What to Eat in Malaysia: Indigenous and East Malaysian Traditions

Malaysia’s Borneo states, Sabah and Sarawak, sit between rainforest highlands and fisheries-rich coasts. Equatorial heat, heavy rainfall, and cool valleys shape what grows and how it’s cooked. Rice and sago anchor meals, while foraged ferns, wild gingers, and seasonal fruits add variety.

Indigenous communities—Kadazan-Dusun, Iban, Bidayuh, Melanau, Kelabit, and Lun Bawang—favor bamboo cooking, smoking, and fermentation to preserve flavor in humid weather. Markets start early, and festivals follow harvests and tides, keeping meals tied to place, season, and ceremony.

Manok pansoh, also called ayam pansuh, is an Iban and Bidayuh staple in Sarawak where chicken is sealed in green bamboo with aromatics and cooked over fire. Chopped chicken is seasoned with salt, bruised lemongrass, ginger, garlic, and sometimes galangal, then packed with tapioca leaves and a splash of water. The bamboo traps steam and juices, yielding tender meat and a clear, fragrant broth with gentle smokiness. The flavors are herbaceous rather than spicy, with soft greens contrasting succulent chicken. Traditionally prepared for Gawai Dayak and longhouse ceremonies, it showcases communal labor—cutting bamboo, building fires, tending multiple tubes to feed a crowd. While rural cooks still use fresh bamboo, home versions mimic the method in lidded pots. It’s commonly served midday or at evening gatherings alongside rice, jungle ferns, and smoked fish, with broth poured over rice for comfort in damp, rainy weather.

Umai is a Melanau raw fish salad from Sarawak’s coastal towns, especially associated with fishing communities around Mukah. Firm fish such as mackerel or trevally is thinly sliced and briefly cured with calamansi or lime juice, salt, sliced shallots, and hot chilies; some households add ginger for warmth or a pinch of sugar to balance acidity. The result is bright and bracing: citrusy, lightly salted, and crunchy from onions, with fish that remains silky yet pleasantly taut. Its quick, no-heat method suits humid afternoons and the need to eat catch-fresh seafood. Culturally, umai is tied to the sea calendar and appears during the Kaul festival, when the Melanau honor river and ocean spirits. It’s eaten as a standalone bowl or with rice and sago products, often at lunch when boats return. For many families, the dish celebrates skill in selecting ultra-fresh fish and the value of restraint in seasoning.

Ambuyat, known as linut in parts of Sarawak, turns sago palm starch into a glossy, elastic staple. Boiling water is beaten into the starch until a translucent paste forms, kept warm and shared from a central bowl. Eaters twirl small portions with sticks or chopsticks and dip them into assertive sauces such as sambal belacan, sour binjai fruit relishes, or tempoyak made from fermented durian. The paste itself is neutral and slightly slippery, acting as a vehicle for tart, spicy, and savory flavors; its gentle warmth and soft texture are soothing in the tropical heat. Historically important where sago thrives in peat-swamp and riverine zones, the dish remains common in coastal and estuarine households of Sabah and Sarawak. It appears at family dinners and community events, often beside grilled fish, leafy stir-fries, or salted seafood. Ambuyat/linut underscores how local ecology—rumbia palms in waterlogged soils—shaped daily sustenance.

Hinava is a hallmark of Kadazan-Dusun cuisine in Sabah, a citrus-cured fish preparation emphasizing freshness and clarity. Boneless slices of fish—often mackerel or small coastal species—are mixed with lime or calamansi juice, grated ginger, sliced shallots, and bird’s eye chilies, then seasoned with salt. Some families include thin bitter gourd slices for a gentle bite and extra crunch. The cure is quick, keeping the fish tender and almost glossy; the flavors are clean and zesty, with ginger heat and sharp chilies brightened by citrus oils. Hinava often opens celebratory spreads and appears prominently during Kaamatan, the harvest festival marking the rice cycle. It’s eaten as an appetizer or side with warm rice, complementing heavier stews and grilled meats. Morning market versions sell out early, reflecting the community’s insistence on just-caught fish and careful knife work that define the dish’s texture.

Nuba laya anchors meals in the Kelabit and Lun Bawang highlands of northern Sarawak, where cool nights and clear streams favor heirloom beras adan (often called Bario rice). The rice is cooked soft, then gently pounded and shaped while hot into compact portions wrapped in aromatic isip leaves. The wrapping keeps rice moist and portable, suitable for fieldwork and travel, and imparts a subtle leaf fragrance. Texture sits between fluffy and lightly sticky, ideal for picking up sauces and gravies. Nuba laya is paired with smoked meats (salai), river fish, wild vegetable stir-fries like paku and midin, or tangy stews of mountain vegetables. Beyond daily use, it features at communal gatherings and harvest celebrations, symbolizing upland self-sufficiency and the careful stewardship of rice terraces. In towns like Bario, it’s commonly eaten at lunch and dinner, providing steady energy in the cool, misty climate.

Indigenous cooking in Malaysia’s Borneo states thrives on place-based techniques—bamboo steaming, salai smoking, quick citrus cures, and sago pastes adapted to wetlands. Seasonal produce and freshwater or coastal catch keep flavors clean, aromatic, and deeply regional. Explore more guides, weather insights, and food-led trip ideas on Sunheron to plan tastings from highland rice fields to mangrove-lined estuaries.