Sarawak's Unique Food, Drink & Culture - Melanau Cuisine .

From A Humble Fisherman’s Fare To A Gourmet’s Delight

UMAI is to Melanaus what sushi is to Japanese…a dish that has become synonymous with their cuisine.It stands out from the other mainstays of Melanau cuisine – linut the sago starch which was once a staple food, pipuih – smoked fish wrapped in young fronds of the nipah palm and see’ut – Si'et - larvae of a beetle that feed on the rooting pith of the sago palms.

Umai was originally a food of convenience for Melanau fishermen on fishing trips to the sea. Traditionally, umai is thinly sliced raw fish marinated with ‘assam paya’/asam kelubi, a very sour fruit of a wild palm, onions, chillies, and a pinch of salt – a very simple recipe that could be prepared with the minimum of fuss.It was an ideal recipe for the fishermen as it would have been inconvenient and dangerous to cook anything in their small boats. The fishermen also did not have to cook any rice as umai was traditionally eaten with baked sago pellets(picture), a staple food of the Melanaus besides the linut.Umai prepared by marinating the fish is called umai campur or mixed umai. Another way of preparing umai is to use the marinade as sauce and the sliver of fish fillet is dipped into the sauce before eating. This recipe is known as umai jup and umai connoisseurs claim it is the best way to eat umai because you get the original taste of the raw fish.Not all fish are suitable for umai and fresh water fish are seldom used. The rule of the thumb is to use fish that are easy to fillet and with fine flesh textures.At the top of the range are the white or black pomfret locally known in Sarawak as Duai, while the cheaper fish used is the Empirang or pihieng in Melanau. Freshness of the fish is the key factor to making umai.