As necessary as the air we breathe and just as instinctive as going to sleep. It would not be a true statement to say it’s been around since the dawn of man, but looking at the food we eat in day to day, one does start to think how did our forefathers live without that finger lickin’ good stuff. Every now and then, we should really lay off the grease and try something more natural. In this article, we give our taste buds an adventure and take a look at our traditional food.This list shows top 10 local food that can be found in Sabah.
1. Bak Kut Teh
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It’s a must to eat bak kut teh when you are in Sabah. Don’t miss the famous Sin Kee Bak Kut Teh while you are there! The fragrance hits you the moment you walk in and for a good reason too – the pork ribs are simmered with herbs for over four hours! You can choose from pork ribs, pork balls, liver, kidney or even pork belly to go along with a bowl of white rice and soy sauce.
2. Pork Noodles(Sang Nyuk Noodles)
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This iconic Sabah food is basically thinly sliced pork cooked in a specially prepared pork bone broth. The pork noodles are served two methods – dry or soup, with the former being the more common choice among patrons as they get to slurp up the noodles tossed in a dark sauce mixed with the meat slices, meatballs and offal.
3.Beef Offal Noodles
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A comfort food for many Sabahans, this bowl of Ngiu Chap, or more commonly known as beef offal noodles, is simmered with a unique blend of spices, white radish and beef bone for a few hours before it is served. Kedai Cheng Wah is one of the places to go for a bowl of stunning beef offal noodles.
4. Steamed Prawn
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Seafood is one of the top appeal in Sabah. One of all time local favourite seafood restaurant, Salut Seafood Restaurant, is located about 30 minutes drive from city center. Like any other seafood restaurants, you have many kind of seafood to choose from, prepared in any choice of yours. My favourite dish is simply boiled prawns.
5. Roti Prata
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Also a favourite amongst locals, roti prata is an Indian pancake eaten with curry. You will see one of these on each table when you walk into most stores. Do get a cup of teh tarik to go along with the prata as well.
6. BBQ Stingray
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Stingray is another popular food in Sabah. Barbecued then served on a banana leaf with sambal chilli and lime, this seafood is a dish you must eat to experience Malaysia’s local dishes.
7. BBQ Chicken Wings
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What’s street food without barbecued chicken wings? Soaked with honey for three hours before being barbecued, this is a most-liked for both adults and kids! If you’d like to create again these barbecued wings at home, try marinating them in Marmite – it gives the meat a unique flavor.
8. Yong Tau Fu
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There isn’t a lot of shops here that specialize on Yong Tau Fu here in Kota Kinabalu. While the majority of the Yong Tau Fu served in KK are stewed in tasty broth, this certain restaurant deep fried their Yong Tau Fu instead of stewing it like other places else.
9. Coconut Pudding
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Coconut pudding is one of the popular Sabah. The city harvests a high number of coconuts daily hence, you can get recently made coconut pudding in most places. You can easily pick up one of these refreshing treats well-loved by both locals and travelers along the street stores.
10. Tropical Food
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If you like durians, you surely cannot miss out on this when you are in Sabah! Expect other seasonal tropical fruits like rambutan and mangosteens and more. They are only in season from July to September so you must take the chance to buy some if you are there during that time.