good sambal belachan, anchovies shall be pounded first, followed by chillies and belachan consecutively. To avoid overwhelming of belachan, start with a small quantity first.

# data[].attributes.body
This dish is typical to the Bidayuh ethnic. Lemongrass are easily available as it is kind of a must herb to be planted at the house compound. Since lemongrass is pretty fibrous, it is cut finely before being pounded further. This dish is very aromatic and nice to be eaten with hot plain rice.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Samal Sorai (Sambal Serai Bidayuh) 😋😋 | Resipi Ringkas 👍👍

# data[].attributes.body
Kacangma is a popular traditional medicinal herb of Sarawak. It is a herbaceous shrub from the mint family, Lamiaceae, with quadrangle erect branches and pink flowers. Kacangma grows to a height of 1.5 m. It is cultivated for sale in the market but sometimes found growing semi-wild on abandoned land and damp soil in villages. In Peninsular Malaysia, this herb is known as ‘seranting’, ‘padang derman’ and ‘tebung aga’. In Sarawak, kacangma is basically consumed as a herbal remedy for post-natal care especially to reduce body pain, emmenagogue and to hasten the contraction of uterus. Due to the unique herbal flavour and aroma, kacangma’s appeal extends beyond the confinement room. It has been used as a culinary ingredient among the people in Sarawak. Kacangma dish is a popular delicacy among the Sarawakians, thus there exists a prospect for kacangma to be cultivated on a large scale. Subsequently, efforts are made to increase the utilization by developing kacangma herb into various special herbal products with commercial significance.

Ayam Kacang Ma is not exactly a local exotic food, but it is believed to be of Hakka origin and very unique to Sarawak identity.  It's great eaten hot or cold on it's own or with rice.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Sarawak memiliki pelbagai etnik yang berbeza. Namun, masyarakat hidup serumpun dan sentiasa saling menghormati satu sama lain. Secara umumnya, masyarakat Dayak terbahagi kepada dua etnik iaitu Dayak Bidayuh dan juga Dayak Iban.

Kebanyakan masyarakat Bidayuh menganut agama Kristian, namun ada juga yang beragama Islam tetapi hanyalah sebilangan kecil sahaja. Kaum ini turut memiliki makanan tradisional mereka sendiri, biarpun Bidayuh dan Iban dari rumpun yang sama, namun dari segi penyediaan makanan, ia memiliki sedikit perbezaan.

Pelbagai makanan tradisi Bidayuh hampir sama dengan etnik Iban, namun nama makanan juga adalah berbeza biarpun hidangannya kelihatan hampir sama. Penggunaan buluh sebagai bahan untuk memasak turut digunakan oleh etnik - etnik lain seperti Iban. Memasak menggunakan buluh sebenarnya turut menghasilkan aroma serta keenakan yang tersendiri tambahan pula ia turut dibakar menggunakan kayu api.

Antara hidangan tradisi masyarakat Bidayuh yang masih dikekalkan sehingga hari ini adalah seperti :

Antara lain makanan masyarakat Bidayuh adalah kersem. Ia merupakan hidangan yang berasaskan daging babi yang ditapai.

Makanan ini memiliki aroma yang wangi serta rasa masin. Malah, hidangan ini boleh disimpan sehingga berbulan lamanya.

Kersem ini dicampurkan dengan beras serta garam yang dimasak dan ditanam dalam periuk yang dipanggil urn selama beberapa bulan. Oleh sebab itu hidangan ini boleh disimpan dalam tempoh yang agak lama.

Tepui ini diperbuat daripada jus tebu dan rasanya lebih halus serta menenangkan berbanding langkau dan tuak. Ia menjadi kegemaran hampir seluruh masyarakat Bidayuh.

Orang Bidayuh juga mempunyai sambal belacan versi Bidayuh yang berbeza dengan sambal belacan masyarakat Melayu. Sambal belacan masyarakat Bidayuh terdiri dari ikan bilis, belacan dan cili padi sahaja.

Penggunaan ikan sungai yang sesuai seperti tilapia, ikan lampam dan sebagainya adalah sangat penting bagi menghasilkan pekasam yang sempurna.

Salah satu hidangan yang membangkitkan selera dan menjadi kegemaran masyakat Bidayuh adalah sup ikan dengan terung kuning. Terung ini turut dikenali sebagai 'terung dayak' dan berada dalam kategori solanaceae.

Rasa masam terung ini memberi kelainan dalam hidangan dan boleh dicampurkan dengan ikan, ayam atau daging.

Antara lain yang dicampurkan adalah serai, bawang putih, cili serta bahan - bahan lain yang dapat menambahkan rasa yang lebih enak dalam sup ponas.

Samal sorai itu mempunyai aroma yang begitu mengliurkan tambahan pula dicampurkan beberapa bahan lain untuk menghasilkannya. Selain serai, sambal ini turut menggunakan ikan bilis, bawang merah dan bawang putih, cili belacan serta sedikit garam.

Ikan bilis perlu digoreng garing terlebih dahulu sebelum dimasukkan bahan - bahan lain dan digaul bersama. Sambal yang ringkas ini sangat enak dimakan bersama nasi putih dan sering menjadi penambah selera.

Setelah itu, barulah bahan - bahan lain dicampurkan seperti ayam, halia serta arak putih Cina dan dimasak sehingga selesai. Aroma yang terhasil dari hidangan ini membuatkan masyarakat Bidayuh sangat mengaguminya.

Biarpun isam ini kelihatan seperti hidangan ayam pansuh, namun bahan - bahan yang digunakan adalah berbeza. Isam merupakan nasi ayam, manakala manuk pansuh pula ayam yang dimasak bersama pucuk ubi.

Nasi perlu dimasak terlebih dahulu dan disejukkan supaya tidak melekit dan lebih seroi. Ia kemudiannya digaul bersama ayam mentah serta beberapa bahan lain antaranya serai, bawang putih dan juga garam. Setelah itu ia akan dimasukkan ke dalam buluh sedikit demi sedikit.

Hujung buluh ini tersebut akan disumbatkan dengan pucuk ubi sebelum buluh tersebut dibakar selama 40 minit hingga 1 jam. Isam yang telah siap akan dibuang kulitnya terlebih dahulu bagi memudahkan isam dikeluarkan dari buluh. Ianya boleh terus dimakan begitu sahaja kerana rasanya sudah cukup sempurna.

Cara menyediakan hidangan ini mengambil masa yang agak lama. Daun pucuk ubi yang telah dipetik perlu dikeringkan terlebih dahulu di bawah cahaya matahari.

Daun tersebut perlu dimasukkan ke dalam kaca dan dicampurkan bersama bubur nasi yang telah siap masak dan disejukkan. Bahan - bahan ini perlu dibiarkan di dalam balang selama beberapa hari iaitu sekurang - kurangnya lima hari atau lebih lama lagi bergantung kepada kuantiti sebelum ianya boleh dimakan.

Hidangan ini boleh dimakan bersama nasi, malah ia juga boleh dimasak bersama daging ataupun ikan. Biasanya ia juga dihidangkan menjelang musim perayaan dan turut digunakan untuk memasak ayam pansuh.

Kaedah memasak sayur ini hanyalah dengan menggoreng secara ringkas sahaja kerana sayur ini tidak perlu dimasak terlalu lama bagi mengekalkan tekstur sayur tersebut.

Jika negeri Pahang terkenal dengan gulai tempoyak, negeri Sarawak juga tidak kurang hebatnya juga mempunyai hidangan berasaskan tempoyak. Hampir seluruh masyarakat Sarawak sangat menggemari hidangan ini iaitu tempoyak goreng.

Tempoyak antara bahan penting dalam masakan masyarakat Bidayuh. Ia sering digunakan dalam apa jua hidangan mereka.

Hidangan ini biasanya digoreng bersama cili, bawang merah, ikan bilis serta gula. Ia akan digoreng bersama minyak masak dan digoreng sehingga sedikit garing. Biasanya tempoyak goreng ini dimakan bersama nasi putih dan pastinya ia cukup mengliurkan.

Setelah siap dibakar, kulit luar buluh akan dikupas sedikit bagi memudahkan pangkang dikeluarkan hanya menggunakan tangan dengan hanya menarik kulit buluh tersebut. Pangkang ini biasanya dimakan bersama lauk pauk atau boleh dimakan begitu sahaja. Jika pangkang yang dimakan tidak habis, kulit buluh tersebut boleh diikat supaya isi pulutnya tidak terdedah.

Kebanyakan makanan kaum Bidayuh hampir sama dengan masyarakat Iban. Namun, ia agak berbeza dari segi bahan - bahan yang digunakan serta cara menyediakannya. Malah, nama hidangan juga ternyata berbeza.

Makanan tradisi kaum ini juga menggunakan pelbagai bahan yang mudah didapati di kawasan persekitaran. Malah, cara penyediaannya yang masih menggunakan cara konvensional membuatkan makanan tradisi mereka menjadi begitu istimewa.

Ini adalah salah satu cara bagi kaum Bidayuh mengekalkan kewujudan makanan tradisi mereka supaya generasi baru dapat meneruskan legasi makanan tradisi Bidayuh sampai bila - bila. Generasi baru seharusnya meneruskan serta mempertahankan makanan tradisi mereka biarpun telah menetap di bandar - bandar utama.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
17 Makanan Tradisional Kaum Bidayuh Ramai Tak Tahu - Saji.my

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Sarawak memiliki pelbagai etnik yang berbeza. Namun, masyarakat hidup serumpun dan sentiasa saling menghormati satu sama lain. Secara umumnya, masyarakat Dayak terbahagi kepada dua etnik iaitu Dayak Bidayuh dan juga Dayak Iban. Kebanyakan masyarakat Bidayuh menganut agama Kristian, namun ada juga yang beragama Islam tetapi hanyalah sebilangan kecil sahaja.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Photo by: Unilever Food Solutions [Asam Laksa - Recipe]

# data[].attributes.body
Sweet, sour and spicy, asam laksa is arguably Penang’s most famous dish. A bowl of asam laksa comes with white rice noodles, steeped within an asam (also known as tamarind) flavoured soup. Its toppings include generous amounts of shredded fish, sliced pineapples, cucumber, onions, red chillies, lettuce, mint leaves and a dollop of thick prawn paste.  With so many tantalizing flavours coming together, this dish is a definite delight to savour. The smoothness of the noodles, small pieces of fish, shrimp paste, fresh shallots, cucumber, pineapple slices and the slightly spicy sourish soup just complement each other so well.

# data[].attributes.body
Mee Siam or “Siamese noodles” is basically spicy fried rice vermicelli with various toppings such as shrimp, chicken, fried firm tofu, and shredded omelet. Mee Siam is usually served with a piece of kalamansi lime (the juice gives an extra tangy kick to the noodles) and a dollop of sambal on the side. Like nasi lemak, it is often served for breakfast but can be enjoyed widely throughout the day as well.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Dry Mee Siam 干炒米暹 How to cook bee hoon w/o breaking • Mee Siam Goreng • Bihun / Noodle Stir Fry

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Photo by: Rasa Malaysia [Vegeterian Loh Bak]

# data[].attributes.body
Loh Bak is a dish that will be cooked during praying ancestors, festivals. It is one of the Chinese New Year dishes. Penang is mostly Hokkien people, and the Hokkien called it Loh Bak. Generally, in hawker food centres, the Loh Bak is served with fried shrimp cakes, fried tofu and preserved eggs etc. And is also served with unique five spice sauce and chili sauce. It is usually sold in places where Chinese opera troupe is performed at the birth of God. Otherwise, It is also sold in some hawker centres or coffee shops. It is one of the popular Penang hawker foods. There are many different ways of making five-spice meat rolls, some use minced pork, and some cut the pork meat into thin strips. There are several things to pay attention to while making Loh Bak, such as squeezing out the water as much as possible after shredding/shaving Jicama. Otherwise, the jicama will sweating during the marinating process, and the watery filling will cause the bean curd skin easy to break during the wrapping process. Loh Bak is a snack, a dish that is suit to eat with noodles, rice, or a beer. This dish is eaten by poor people in the early days. The leftover meat and vegetables were marinated with five-spice powder and then wrapped with bean curd skin and deep-fried. It is similar to the chicken rolls in Taiwan. It originated in southern Fujian. And it is also known as Ngo Hiang, Lor Bak, Loh Bak, Sausage Pork Rolls, or Chinese meat rolls.

# data[].attributes.body
A pile of steamed lady’s fingers served with a large dollop of sambal belacan is simply a favourite in Baba-Nyonya households. Often, the greens are not purely limited to ladyfingers either. The greens and the sambals are stir-fried together sometimes, but either way, the aromatic sambal belacan (shrimp paste or sauce, combined with red chillies, shallots, and some garlic, then pounded with a pestle and mortar) is a sublime highlight.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Sambal Belacan Bilis Ladies Fingers: 5 Mins & 4 Ingredients Only [SHORTCUT RECIPE]

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Photo by: Malay Mail [Get Your Kuih Angku Fix at Cute Cute Angku]

# data[].attributes.body
Angku Kuih (Red Tortoise Cake) the small dark orange oval nyonya delicacy which is made with glutinous rice flour wrapped with green bean filling. Angku is a small dark orange oval nyonya delicacy which is made with glutinous rice flour wrapped with green bean filling. Angku has a high ritual value and it is commonly used for Chinese prayers and served during baby full moon parties.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Baba dan Nyonya atau Peranakan adalah tergolong sebagai keturunan kaum Cina. Ia antara kaum Cina yang unik kedudukannya kerana hanya terdapat di Negeri-negeri Selat, Tanah Melayu khususnya di negeri Melaka .

Walau bagaimanapun, sebahagian daripada mereka enggan mengakui bahawa mereka berasal dari China. Malah, turut mengakui bahawa mereka merupakan British.

Maka sebab itu, mereka turut menggelar diri sebagai "Baba" atau "Peranakan" kerana kebudayaan mereka yang berasal daripada warisan tradisi Cina. Masyarakat Peranakan ini juga turut mempunyai unsur serta pengaruh budaya Melayu.

Kepelbagaian budaya yang diadaptasi dalam kehidupan pada zaman silam telah menyebabkan berlakunya perkahwinan campur antara Cina dan Melayu. Ini juga menjadi punca utama generasi berikutnya menggelar serta memanggil keturunan mereka sebagai "Baba".

Namun, kebanyakannya masih mengekalkan agama tradisional Cina dan Buddha biarpun ada yang telah memeluk agama lain seperti Kristian.

Pelbagai makanan telah dibawa oleh masyarakat Baba dan Nyonya biarpun mirip masakan Cina dan Melayu. Makanan tradisi masyarakat Baba ini biasanya disajikan pada hari perayaan seperti sambutan Tahun Baru Cina, Hari Lahir atau Majlis Perkahwinan. Di sinilah dihidangkan masakan dan kuih-muih tradisional mereka.

#1. Nasi Kunyit

Nasi Kunyit merupakan beras pulut yang dimasak dengan santan dan kunyit. Ia turut dikenali sebagai nasi kuning. Hidangan nasi ini merupakan hidangan tradisional dan memainkan peranan penting dalam budaya Peranakan Melayu dan Cina di Malaysia.

Nasi kunyit ini dihidangkan bersama kari ayam, malah juga enak dimakan bersama rendang. Ia turut dihidangkan bersama telur rebus berwarna merah semasa perayaan bulan pertama untuk bayi.

Bayi yang berusia sebulan akan diperkenalkan secara rasmi kepada kaum keluarga dan saudara mara semasa sambutan ini. Ia juga menandakan berakhirnya tempoh pantang / kurungan bagi ibu baru. Warna kuning nasi ini membawa maksud kekayaan serta royalti yang baik.

#2. Acar Ikan

Acar awak merupakan sayur - sayuran yang telah dijeruk serta diperasakan menggunakan bahan - bahan khusus. Acar ini mempunyai rasa masin dan manis serta pedas turut membangkitkan selera.

Hidangan ini sememangnya terkenal di kalangan masyarakat Baba dan Nyonya. Biasanya ia disediakan dalam jumlah yang banyak dan disimpan di dalam botol kaca, malah ia boleh disimpan lama.

Acar ini sememangnya enak dimakan bersama nasi putih dan ada juga yang menikmatinya bersama nasi lemak. Biarpun hidangan semakin dilu

#3. Laksa Nyonya

Laksa adalah merupakan hidangan berkuah pedas yang popular di kalangan masyarakat Peranakan di Asia Tenggara. Ia diperbuat daripada mee gandum tebal atau bihun yang dimakan bersama ayam, udang atau ikan serta disajikan bersama kuah pedas berasaskan kari.

Masyarakat Peranakan di Melaka adalah keturunan puteri Cina yang bernikah dengan Sultan Melaka pada abad ke-15. Mereka mempunyai tradisi dan resipi mereka sendiri yang merupakan perpaduan kedua budaya ini - Melayu dan Cina.

Oleh itu, hidangan laksa Nyonya ini dipengaruhi oleh gabungan dua budaya maka terhasillah hidangan ini.

#4. Ayam Pongteh

Ayam Pongteh adalah hidangan Baba dan Nyonya. Ia diperbuat daripada ayam, kentang dan kicap manis dan gula Melaka sebagai penambah perisa. Hidangan ini begitu enak sekali dan sering dijadikan hidangan tengahari mahupun malam.

Ayam Pongteh adalah hidangan khas Peranakan yang menggunakan kacang soya fermentasi sebagai bahan utamanya. Ia direbus bersama-sama dengan kentang di atas api yang kecil bersama kicap dan gula Melaka sehingga lembut.

Hidangan ini mempunyai rasa yang sedikit manis dan terbaik disajikan dengan nasi.

#5. Ayam Buah Keluak

Ayam Buah Keluak adalah hidangan penting bagi masyarakat Peranakan. Ia menjadi ikon dan sinonim terhadap budaya yang terpahat di hati mereka. Dahulunya, bagi majlis - majlis keraian, hidangan ayam buah keluak ini akan diletakkan di atas - atas meja panjang yang dipanggil Tok Panjang.

Namun, situasi tersebut sudah agak dilupakan. Ia sebenarnya merupakan sejenis kari Baba dan Nyonya yang dimasak bersama buah keluak. Buah ini juga turut dikenali dengan nama buah kepayang diperoleh daripada pokok kepayang.

Hidangan ini mungkin nampak sama seperti hidangan lain, namun penggunaan buah keluak bagi hidangan ini telah memberi rasa yang berbeza. Walaubagaimanapun, hidangan ini mungkin sukar untuk diperolehi pada masa ini kerana kesukaran untuk mendapatkan buah keluak yang sudah semakin sukar diperolehi.

Proses untuk mendapatkan biji buah keluak ini yang agak sukar serta remeh menyebabkan hidangan ini semakin kurang mendapat sambutan.

#6. Itik Tim

Itik Tim merupakan hidangan sup yang terdiri dari itik, sayuran seperti sawi, tomato, cendawam cina, kubis, cili serta buah pala. Ia merupakan hidangan wajib semasa menyambut hari perayaan. Ini adalah kerana ia merupakan makanan tradisional yang masih dipraktikkan sehingga ke hari ini.

Hidangan ini mempunyai ramuan rahsia yang tersendiri di mana itik tersebut perlu direndam serta direbus terlebih dahulu sehari sebelumnya. Proses ini dilakukan bagi mendapatkan hasil atau rasa yang lebih memuaskan. Lebih lama itik tersebut direndam, maka lebih sedap rasa itik tersebut.

#7. Ayam Masak Cili

Masyarakat Peranakan turut mempunyai hidangan ayam masak cili yang tersendiri. Hidangan ini tidak jauh beza dengan makanan masyarakat lain. Namun, bagi ayam masak cili ini, mereka biasanya menggunakan pes cili yang agak banyak kira - kira setengah mangkuk.

Ini kerana golongan Baba dan Nyonya sangat menggemari hidangan pedas. Selain pes cili, bawang yang telah ditumis juga dimasukkan dengan banyak iaitu separuh bekas. Ini telah memberi aroma yang lebih wangi serta menyelerakan.

Di sinilah perbezaan cara penyediaan hidangan masyarakat Peranakan dengan hidangan masyarakat Melayu.

Ikan Gerang Asam antara salah satu hidangan Peranakan. Ia merupakan hidangan klasik orang Peranakan dan semakin tidak dikenali.

Hidangan ini menggunakan rempah ratus yang berbeza biarpun nampak sama seperti hidangan masakan Melayu. Penggunaan rempah yang unik di mana ia menggunakan rempah yang digabungkan bersama asam jawa menjadikan hidangan ini bernama "rempah gerang asam".

Rempah ini memberi rasa asas dalam masakan Peranakan. Pelbagai jenis ikan boleh digunakan bagi menghasilkan hidangan ini antaranya ikan tenggiri, ikan merah, ikan kembong, selar dan banyak lagi.

Hidangan ini juga boleh menggunakan belimbing buluh, selain asam jawa. Ia turut menggunakan daun limau purut bagi memberi aroma yang lebih menarik. Ikan Gerang asam mungkin seakan asam pedas, namun rasanya sememangnya berbeza.

Inchi Kabin merupakan hidangan ayam goreng ala Nyonya yang diperap bersama 5jenis rempah dan santan. Inchi Kabin adalah sangat flavourful kerana bahan-bahan yang digunakan dalam perapan.

Ayam akan diperap terlebih dahulu bersama serbuk rempah 5 rasa, akar ketumbar serta santan. Penggabungan bahan - bahan ini menghasilkan rempah yang mantap serta berkrim, malah begitu enak sekali.

Serbuk rempah 5 rasa ini sebenarnya memainkan peranan utama dalam memberi rasa yang menakjubkan. Bahan-bahan yang digunakan untuk membuat serbuk lima rempah adalah berbeza-beza. Tetapi yang paling biasa adalah bunga lawang, bunga cengkih, jintan, kulit kayu manis dan lada hitam.

Bahan - bahan ini memberi rasa manis, masam pahit, pedas dan juga masin.

#10. Kari Kapitan

Kari kapitan merupakan hidangan yang menggabungkan pelbagai budaya yang terdapat di Malaysia, yang terdiri dari Melayu, Cina dan India. Hidangan kari ayam Nyonya ini terhasil dari interaksi kompleks dari pelbagai ramuan serta rempah ratus yang digunakan oleh orang Melayu dan Cina.

Kari kapitan ini rasanya sangat pedas kerana penggunaan cili yang begitu banyak serta bahan mentah lain seperti kunyit, pes udang, asam jawa dan juga santan. Kari ini juga agak berbeza rasanya kerana turut menggunakan serai, halia dan belacan untuk menyediakannya.

#11. Kerabu Bihun

Masyarakat Peranakan turut memiliki hidangan kerabu yang tersendiri. Ia adalah kerabu bihun yang sememangnya enak. Kerabu bihun ini tidaklah sukar atau rumit untuk disediakan.

Namun, bahan - bahan yang diperlukan untuk menyediakannya agak rumit. Antara bahan yang diperlukan adalah seperti daun limau purut, sirih, bawang merah, bunga halia, daun pudina, isi kelapa yang dicincang, cili, serta limau kasturi.

Bahan - bahan ini akan dicampurkan kesemuanya, dan bihun tersebut perlu dicelur terlebih dahulu. Hidangan ini memiliki rasa masam, manis dan pedas yang pastinya begitu menyelerakan. Warna - warni kehadiran kesemua bahan yang digunakan begitu menarik sekali.

#12. Jiu Hu Char

Hidangan ini biasanya disajikan semasa menjelang hari perayaan bagi masyarakat Baba dan Nyonya. Jiu Hu Char terdiri daripada sotong kembang bersama sayur - sayuran seperti cendawan, lobak merah, capsicum, kubis dan banyak lagi. Sotong yang digunakan akan dicincang terlebih dahulu sebelum dimasak.

Ia juga dicampurkan dengan minyak bijan, sos tiram, air, garam dan gula serta minyak masak untuk menumis. Rasanya ringkas tetapi keenakannya tetap terserlah.

#13. Pie Tee

Kuih pie tee juga turut dikenali dengan nama top hat. Ia sering dijadikan sebagai hidangan pembuka selera yang terdiri dari kulit pie tee bersama sayuran, kacang goreng serta sos. Antara ramuan lain adalah udang yang boleh dimasukkan bersama.

Kulit pie tee ini diperbuat daripada adunan tepung beras, tepung gandum dan tepung beras. Ia juga menggunakan sebiji telur dan sedikit garam. Bagi membuat kulit pie tee, acuan khas akan digunakan bagi membentuk mangkuk pie tee.

Pie tee antara hidangan masyarakat Peranakan yang begitu popular. Ia juga boleh dijadikan snek untuk minum petang kerana hidangannya yang cukup ringkas.

#14. Kuih Ang Ku

Kuih Ang Ku ini merupakan salah satu kuih tradisional Baba dan Nyonya. Ia berbentuk bulat kecil serta bujur di mana sekelilingnya terdapat tepung beras. Kuih ini agak melekit dan rasanya pula adalah manis.

Kuih ini kelihatan seperti kulit kura - kura di sebelah luarannya dan ia diletakkan di atas sekeping daun pisang. Kuih ang ku atau kuih kura - kura ini berwarna merah dan memiliki tekstur yang agak kenyal.

Rupabentuk yang seakan kura - kura ini kerana orang China percaya bahawa secara tradisinya memakan kura - kura akan memanjangkan umur bagi yang memakannya. Ia juga dikatakan boleh membawa nasib yang baik serta kemakmuran.

Kuih ini biasanya sering dihidangkan menjelang majlis - majlis penting seperti majlis kelahiran bayi yang genap sebulan dan juga semasa hari lahir warga tua. Tujuannya supaya kanak-kanak tersebut dirahmati dan warga tua dipanjangkan umur.

Pada zaman moden sekarang ini, kuih ini telah menjadi satu barangan yang penting semasa perayaan Cina seperti di Negara Singapura, Malaysia, Indonesia, China dan banyak lagi. Kuih ini juga boleh didapati di kedai-kedai pastri dan kedai roti.

#15. Kuih Chang

Kuih chang yang menjadi hidangan tradisional masyarakat Baba dan Nyonya ini juga turut dikenali dengan nama zongzi. Ia diperbuat daripada beras pulut yang dicampur bersama bahan - bahan lain ayam, sos tiram, kicap pekar, kicap cair, rempah, minyak bijan, bawang, kekacang dan banyak lagi.

Kuih ini dibungkus menggunakan daun buluh, daun teratai, daun jagung atau daun pandan dan berbentuk seakan segi tiga. Ia dimasak menggunakan kaedah mengukus atau di dalam air yang mendidih.

Kuih chang ini biasanya dimakan semasa Festival Duanwu (Festival Bot Naga) yang jatuh pad ahari kelima, bulan kelima calendar lunar. Ia bersamaan kira - kira akhir bulan Mei hingga pertengahan bulan Jun.

Ia dikatakan bagi memperingati kematian Qu Yan, seorang penyair terkenal dari dari kerajaan Chu yang hidup semasa tempoh Perang Amerika. Beliau dikatakan memiliki semangat patriotism yang tinggi.

Kesimpulan

Masyarakat Baba dan Nyonya sememangnya terkenal di negeri Melaka. Malah, ia juga terkenal dengan makanan tradisinya yang diperturunkan sejak dahulu lagi. Kebanyakan makanan Baba dan Nyonya dipengaruhi oleh makanan Cina dan juga Melayu.

Ini bukanlah sesuatu yang asing kerana kehadiran mereka di kawasan sekitar yang ramai masyarakat Cina dan Melayu mempengaruhi budaya serta kehidupan mereka. Masyarakat Peranakan ini hanya boleh dilihat di kawasan sekitar negeri Melaka sahaja.

Pemakaian baju tradisional seakan - akan baju tradisional masyarakat Melayu sungguh unik namun di sinilah perbezaan ketara yang dapat kita lihat. Pengaruh masyarakat Melayu dan Cina terhadap masyarakat Peranakan membuatkan makanan mereka mungkin kelihatan hampir sama dengan makanan orang Melayu dan juga Cina.

Namun begitu, makanan Baba dan Nyonya ternyata memiliki perbezaan serta keunikan yang tersendiri.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
15 Makanan Baba dan Nyonya Yang Kian Hilang - Saji.my

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Baba dan Nyonya atau Peranakan adalah tergolong sebagai keturunan kaum Cina. Ia antara kaum Cina yang unik kedudukannya kerana hanya terdapat di Negeri-negeri Selat, Tanah Melayu khususnya di negeri Melaka . Walau bagaimanapun, sebahagian daripada mereka enggan mengakui bahawa mereka berasal dari China. Malah, turut mengakui bahawa mereka merupakan British.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Photo by: Yakin [Khasiat Buah Bambangan Rawat Kanser]

# data[].attributes.body
A type of jungle mango that can be found in Borneo, the Bambangan flesh is sweet and sour with a pungent scent. Usually, it is pickled with salt and eaten as an appetiser called Nonsom Bambangan, which means “marinated Bambangan” in the Kadazan language.

# data[].attributes.body
Tuhau is one of the most popular traditional food in Sabah and popular among the Kadazandusun community. It is actually a wild ginger that grows in Sabah Borneo jungle that doesn't taste like those normal ginger. Tuhau is actually a condiment in Kadazandusun traditional dishes. It can be pickled or cooked in various methods of cooking that depends on your taste, origins, and creativity. The main ingredients of Tuhau is lime, chillies, garlic and apple cider vinager.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
CARA MEMBUAT JERUK TUHAU DENGAN MUDAH DAN RINGKAS | FERMENTED ETLINGERA COCCINEA

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Photo by: Unilever Food Solutions [Hinava - Recipe]

# data[].attributes.body
Hinava is a traditional Kadazan Dusun dish which is loved by many Sabahans. They would often serve Hinava during the Kaamatan Festival, also often called as the Rice Harvest Festival. Besides that, they also serve it during special occasions such as during weddings. Although the standard fish that is used in making this dish would be mackerel, other types of seafood has been found to be used as well such as shark, fil squid, and shrimp. This dish tastes best when eaten on its own as an appetizer. However, most people enjoy it better when serve with bowl of rice.

# data[].attributes.body
Known also as pinasakan sada, or pinarasakan, this Kadazandusun dish features the basung fish, or a big-eye scad the fish is braised with a tangy wild fruit known as takob akob which is similar to asam keping or failing that, tamarind pieces, fresh turmeric, salt and sometimes, bambangan. It’s braised until much of the liquid has evaporated. The fish takes on a slightly sour taste but a good pinasakan should have a balance of saltiness as well. A dish born out of necessity, pinasakan was a way to preserve food so it can last several days. It is eaten with rice normally, although some eat it with ambuyat.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Ropuhan Di Tanak Wagu / Bachelor's Kitchen

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Resepi Pinasakan Bosungan / Ikan Basung Masak Ampap

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
As a generation raised on Happy Meals and supermarket convenience, younger Kadazandusuns may not be entirely familiar with the flavours of their native foods, let alone the vocabulary around it.

Take takob akob for instance, a fruit often described as a 'wild' mangosteen whose dried peel is used as a sour element in dishes. Its mouth-puckering quality is immediate when the fruit is eaten fresh. Tuhau resembles a hybrid of bunga kantan and lengkuas; its sharp aroma is nothing like its common ginger counterpart. Then there's bosou, a fermented white fish with a strong smell that leaves sour and bitter notes in the mouth.

In an age shaped by globalisation, native cuisine in all its tanginess and pungency has become an 'acquired taste'. There are those who grew up with these flavours who would rather leave them behind. Anjelen Daransun is the Socioeconomic Program Director for indigenous community organisation PACOS Trust, whose work now involves getting youths to take on traditional farming as a means to become food secure.

"It's difficult. In the kampung, they want to leave what they already have, says Anjelen. Many are inclined to forsake the land, rivers and jungle that could mean having ownership over food production. Swathes of land that could be cultivated for food crops are traded in for cash crops like palm oil instead. And new ways of eating, she adds, include a preference for Maggi Mee and canned sardines.

But when nasi lemak, roti canai and char kuey teow dominate the conversations about Malaysian food, perhaps that is just what becomes of Malaysian cuisines that aren't represented fairly. And unlike instant noodles, fermented fish or foraged plants are foods you have to work for-and one can see why the former is an easier choice. It's this trend that PACOS hopes to change through initiatives like Kivatu Nature Farm (KNF) to inspire the cultivation and use of native ingredients.

PACOS Human Resource Coordinator Claudia Lasimbang concurs. "We introduce modern techniques to farming that can increase crop yield and teach food processing. It's part of the process of people becoming more confident in their wellbeing and livelihoods," she says. Anjelen adds that food farming can exist alongside money-making crop production.

But oftentimes, KNF initiatives fall short of attracting a younger audience. The ones that usually come through programmes that build rural capacity are older folks who are perhaps reconciling themselves with forgotten ways. Anjelen says she's been to workshops specifically tailored to the younger crowd, but they are choosing popular mobile game PUBG over learning in their seats. The dichotomy between urban and rural mindsets is apparent. In the city, folks have the privilege of being swayed by global trends favouring all things organic, gluten-free, and vegan. But the grass is greener for rural folks.

Plus, following oral traditions, losing the Kadazandusun language could also mean losing the cuisine. Wisdom is passed down through spoken word like rhymes and rinait used to bless the paddy fields and more.

Drawing from her personal experience growing up, Claudia recalls specific words used for activities like foraging for lomiding (wild fern or paku pakis) or bamboo shoots. 'Jaga pias', or 'watch out for that cliff! [were phrases] we could understand by seeing and experiencing, she says. It's different from simply asking: 'What's for breakfast?' The gap is as much in communication as it is in culture.

On top of that, modern café owners are peppering Kadazandusun ingredients into their menus to tease interest. Part of the journey in preserving culture and identity is through its food, says 30-year-old Hazli Bojili. He co-runs The Sixpack Baker with his 70-year-old mother Norhanida Annol. Part of his work at the cafe is to make native ingredients more accessible to the modern psyche.

"Our [local] food can be quite strange. Even I find it geli sometimes," he says with candour. At his 'hidden' café that was only set up post-MCO, Hazli uses tuhau in a pizza; opts for sambal takob akob or bambangan in his nasi lemak; and uses the cheaper and more accessible kodop for mushroom soup.

"I have a sense of what people my age might want to eat, and my mum has the knowledge of tradition. Together we're trying to find common ground and fuse those ways. As long as we're keeping to the values of the culture and understanding the essence of those ingredients, I think it's okay," says Hazli. His mother agrees. "Adaptation to a modern way of doing things can make it more interesting. What's important is we don't lose our way of life," she says.

Ropuhan di Tanak Wagu , meanwhile, is the brainchild of 36-year-old Pison Jaujip, and roughly translates to The Young Lad's Kitchen. In early 2016, Pison used a similar approach to get the social media generation interested in native foods.

"I started on Facebook. Back then I would post 'fusion' recipes like pancakes topped with our own 'beri hutan' gosing," he says. Gosing is a type of wildberry that's quickly being removed from Sabah's food vernacular.

Pison's Instagram and Facebook pages combined have attracted some 72,000 followers. But his job is far from done. "I've moved away from posting fusion recipes. I now focus on traditional recipes, as well as posting about ingredients because I feel that local produce needs to be valued more often," he says.

Traditional recipes that Pison uses are passed down from his grandmother, and he fears they will be lost forever. The food influencer also notes a struggle with getting ingredients he grew up with at the tamu or market

"Nowadays when I go to the tamu all I see are tuhau, bambangan, losun, itu-itu saja," he says. Wild ingredients like tanggianggi, a fruit bearing the taste of passionfruit and a sweet scent resembling vanilla, are harder to find when jungles get turned into estates. When Pison asks tamu sellers about other ingredients, they would tell him "tiada permintaan bah, nak".

Perhaps the old ways are seen as primitive, The Sixpack Baker's Norhanida says. Her son Hazli interrupts to add that during last year's state-level Kaamatan festivities at Hongkod Koisaan, his mother's traditional food stall didn't do so well. Customers were going around looking for nuggets and french fries as pusas or snacks, instead.

"I'd like to change that mindset. Primitive is natural, organic and most importantly, nutritious. Food is health," says Norhanida, who also serves as chairperson for the North Borneo Herbal Growers Association.

Before it could get its stamp, Kadazandusun cuisine was already being replaced by other types of foods and ingredients from majority cultures in Malaysia. Hazli says: "It's like it got lost in the making."

**
Born and raised in Sabah, Natasha Sim enjoys a bowl of ngiu chap for breakfast.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Keeping Kadazandusun cuisine alive for another generation: Kadazandusun cuisine and its future | Periuk.my

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
As a generation raised on Happy Meals and supermarket convenience, younger Kadazandusuns may not be entirely familiar with the flavours of their native foods, let alone the vocabulary around it. Take takob akob for instance, a fruit often described as a 'wild' mangosteen whose dried peel is used as a sour element in dishes.

# data[].attributes.body
Roti Canai is a dish that was brought over from India by the Indian Muslims, also known as "Mamaks" in Malaysia. "Roti" is the Malay word for bread meanwhile, "Canai" comes from the word "Chennai" which is the original name of the city of Madras in India. By that, Roti Canai literally means "bread from Chennai".

Roti Canai shares many ingredients used in cakes and pastries such as wheat flour, eggs, salt, sugar and water. Margarine or ghee and condensed milk bring forth the bread’s unique satisfying taste and flavour. The action of throwing, spinning, twirling and tossing a fist-sized dough, stretching and flattening it into a papery thin “disc” of about 40cm diameter is certainly not an easy task. Repeated oiling and folding turns it into a smaller disc-like piece of dough ready to be cooked on a hot griddle. When the white dough turns opaque and becomes light golden brown in colour, it is ready to be served. The flaky multi-layered bread is crisp yet fluffy. It is served with a mixture of curries and dhal gravy.

Traditionally, Roti Canai is a breakfast dish but some people enjoy eating Roti Canai at night too.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Membuat Sendiri Roti Canai Dirumah..Tak Perlu Lagi Makan MAMAK

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Photo by: Azie Kitchen [Mee Goreng Mamak]

# data[].attributes.body
Mee Goreng Mamak is one of the most popular fried noodle dishes in Malaysia. Mee Goreng Mamak or translated Fried Noodle Mamak style is originated from the Indian Muslim community. It is a famous hawker food in Malaysia. The dish comes in many version. It can be served with fish cakes, chicken, eggs, prawns, squids, beancurd fried, limes and chilies. This dish is usually for breakfast and dinner.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Photo by: Penang Foodie [Top 5 Best Pasembur to Eat in Penang]

# data[].attributes.body
Pasembur is an Indian Muslim rojak consisting of shredded vegetables, eggs, tofu, and fritters drenched in a spiced sweet potato dressing. Pasembur is popular in Penang and also known as "Indian Rojak" for some people. The Penang pasembur is an Indian Muslim dish that is often served along with the mamak mee goreng (Indian Muslim fried yellow noodles) as a sort of appetiser. Many mee goreng stalls offer pasembur too due to the similar sauce that they use in both dishes.

# data[].attributes.body
The name ‘nasi kandar’ means ‘rice that is carried on the shoulder’. It is coined from the word nasi which is rice in Malay and kandar an Urdu word which means ‘shoulder’, referring to the act of carrying the pole as well as the pole itself. Rice vendors would simply walk around on foot selling their ‘wares’ to whoever wanted a quick, easy and filling meal. It wasn’t until the 1970s that the humble nasi kandar evolved into the restaurant businesses and become Malaysian's all time favourite. Nasi Kandar is one of the dishes that can be eaten during breakfast, lunch and dinner.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
DARI DAPUR CIKNA: RESEPI 12 - NASI KANDAR ( NASI KANDAQ org utara panggil)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
"Mamak" food, or "Indian Muslim" foods, are popular among Malaysians, whether as breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner or supper, Malaysians simply love them. Below, we have ranked the most common "Mamak" foods in Malaysia.

1 - Naan with Tandoori Chicken is a oven-baked flatbread originated from South Asia. Naan can be eaten as a dish itself or together with Tandoori Chicken, roasted Indian chicken.

2 - Mamak rojak, also known as Indian rojak is also a popular fare among the patrons. It contains fried dough fritters, bean curds, boiled potatoes, prawn fritters, hard boiled eggs, bean sprouts and cucumber mixed with a sweet thick, spicy peanut sauce.

3 - Chapati Chapati is popular Indian dish that is readily available in most "mamak stalls". Chapati is a bread made of whole-wheat flour.

4 - Nasi Kandar is a popular Malaysian dish from Penang. Nasi Kandar is a rice dishes usually accompanied by side dishes such as fried chicken, fried prawns, fried squid, bitter gourd together with mixture of curry sauces.

5 - Roti Telur Roti telur is like roti canai except that it is the egg version.

6 - Nasi lemak, Malaysian favorite dish, also the national dish of Malaysia, consists of fragrant rice cooked with coconut cream with ingredients such as anchovies, roasted peanuts, slices of cucumbers, boiled egg and chilli sauces and is usually served on a banana leaf.

7 - Maggi goreng is a common dish in Indian Muslim food stalls. Instead of using the normal noodles, "Maggi" instant noodles is stir-fried with vegetables and eggs to create "Maggi goreng".

8 - Thosai Like Chapati, Thosai is a popular Indian cuisine that can be found in "mamak stalls" and Indian restaurants in Malaysia. Thosai, crepe-look-alike, is made from rice batter and bean. There are many variations of thosai, the popular one being Thosai Masala, Thosai stuffed with potatoes.

9 - Roti canai is one of the most popular food in Malaysia "mamak stalls". Usually consumed with curry, roti canai is perfect for breakfast or supper.

10 - Teh tarik, which literally means "pulled" tea is a hot tea drink that must not be missed in "mamak stalls". The tea is made by pouring forth and back between two vessels giving it a thick frothy top.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Top 10 Most Ordered Mamak Foods in Malaysia

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
"Mamak" food, or "Indian Muslim" foods, are popular among Malaysians, whether as breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner or supper, Malaysians simply love them. Below, we have ranked the most common "Mamak" foods in Malaysia. 1 - Naan with Tandoori Chicken is a oven-baked flatbread originated from South Asia.

# data[].attributes.body
Forest Spikes or also known as Pucuk Seliley by the Orang Asli community normally mixed together with Cassava (ubi kayu) and then cooked together as a ‘Gulai’.

This dish can be eaten with rice, salted fish and sambal.

# data[].attributes.body
Pulut Kukus Periuk Kera is one of the popular dish in Orang Asli community. This dish is very unique because the glutinous rice (pulut) is put in a pot then steamed before eating. In the past, the Orang Asli community use huma rice to steam glutinous rice in the pot. The use of the Periuk Kera shows the close relationship between the Orang Asli community and the nature.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Photo by: Maggi.my [Ayam Pansuh Air Tangan Sarawak]

# data[].attributes.body
The tradition of cooking bamboo chicken or better known as Ayam Pansuh has been practiced for generations by the Orang Asli community. The uniqueness in Ayam Pansuh is that it brings a very fragrant smell because of its spices. Ayam Pansuh can be eaten with rice during lunch.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
For your next party, would you consider an Orang Asli theme? There are beautiful possibilities, as Ramli Ibrahim and Sabera Shaik proved at a recent Orang Asli dinner party held at Sutra House in Titiwangsa, Kuala Lumpur.

Guests were welcomed at the gate with a crown ( tempok) and sash woven with palm fronds in geometric patterns - some so intricate and pretty they garnered envious glances from other guests.

The haunting song from a nose flute fluttered across the lawn and hung in the air, casting enchanting spells into the night.

The Temiar, who call themselves the people of the forest, often engage in singing, dancing and music to celebrate the joy of gathering.

Songs come to the Temiar in a dream, via animated spirits in their environment. And the timbre of the flute invoke spirits from their slumber within leaves, barks and trees.

Thus awakened, the scene was set for an evening celebrated through music, crafts and food of the Orang Asli, the first people of Peninsular Malaysia who now make up less than 1% of the population.

The Night of Authentic Temiar Cuisine by the Orang Asli of Santih in Perak, was hosted by actress Sabera in association with Sutra Foundation, Jabatan Kemajuan Orang Asli (Jakoa) and Yayasan MyNadi & Semesta Orang Asli Malaysia.

Leading the Orang Asli team was Busu Ngah, the DJ of Asyik FM of RTM.

We mingled, glass of refreshing pandan-ginger drink in hand, nibbling on "canapes" of fried tapioca: " ubi kayu goreng semasa" and " ubi kayu kennem goreng semasa " - "semasa" referring to the snacks being freshly fried.

Ubi kayu kennem is a fritter made of grated tapioca that has been soaked in water for several days until it ferments. The result is a chewy texture, a slight whiff of fermentation and a more wholesome, cultured food.

Chief cook Busu Adik said the fried tapioca are what they often have for breakfast or a snack back in the village. I thought it could be quite delicious served with a dip, but that's just my urban palate talking.

"This is the first time that we are cooking in the big city," Busu said, eyes shiny.

The preparation had started weeks before with the gathering of firewood and bamboo logs from the forest fringe. The best firewood for cooking is hardwood from the rambutan tree.

" Kayu rambutan cantik untuk memasak," said Busu in fluent Malay, and praised its consistent flame and smokey aroma.

In a pinch, other dried woods like bamboo and branches can be used. For this dinner, Busu said his team of eight cooks from the village followed the traditional Temiar way of cooking food in bamboo.

"But we are free to mix [ingredients and seasonings] when we cook. We can use whatever is on hand. We line bamboo with leaves to cook rice. We don't always take spices. Chilli is not from the forest; it is not our traditional food. But we have learnt to like it."

The Temiar of Santih has settled into a regular village routine and "only go into the forest if we need to look for specific items - like cane to build homes - but we will pick edible leaves whenever we come across them".

It's a good four to five hours' trek to reach the inner sanctum of the forest. For their daily needs, they have learnt to plant vegetables and fruit trees around their homes, buy from the local market, or forage in nearby growths of vegetation.

Traditional Temiar cuisine is cooked mostly in bamboo. Vegetables like tapioca leaves, forest ferns ( paku) and palm pith ( umbut bayas), and root vegetables like various types of tapioca and sweet potato, meat and fish, as well as rice, are wrapped in aromatic leaves, barely seasoned, and stuffed into lengths of bamboo and cooked slowly over an open fire.

The food is pressure-steamed inside the bamboo, cooking in its own juice. Everything is cooked at the same time, in different lengths of bamboo lined up against the smoldering wood.

"You know it is cooked when there is a lot of smoke coming out of the bamboo, but there should still be juice left inside," said Busu. The bamboo is split into two to serve.

"I like the food of the Orang Asli because it does not have the over spiciness that destroys the inherent taste of food," said Ramli, legendary Indian classical dancer, founder of Sutra Dance Theatre, and friend of the Orang Asli.

"I like raw things which do not have an imposed sophistication; this is what we are looking for with the foraging trend - sorry Europe, but we have always foraged!

"I have always been a dancer who is anthropologically curious. So I've always gone to visit the Mah Meri tribe in Pulau Carey, and later, the Temiar in Santih.

"Food came into the picture when we went to the village and asked them to cook. I realised then that we also have an Orang Asli cuisine.

"We are hoping to have a major Orang Asli festival later this year or the next, and I thought, why don't we look at the specific lifestyle where cooking is concerned.

"Most people do not truly know about the Orang Asli lifestyle and what is happening in their world; we thought this party would be a good introduction," said Ramli.

"The Temiar culture is a passive and gentle one and there is much we can learn from them about living in harmony with nature. They live a life that is organic and ecological with a low carbon footprint - everything is recycled or recyclable."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
from forest to plate: an introduction to orang asli cuisine

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
From forest to plate: An introduction to Orang Asli cuisine

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
For your next party, would you consider an Orang Asli theme? There are beautiful possibilities, as Ramli Ibrahim and Sabera Shaik proved at a recent Orang Asli dinner party held at Sutra House in Titiwangsa, Kuala Lumpur.