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Bak kut teh

This pork rib dish cooked in broth, bak kut teh, of Sabah is not the same as its counterpart from Penang. Although both use plenty of herbs, this version’s heavy-handed use of the dried root, Chinese angelica – giving it a richer, more medicinal taste – is the most marked difference.

Aside from spare ribs, the bak kut teh in Sabah also adds beef balls and occasionally other animal organs, too.

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In contrast with Penang, where bak kut teh is a common meal eaten for breakfast, the dish served in Sabah is eaten only at dinner time.

The locals considered the herbal-tasting meal to be too rich for the morning, so the city’s bak kut teh restaurants all open around mid afternoon.

Lemon coconut jelly

A refreshing treat which is ideal after a day out in the sun, lemon coconut jelly is a dessert broth rather than a jelly pudding.

The name refers to one of the main ingredients, lemon coconut jelly, which is accompanied by lychee, ice, and lemon slices.

The lemon helps to keep it less sweet than expected and it’s best to eat this quickly as the ice will melt.

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This fusion dessert, with elements of Chinese dessert soup as well as coconut jelly and lemon, is a surprisingly unsung must-eat when you are in Kota Kinabalu.

Tuhau

An indigenous paste made by the Dusun people, tuhau is the kimchi – Korea’s ubiquitous fermented vegetable dish – of Sabah.

This dish is made from the species of wild ginger found on the island from which it gets its name.

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It is akin to a condiment, but can be eaten on its own.

The ginger is shredded and mixed with chilli, garlic, and lime juice and has a strong smell that often discourages people from trying it. It can be used in stir fries and, in particular, cooked with fish in the Dusun community.

Seaweed drink

Also called the “sea bird nest” in Chinese, seaweed drink, which is local to Kota Kinabalu, is a seaweed version of barley water.

It has gained its Chinese name because it is collagen-rich and good for the skin, like birds’ nests (which are made from the saliva of swifts).

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The drink is made by soaking the seaweed in water with added sugar. Aside from skin rejuvenation, it also believed to be good for detoxing and heat.

At first glance the drink’s yellow tint makes it look like Chinese tea or a herbal drink

It is sold with thinly sliced seaweed inside and has a mild taste that – despite being made with sugar – is not too sweet.

The drink is sold in the city’s Gaya Sunday Market as well as in restaurants.

Tenom coffee

Coffee was introduced in Sabah by the British North Borneo Company and took root in Tenom – the capital of a district in the state – after a failed attempt to grow it on the east coast.

The main variety is Robusta, planted and produced locally by three companies, the most historic of which is Yit Foh, which has been in business since the 1960s.

Yit Foh plants and uses only the purest Robusta beans, which are roasted by hand for two hours on traditional wood fires – which is what brings out its aroma and the earthy taste, and is why Tenom remains the favourite coffee of Sabah people.

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