Category Archives: Food

Cocoa fruits of Sabah Tawau

Trip to the Cocoa Village of Tawau, the Chocolate Capital

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What food is cool 4,000 years ago and is still cool today? Today it is found in cakes, candy, drinks, desserts, ice-cream and cookies, you name it. In the past, Mayans praised chocolate as the drink of the gods, and the Aztecs (Mexica) believed that cocoa seeds were the gift of Quetzalcoatl, the god of wisdom. Now chocolate is also a food of love that you give to your crushes on Valentines’ Day.

Display at the entrance of Teck Guan Cocoa Village

Cocoa in Sabah

Cocoa is the main ingredient of chocolate. Malaysia is one of the major cocoa-producing countries in Asia, and over 60% of Malaysian cocoa beans are from Tawau of Sabah State. Teck Guan Cocoa Village is one of the earliest plantations to cultivate cocoa in Tawau. This village is also a family-friendly destination opens to public.

Quoin Hill at Teck Guan Cocoa Village is an extinct volcano. Its fertile volcanic soil is ideal for cocoa plantation.

For teachers and parents, a visit to the cocoa village offers an excellent outdoor education to make learning fun to their children. Because of Internet, the new generations spend far more time in virtual world than real world that some of them are even afraid of chicken. Gosh, where’s our hope in future if we have kids who are spooked by “food”? Anyway, adults would find the tour at cocoa village interesting too. Who doesn’t like chocolate?

Left: cold cocoa drink at Cocoa Village. Right: Abiu fruit, also known as “I Love You” fruit

Five Fun Things to Do at Cocoa Village

The tour to Teck Guan Cocoa Village takes about half-day (from 10am to 3pm) and requires booking in advance. The staff there will give you a guided tour to experience the wonders of nature and cocoa fruits. The following is a walk-through of the tour. My guide is Ms. Chida, a friendly sino who can speak English, Chinese and Malay.

You may watch this video for a quick overview of the cocoa village tour

1) Nature Walk in Cocoa Culture Spring

My cocoa journey starts with an one-hour nature walk in the rainforest of Cocoa Culture Spring. Though it’s a hot day, the air in this forested area is so cooling and refreshing. The plantation of Cocoa Village is near to Quoin Hill, an extinct volcano that produced the fertile soil that nurtures the cocoa trees as well as the jungle here.

Taking a nature walk in Cocoa Culture Spring. The green environment is good for our eyes too.

There are six waterfalls in Cocoa Culture Spring that work like giant air ionizers and conditioners that cleanse the air. Most of the trail is paved and easy to walk on. This reminds me of Japan, a well-developed country that coexists well with beautiful nature. Japanese is educated to appreciate nature since young, something we should learn from them.

The walk in cocoa culture spring ends at the tallest waterfall
The 75-feet Majesty Waterfall in Cocoa Culture Spring

The highlight is the columnar basalt on the river. These neatly arranged rocks are formed 27,000 years ago from lava flow that is cooled down rapidly by water. It’s a great spot for photo-taking but we didn’t stay long because there were many sandflies. Finally we ended the nature walk at the 75-foot-tall Majesty Waterfall.

Basalt columnar in Cocoa Culture Spring of Teck Guan Cocoa Village. In Malaysia, such volcanism wonder is only found in Tawau.
The basalt columnar in cocoa village was formed 27,000 years ago when hot lava was cooled down rapidly by water.

2) Learning about Cocoa

After the nature walk, I’m transferred to the cocoa nursery to learn more about the cocoa cultivation and processing. Our cocoa materials are used by famous brands such as Godiva and M&M to make chocolate.

Left: cocoa fruits with different grades and yield. Right: cocoa beans ready for fermentation

Uncle Mando shows me the variety of cocoa fruits being planted. Most plantations grow at least 6 distinct varietals, each with different grades, yield and resistance to pests. This approach minimizes the risk of cocoa plants being completely decimated by single enemy such as cocoa pod borer and vascular streak dieback. Cocoa is a profitable crop that requires great care, and it’s one of the best fruits to plant in an integrated farmland.

Left: Uncle Mando showing the cultivation and processing of cocoa. Right: cocoa pod (fruit) and its beans are white

I also savour the taste of freshly harvested cocoa pod. The pulp is thin, with sweet and sour taste like mango. After removing the pulp, the cocoa beans are fermented and dried to make cocoa butter and cocoa powder. A pound of chocolate is made from 400 cocoa beans. Each cocoa tree produces an average of 2,500 cacao beans per year.

Diagram on processing of cocoa to chocolate

Nine women can’t produce a baby in a month. Then Uncle Mando demonstrates the grafting technique that can make a 3-month-old cocoa seedling starts fruiting in only 2.5 years, which is normally takes 4 to 5 years if grows normally. Besides, these bud-grafted clonal trees are more productive and resistant to disease. That’s the power of science.

3) Enjoy Cocoa Meal and Chocolate Drink

Time flies when I’m having fun. It’s about noon time and the cocoa aroma makes me hungry, so I move to Tawau Cocoa Cafe to enjoy a tasty cocoa lunch that is included in the tour package. This cafe serves many cocoa-inspired dishes, desserts and drinks, as well as nasi kuning (yellow rice) and some western finger food.

Cocoa lunch with chicken katsu and organic cocoa noodle

I have cocoa noodle with chicken katsu (Japanese-style fried chicken cutlet coated with crispy panko) as main dish, cocoa waffle and chocolate ice-cream as desserts, and ice old cocoa drink. I’m quite full after lunch. Otherwise, I would try their cocoa pudding jelly and ice-blended chocolate coffee.

The lawn area at Cocoa Village for photo taking and other family activities

Their cocoa drink is a richer and heathier version of Milo (favourite cocoa drink of Malaysians). Tawau Cocoa Cafe has special cocoa dishes occasionally, you can follow their Facebook at tawaucocoa for the latest cocoa cuisines.

4) Family Time with Children

Next to Tawau Cocoa Cafe is a beautiful lawn and nice garden for your family to explore. Parents can sit at the benches watching their kids running on the lawn, taking family photos at the playground, explore the tree house, and even try the zipline (fee applies) between Durian and Menggaris tree.

Left: the lawn area of Cocoa Village. Right: tree house

5) Shopping for Local Cocoa Products

The last stop of the tour is to see a myriad of Sabah cocoa and chocolate products in their shop, for example, cocoa powder, spread, coffee, noodle, cookies and chocolates. Sabahans should be proud of their cocoa products besides Sabah Tea and Tenom Coffee.

Some cocoa products and souvenirs of Cocoa Village

Some of the items are nicely packaged and hard to find in Kota Kinabalu City so don’t leave empty-handed. I bought some Tawau white coffee to give to my friends. Their handmade chocolate is also one of the best buy.

Booking a Tour to Cocoa Village

The following is the price of the cocoa village tour package (year 2023):
Adult @ RM80, Child (Age 6-12) @ RM60, Child (Age 3-5) @ RM40
Infant (Age 0-2) @ Free of charge (no meals provided)
Note: A minimum of four (4) adults is required

Layout map of Teck Guan Cocoa Village, a cocoa theme park

Itinerary

10:00 Meet at gathering point (Elaeis Hall)
10:05 Depart to Cocoa Culture Spring
10:20 Briefing at Cocoa Cultural Spring
10:35 Jungle Trekking start
11:35 Return to Cocoa Nursery
11:40 Cocoa Grafting Demonstration & Real Cocoa Fruits Tasting
12:30 Lunch at Tawau Cocoa Café
14:00 Shopping time
14:30 Get a takeaway gift from Cocoa Village
15:00 Tour end

Site map of Cocoa Culture Spring, the forest and waterfall garden of Cocoa Village

Package Inclusions

  • Learn about cocoa cultivation chain through practical demonstration
  • Opportunity to taste the real Cocoa fruits
  • Waterfall trekking at Teck Guan Cocoa Culture Spring
  • Witness the historic columnar-jointing basalt
  • Entrance ticket to Teck Guan Cocoa Village
  • One (1) takeaway gift from Cocoa Village
  • One (1) lunch at Tawau Cocoa Café

Zipline + Abseil Adventure @ RM30/pax (subject to availability)

Cocoa Village is a family-friendly destination in Tawau that both adults and children enjoy.

For booking and enquiry, you can contact Teck Guan Cocoa Village at:
Phone: +60 16-8269579 (Whatsapp), +60 89 772277 (office)
E-mail: cocoavillage@teckguan.com
Facebook: cocoavillagetawau
Address (Cocoa Village): Quoin Hill, Miles 15, Jalan Bukit Quoin, 91000 Tawau, Sabah, Malaysia.

Waterfalls in Cocoa Culture Spring

Teck Guan Cocoa Village is about 45 minutes (38 Kilometre) away from Tawau town by driving and highly accessible by asphalt road in good condition (see Location Map). You may visit Cocoa Museum in Tawau town if you are interested in the manufacturing of cocoa powder and cocoa butter at their factory.

Photos taken in Tawau, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Beaufort Mee (Beaufort Fried Noodle)

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Industrialization enables mass-production but it sacrifices the food quality. Luckily, some still hold the belief that human food is better made by human rather than factory machinery. That’s why food lovers really appreciate the handmade noodles from a few Sabah towns, for example, Tuaran Mee, Tamparuli Mee and Beaufort Mee (Mee means Noodle).

Beaufort Mee (Beaufort Fried Noodle, “保佛面” in Chinese) tastes really good though it’s less famous, so it deserves to be featured here.

Restoran Beaufort (保佛饭店)

Beaufort Mee is originated from Beaufort, a town nearly 100 KM from Kota Kinabalu (KK). Fortunately, you can find one of the best Beaufort Mee in KK. Restoran Beaufort (保佛饭店) is only 6 KM from KK and very popular for its Beaufort Mee (see Location Map).

Normally Beaufort Mee is best served hot in “wet fried” style and covered in thick gravy, with green vegetable and pork (usually meat slices and roasted pork slices). The noodle is soft and “juicy”, but not oily. Yes, it does taste better than ordinary noodle. The pork is smooth, sweet and tender.

You may notice that they put a lot of vegetable, so green that it might look less appetizing to carnivorous food lovers like me. But I must tell you that this vegetable is the “secret weapon” of Restoran Beaufort. It’s Chinese Mustard or Choy-Sim (菜心 in Chinese, Sawi Manis in Malay), the most commonly used vegetable for any type of noodles in Sabah.

However, they are using organic vegetable and it makes a big difference. It is fresh, sweet and crunchy! The owner told me that they appoint farmer to plan organic vegetable for them and it costs almost twice as expensive than the organic veg from Ranau.

Other restaurants in Kota Kinabalu City that serve good Beaufort Mee are New Foh Chuan (保佛新伙船) and KK Beaufort Restaurant.

Kedai Makan dan Minum Foh Chuan (老伙船面粥小馆)

Ok, you don’t mind driving 1.5 hours to Beaufort to try Beaufort Mee. You can ask any local in Beaufort, all of them will recommend Foh Chuan Restaurant (see Location Map).

Kedai Makan dan Minum Foh Chuan (老伙船面粥小馆) in Beaufort town

Foh Chuan is just next to a mosque in Beaufort. The owner is Ah Hiong (阿雄) and Foh Chuan is the name of his father. His mobile phone number is +60 12 8392600 if you want more info.

Beaufort Mee Goreng Basah (Wet Fried Beaufort Noodle)

Foh Chuan is open daily (Mon-Sat: 7am-2:30pm, Sun: 7am-1pm). The shop closes earlier so they can make Beaufort Mee in the afternoon. I strongly advise you to visit this restaurant in early morning because their handmade Beaufort Mee is sold out fast. They only have factory-made noodle for latecomers, sad if you drive 1.5 hours for real Beaufort Mee. Sunday is not a good day too as they prepare less items that day.

Konlon Beaufort Mee (Dry Beaufort Noodle)

Besides Beaufort Mee, Foh Chuan serves other delicious food too, like the Fried Rice Noodle (see photo below). They purposely burn the roasted pork slices (焦叉烧 in Chinese) a bit so it tastes sweeter with stronger BBQ flavor.

Left: Fried mihun with slightly burnt cha-sao (Char siu). Right: Beef soup is great to go with your noodle
Food menu of Kedai Makan dan Minum Foh Chuan (prices as of Jan 2024)

You may check out other two Sabah noodles below:
Tuaran Mee (Tuaran Noodle) the golden noodle of Sabah
Tamparuli Mee (Tamparuli Fried Noodle)

Photos taken in Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Traditional Food of Papar

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Papar is a quiet and peaceful town about 38 Kilometres away from Kota Kinabalu City. The locals in Papar are mainly Kadazan Papar and Orang Brunei people who make some special delicacies.

1. Tapai Papar

From the name, you would think that it is the famous rice wine of Sabah. “Tapai Papar” cake is made by Orang Brunei lives in Laut Village of Papar.

Tapai Papar from Kampung Laut, Papar

Definitely it does not look like Tapai wine, but it really smells and tastes like Tapai, and really sweet too. They said they mixed the yeast with the cooked rice, then left it overnight, to produce the sweet taste and Tapai scent. Interesting huh..

The sweet rice of Tapai Papar

2. Lauk Pais

I also tried their BBQ Fish, named Lauk Pais, which is Basung or Pinaasakan fish wrapped and grilled in leaves.

The fishes were fresh and sweet, and tasted a bit spicy. Yum, yum…

Lauk Pais, grilled basung fish wrapped in leave

3. Pinompol (or Pinompo), the Papar Pizza

The main ingredient of Pinompol is desiccated coconut, which is fried and mixed with sago powder and sugar. It’s cooked until golden brown to release the pleasing coconut aroma. No oil is added. You can watch the video on how Pinompol is made. The taste is sweet and soft with crusty surface.

Pinompol is one of the traditional food that is not commonly appreciated by the young generations, so not many people know about it.

Pinompol goes well with hot coffee. You can add honey, cheese, mayonnaise or sliced bananas for extra flavours. This snack is homemade for self-consumption and not commonly sold in market. You can get Pinompol at Koposizon Homestay Papar.

4. Kuih Lidah

Kiuh Lidah, literally means Tongue Cake, is a traditional sweet snack of Bruneian Malay in Papar, the southeast part of Sabah, Malaysia. Also known as Kuih Tiram (Oyster Cake), Kuih Lidah is one of the best selling snacks of Sabah and getting popular throughout Malaysia.

Kuih Lidah with coated sugar and milk powder, is paired well with hot tea or coffee

5. Kuih Sayur

Kuih Sayur is a popular savory pastry from Papar. Not many outsiders know about it, as this delicious treat is always sold out. Due to its shape, it is called ‘wheel pastry’ (车轮饼) or ‘little fried jicama’ (炸葛仔) by the Chinese, and some also refer to it as ‘Tin Can Pastry’ (罐头饼).

Kuih Sayur is made from flour fried to an appetizing brown color with a crunchy crust, and it is filled with soft, grated jicama inside, which tastes similar to Ham Sui Gok (咸水角), another famous pastry.

Madam Teo and the pastries she sells

Madam Teo and her family have been selling Kuih Sayur for about 70 years, and the recipe comes from her grandmother who hailed from Yongchun County (永春县) of China. Kuih Sayur is priced at RM1.20 each. Madam Teo’s stall in Papar Central Market (Pasar Am Papar) also sells a variety of other kuih and pastries every day from 6am to 11am, except Mondays.

6. Hininggazang

Hininggazang is a traditional snack of the Kadazan people from the West Coast of Sabah. Made from sago flour, freshly grated coconut, sugar, and sliced bananas, these treats offer a delightful blend of sweet coconut flavours with a tender yet slightly crisp texture. You can watch a video of how Hininggazang is made.

7. Tofu Pudding (Tau Fu Hua)

Tofu pudding, or Douhua (Chinese: 豆腐花), is a beloved Chinese dessert made from delicate, soft tofu, usually served with a drizzle of sweet syrup. This sugary, soft, and silky treat caresses your tongue and melts in your mouth like a heavenly delight.

Tofu pudding, or Tau Fu Hua from Papar Central Market

In Sabah, it’s a familiar treat, and one of the finest tofu pudding can be found in Papar. When you’re in Papar, be sure to explore the Papar Central Market (Pasar Am Papar) in search of this “legendary” dessert. It’s available in two versions: the classic white tofu pudding, and a rich amber-coloured version made with palm sugar or Gula Melaka.

8. Surabai

Surabai looks like a steamed rice pancake. Anyone can tell me more?

Surabai cake

Tamu, the traditional market of Sabah

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If you want to travel smart in Sabah, do not miss Tamu, the weekly (sometimes twice or thrice weekly) open-air native market in outskirts of Sabah. It’ll feel like a food and treasure hunting tour.

The beautiful tamu market of Tenom town. It’s just behind the central market in town centre.

The name tamu derives from the Malay word bertemu which means ‘to meet’ and it has been a place of congregation for farmers, fishermen, craftsman and traders for over 145 years. In old days there was no supermarket, so every districts held a weekly tamu for local villagers to meet, shop, and trade their produces at a designated location.

The colourful tamu of Sabah. Tamu are called differently by different ethnic groups in Sabah. The Dusun and Rungus people call it “Badi” while it is known as “Semio” by the Bajau people in Kota Belud. In the Tuaran district, it’s also called “Buul” for smaller native markets.

History of Tamu

The first tamu of Sabah was started on 13 December 1878 in Kota Belud (Kampung Siasai) by William Pretyman, a political agent of British North Borneo (now Sabah). In his diary, William said the locals from different tribes were so excited to see the first tamu ground in preparation and kept on asking him the opening day of tamu. It’s a huge success as each ethnic group can offer certain goods that others don’t have. For example, a Dusun farmer can sell rice to a Bajau fisherman who would buy or barter trade it with fishes. Merchants from China and Brunei and also sourced many local products from tamu.

Left: the white man is William Pretyman. Look like a smart dude. Right: a photo of Kota Belud in 1940, taken by W.K.C. Wookey (courtesy of The Sabah State Archives). Both photos are from the Facebook of North Borneo Philately

The same goes to fruits & vegetables, traditional herbs, seafood, livestock, bushmeat, beeswax, textile, crafts and wide array of other produces, some carried by villagers walking over 10 KM to the marketplace. British rulers were also happy that different tribes could do business peacefully at tamu though tribal conflicts were common during that time. Brawls and weapons are prohibited in tamu. British officers also used tamu as a place to distribute news. Locals people from different villages mingled and exchanged news at tamu too. Though British had left Sabah in 1963, tamu is still an integral part of rural economy.

Past (1970s) Vs Present Tamu of Kota Belud

Why Tamu is Fun for Tourists

What’s the point of visiting a new place if you don’t experience any cultural shock? Your travel agents always “protect” you from something that you aren’t accustomed to. For example, if you are a European, they will never serve you durian fruit. If you are a Korean tourist, they will make sure that your plate always has Kimchi. You don’t eat and live like a Sabahan.

Tourists shopping at tamu of Keningau (left) and Papar (right) towns

A tamu provides an authentic encounter with the rich cultural, culinary and traditional aspects of the lives of Sabah’s many ethnic groups. The best ways to enjoy a tamu tour are:

  1. Explore some interesting or “weird” items. Feel the sights, sounds and smells of tamu.
  2. Sample local snacks, pastries, cakes, fruits, food and drink.
  3. Interact with the local people. Observe what they do, e.g. chewing betel nuts and carrying stuffs in traditional baskets
  4. Shop for souvenirs, handicrafts, tapestry, trinklets and other handmade crafts.
Vendors of the tamu of Papar, Keningau and Bongawan. The locals could be a bit shy but they are friendly people.

The bonus is you could get something cheaper than normal retail prices, if you are good at haggling. You are helping the small sellers too, like an elder villager or a start-up baker who needs extra income to support their families.

What to Buy

Every tamu are selling different things, based on the composition of local ethnic groups, agriculture and cultures. For example, Kundasang tamu is popular for highland vegetables, and Keningau tamu is the best place to buy hill paddy and cinnamon.

Things to buy or try at tamu. 1. Tarap fruit (seasonal), 2. Chicken tail satay, 3. Salted fishes, 4. Penjaram cake, 5. Latok seaweed (or sea grapes), 6. Fried banana fritters with cheese (pisang goreng cheese)

The following are some good (safe) starters for first-time visitors (Note: some fruits are seasonal):

  • Cakes and Snacks: pinjaram (UFO cake), pillow crackers, kuih cincin (ring cookie), amplang, kuih jala
  • Food: satay buntut (chicken tail satay), pisang goreng cheese (cheesy fried banana fritters), Latok (seaweed), nasi kuning (yellow turmeric rice)
  • Drink: kit chai ping (calamansi juice), air bandung (rose syrup), coconut juice, lihing rice wine
  • Fruits: tarap, cempedak, pisang emas (golden banana), bread fruit
  • Others: stingless bee honey, salted seafood (e.g. anchovy, shrimps, ikan liking), parang (machete), T-shirt, handicrafts, hill paddy
From left to right: Butod (sago grubs), Sabah durians (seasonal), Bambangan pickles, Bosou (fermented fishes)

For bold travellers who want some acquired taste, here is a list for your gastronomic adventure:

Expect to see something unexpected at tamu of Sabah, for examples, 1. Fishes fermented by grounded pangi seeds (look dirty but very delicious actually), 2. Bush meat, 3. Giant toad purse, 4. Magic rocks? 5. Weaver bird nests, 6. Various wood and herbs

Tamu sells mainly locally-grown fruits & vegetables, meat and poultry, fresh and dried seafood, food and snacks, but you still can find almost everything at tamu such as herbs, tobacco rolls, toy, shoes, clothing, flowers, pet, electronics, gadgets, tool kits, kitchenware, jewelry, accessories and imported goods. When there was almost no restriction in the past, I could even find protected wildlife (e.g. slow loris, pangolin, turtle eggs) for sale at tamu.

Best Tamu to Visit

No two tamu are the same. Every tamu is unique and has its own charm. If I must recommend one or two tamu, I will go for tamu of Kota Belud and Donggongon town. I also had a wonderful time at the tamu of Tenom, Tuaran and Keningau.

Tamu of Kota Belud (left) and Donggongon (right)

Kota Belud Tamu is the mother of all tamu. Most of the sellers there are Bajau people, the Cowboys of the East, and they are very skillful in making yummy snacks and colourful handicrafts. Walking around the Kota Belud tamu, you would notice the vibrant colours tudung duang, a popular handicraft made of dried screwpine leaves and used as a food cover. The Bajau is also well-known for making of intricately designed parang (machete).

The best time to visit Kota Belud tamu is during Tamu Besar Kota Belud, an annual cultural carnival in October, with an exciting line-up of activities such as dance performances, cultural shows, traditional games, buffalo races and horse-riding parade.

Tudung duang (left) and machetes (right) made by Bajau people

Only 8.5 KM away from Kota Kinabalu City, Donggongon is an important town of Kadazandusun, the largest indigenous people of Sabah. Donggongon Tamu takes place every Thursday and Friday (6am-6pm). The Donggongon Tamu offers a myriad of merchandises, ranging from local delicacies and handicrafts to fresh vegetable produce and livestock. Both villagers and city people love to shop here, turning this marketplace to a bustling trade and cultural hub that is unique to the Penampang district.

Tamu of Donggongon is open from 6am to 6pm every Thursday and Friday. Actually the market has started in the evening of Wednesday.

Gaya Street Sunday Market in the city centre of Kota Kinabalu is also the favourite open-air market of tourists. Technically, it is not a true tamu. Instead of selling raw vegetables and meat, the vendors sell mostly finished products that target at tourists and city folks. Anyway, it’s worth checking out.

Photo of Penampang tamu taken by G. C. Woolley more than a hundred years ago

Tamu ground of larger towns have overhead roof, sheltered stalls and cement floor, so you don’t need to shop under the hot sun or walk on the mud after rain. For other tamu, all the traders need are just a parasol or a shade under big tree, and a ground or pavement to lay their items. Some tourists may enjoy the feeling of such a rustic tamu.

Opening Days of Tamu

Sabah has over 40 tamu in different towns and districts today. Most tamu open as early as 6am and close by 12pm. Different districts has different tamu days, here’s the list of their opening days (some open more than once a week).

Tamu of Tuaran (left) and Sikuati (right)
DayTamu
MondayKampung Pukak Kiulu
TuesdayKiulu, Kuala Penyu, Pandasan, Tamparuli
WednesdayKota Belud, Kudat, Membakut (old township), Nabawan, Ranau, Tamparuli
ThursdayBingkor (Keningau), Dongongon (6am-6pm), Nabalu, Papar, Sipitang, Sumangkap (Matunggong), Taginambur, Tambunan, Telipok, Tenghilan
FridayBeaufort, Dongongon (6am-6pm), Kundasang, Sapulot / Sepulut, Teginambur Batu 10
SaturdayApin-Apin (Keningau), Beaufort, Inanam, Kinarut, Mansiat Sook, Matunggong, Nabawan, Papar, Putatan, Ranau, Telupid
SundayKeningau, Kota Belud, Kota Kinabalu (Gaya Street), Kota Marudu, Membakut (new township), Papar, Putatan, Sook, Tambunan, Telupid, Tuaran
Opening days of tamu in Sabah
Tamu of Keningau (left) and Bongawan (right)

Just a trivia for those who are interested in local history. If you look around tamu ground, you would find a medium or big old rock that symbolizes the “contract” among tribes to guarantee honesty, fairness and trust, and to punish those who cheat, quarrel or swear within tamu market.

Photos taken in Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Mee Sup Kota Belud, the Noodle Soup from the Cowboy Town of Sabah

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Good food doesn’t need any advertising because by words of mouth, eventually everyone will come for it. Mee Sup Kota Belud (or Mee Sup KB in short) is one of them. I had first taste of this delicious noodle soup in Kota Belud town more than 10 years ago, in a food stall behind the Bangunan Usia building. Only the local folks know this “hidden” corner. Now Mee Sup KB is well-known and even available in some cities of Peninsular Malaysia.

Mee Sup Kota Belud is the iconic noodle of Kota Belud

Mee Sup Kota Belud literally means Kota Belud Noodle Soup, which is named after Kota Belud, a small town about 60 Kilometres away from Kota Kinabalu City (KK). Mee Sup Kota Belud is like the noodle soup version of the famous Hainanese Chicken Rice, which allows you to taste the flavour of chicken fully.

Mee Sup Kota Belud (Kota Belud Noodle Soup) with egg, chicken feet and meatballs

There are four things that make Mee Sup Kota Belud so mouth-watering: 1) savoury chicken soup, 2) aromatic fried shallot, 3) tender chicken meat, and 4) noodle that absorbs all the goodness in soup. It tastes the best when fresh drumstick and vegetables are used.

Mee Sup Kota Belud with Cha-Shao (barbecued pork) slices, chicken meat and chicken heart

Mee Sup Kota Belud is quite simple to prepare. The most important part is the chicken soup. Chicken meat is boiled in hot water first. Then ginger, pepper, lemongrass, garlic, chicken stock / bouillon cubes and a bit of MSG would be added to the soup to enrich the flavours. Lastly, hot soup is poured on the noodle and chicken meat, with some fried shallot on top as a finishing touch.

Mee Sup Kota Belud of konlou (dry) type (without soup)

The classic Mee Sup Kota Belud, which is served with yellow noodle and chicken pieces in soup is the style I love. Some shops add cha-shao, meatballs, boiled egg, chicken feet, chicken heart, or green vegetable leaf to create a more fancy dish. You also can order Kota Belud Noodle Soup in konlou (dry) or mee hon (rice noodle) style.

Mee Sup Kota Belud (mee hoon or rice noodle type)

Adding a bit of calamansi lime juice (limau kasturi), coriander, or chili sauce can spice up your noodle soup too.

Best Mee Sup Kota Belud

The following are the recommended shops for Mee Sup KB, based on public reviews and rating.

1. Kota Belud Town

You can have the authentic Mee Sup KB in a few places of Kota Belud, for examples, the food stalls at Bazar Rakyat Kota Belud (Location Map) and Sunday Tamu Market (Location Map).

Left: one of the food stalls at Bazar Rakyat Kota Belud. Right: menu and price list of noodles

2. Mee Sup KB Ah Thong

Facebook: Mee Sup KB Ah Thong
Phone: +60 12-8239063
Location: 5.909942850793467, 116.1018139753375 (Donggongon, Penampang)

3. MG Corner Restaurant

Facebook: MG-Corner-Restaurant
Phone: +60 16-8366020
Location: 6.137608979075816, 116.27024009807108 (Tamparuli)

4. Real Mee Sup KB

Facebook: @realmeesupkb
Phone: +60 17-816 7428
Location: 5.986795024067851, 116.13059859807107 (Inanam Capital, Inanam)

Some of them may serve pork, so Muslim please check if it’s halal before ordering.

Photos taken in Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Tuaran Mee (Tuaran Noodle) the gold noodle of Sabah

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If you ask Sabah people which delicacies are “Made in Sabah”, no doubt Tuaran Noodle (locally known as Tuaran Mee, 斗亚兰面 in Chinese), a traditional handmade egg noodle born in Tuaran town is on top of the list. Like Laksa to Penang, Kolo Mee to Sarawak, Tuaran Mee is the noodle representing Sabah state.

Tuaran Fried Noodle with slices of spring roll and cha-shao

Above is the picture of Tuaran Fried Noodle (Tuaran Mee Goreng). Tuaran Mee tastes best when it is fried and served hot with egg roll slices (春卷 in Chinese), roasted pork slices (or Cha-Shao, 叉烧 in Chinese) and local green vegetable. This golden-color noodle is rich with egg aroma. If prepared nicely, the noodle is crispy outside but soft inside.

Tuaran Mee can be cooked in different styles. Left: “Wet-fried” Tuaran Mee with gravy (湿炒). Right: Kon-Lau (Dry) Tuaran Mee (干捞)

When the food market nowadays is flooded with cheap and mediocre packed noodles, I do appreciate every bite of Tuaran Mee, which is created by people who insist on quality over quantity. Tuaran Mee is pure noodle, unlike those factory noodles consist of preservatives.

Tuaran fried noodle (Tuaran Mee Goreng) is over-fried a bit to make the noodle more crispy and springy

The repeated pounding in handmade process forms denser texture in the noodle. You will be surprised that Tuaran Mee can be stomach-filling even taken in small quantity.

Tuaran Mee served in different styles. The girl in the picture is Yuri Ishizeki, a Japanese Food Fighter. You can watch the video to see how she finished all the Tuaran Mee on the desk.

Besides fried noodle, Dried or “Konlau” (干捞 in Chinese) Tuaran Noodle (see photo above) is another popular way to enjoy Tuaran Mee. The cook first rinses the noodle in boiled soup until it turns soft, dry it and serve it in dark sauce. Personally I prefer the fried version.

Where to find the BEST Tuaran Mee?

Tuaran Mee costs about RM8 to RM10 (≈USD1.90 to USD2.30) a plate, and seafood flavours (with shrimps) is more expensive (RM12 or more). Based on the feedback, the No.1 favorite of locals is Tuaran Mee Restoran coffee shop in Tuaran town (see Location Map).

1. Tuaran Mee Restoran

Tel: +60 16-5849651
Opening Hours: 7am-2:30pm (closed every Monday)

Tuaran Mee Restoran in Tuaran. They also have a branch in Inanam

Tuaran Mee Restoran is named after Tuaran Mee, so you can assume that they are specialised in this noodle. This is evidenced by number of customers they have in shop. They must be doing very well because they also open a branch in Inanam (see Location Map).

Tuaran Fried Noodle of Tuaran Mee Restoran

2. Lok Kyun Restaurant (乐群酒家)

Ranked No.2 by locals are Restoran Lok Kyun, also located in Tuaran. It’s famous in Peninsular Malaysia because it was featured many times in TV such as Taste with Jason (阿贤), a popular food programme in AEC TV Channel.

Lok Kyun Restaurant (乐群酒家) is located in the middle of Tuaran town

Address: Shop No. 4, Block 8, Jalan Keogh, Tuaran, Sabah, Malaysia (see Location Map)
Tel: +60 88-788441 / +60 19-8518632
Opening Hours: Tue-Sun: 7am – 2:30pm (closed every Monday)
Though they also open in most public holiday, they close on major holidays such as Chinese New Year and Hari Raya.

Tuaran Mee by Lok Kyun Restaurant (乐群酒家)

Personally I love the ambience of having traditional food in an old kopitiam (coffee shop) in post-war wooden shoplot of Tuaran. They are not only good in Tuaran Mee. Their “Braised pork belly with taro” (芋头扣肉) and “Stuffed Beancurd” (酿豆腐) are also very famous.

3. Seng Hing Coffee Shop (成兴茶餐室)

Some of you may not want to drive 30 minutes to Tuaran town for the noodle. Luckily, you also can have Tuaran Mee in Kota Kinabalu city. One of the most recommended coffee shops for Tuaran Mee is Seng Hing Coffee Shop, which has over 40 years of history.

Seng Hing Coffee Shop (成兴茶餐室) is located in Sinsuran of Kota Kinabalu City Centre

Address: Block E, Lot 10, Sinsuran Complex, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia (see Location Map)
Tel: +60 88-211594 / +60 19-8105255
Opening Hours: 7am – 4pm daily

Tuaran Mee by Seng Hing Coffee Shop (成兴茶餐室)

This kopitiam fries their Tuaran Mee with a bit of Lihing (rice wine), which gives the noodle a very pleasing aroma. I used to have lunch there every day and they never disappoint me. Seng Hing Coffee Shop is also popular for its Tom Yam Seafood Noodle.

The food stalls in pasar (market) of Tuaran town also cook really good Tuaran Mee, which is always sold out in the morning

Please feel free to post your favorite restaurant in comment section here, if you know any other nice places for Tuaran Mee.

Other Popular Sabah noodles:
Tamparuli Mee (Tamparuli Fried Noodle)
Beaufort Mee (Beaufort Fried Noodle)
Mee Sup Kota Belud (Kota Belud Noodle Soup)

Photos taken in Tuaran, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

Stingless Bee (Kelulut) Farming in Sabah

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Today I want to introduce some sweethearts to you. These little honey make money and healthy food for you. They are stingless bees (or meliponines), the honeybees that don’t sting. Stingless bee is known as Kelulut in Malaysia and Tantadan (local Dusun name) in Sabah. Belonging to the family Apida, kelulut is closely related to honey bees, and they are also the honey producer and important pollinators in tropical and subtropical regions.

There are about 38 species of stingless bee (kelulut) found in Malaysia, but not all are honey producers

Stingless bees are very common in Sabah. If you have a garden or orchard, there is a 80% chance that you could spot a kelulut hive nearby. Usually they build their nests in hollow trunks, wall cavities, and even crevices in your house wall. Stingless bees are always found busy harvesting nectar in the countryside. If you sweat a lot, some of them would land on your skin to collect salt.

Wax tunnels of wild stingless bees on a tree. When I was a naughty kid, I used to pinch to seal the waxen tunnel of their entrance for fun.

Stingless bees are only 1 centimetre or less in body length. Their tiny size allows them to access small flowers. Though they produce honey in small quantity, kelulut honey is more nutritious and highly priced. It is a trend that more and more Sabah village house farms kelulut, as the kelulut honey is in good demand and can generate hundred to thousands dollars of side income easily every month.

Heterotrigona itama species of stingless bee (kelulut) is all black in color and suitable (and common) for beekeeping

Honey Bee Vs Kelulut. Which Honey is Better?

Honey produced by stingless bees has many names such as Meliponine honey, pot honey, sugarbag honey (in Australia), and kelulut honey (in Malaysia). In Malaysia, kelulut honey is acclaimed as a honey healthier than normal honey. The following are some comparisons of both honey:

1. Taste

As you know, honeybee honey is sweet. Kelulut honey is sourish sweet. Usually sweetness is the base taste, and it mixes with varied degree of sourness, and even bitterness, which is greatly depend on the flowers or fruit trees visited by kelulut. Stingless bees store their honey in honey pots which are made of cerumen, produced from the bee’s saliva mixed with pollen, plant resins and flowers, and this chemically affects the taste. Sometimes its honey has slight fruit flavour or herbal aroma.

These stingless bees are Geniotrigona thoracica species. They make very delicious honey.

2. Nectar and Viscosity

Kelulut honey is thinner than honey due to higher water content and more prone to spoiling. Many native plant have small flowers that only Meliponine can access to collect the nectar. Kelulut honey is also not as “heaty” as normal honey.

3. Quantity

Honey bees produce about 5 or more times honey than kelulut. In average, a honey bee hive creates 2.25 to 3.75 Kg of honey per month, whereas kelulut is only 0.5 to 2 Kg per month.

Stingless bee (kelulut) honey is more expensive than honeybee honey. Some call Kelulut honey the “Miracle Liquid” because of its medicinal value.

4. Price

In most cases, a standard grade honey costs less than RM90 per Kilogram. Kelulut honey is sold for RM120 to RM150 per Kg locally.

5. Nutrients

According to the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI), stingless bee honey is twice as nutritious as ordinary honey. In a Scientific Reports published on 22 July 2020, the researchers found that up to 85% of their sugar is trehalulose, which is a rare and healthy sugar that is “friendly” for diabetes and doesn’t cause tooth decay.

Row of kelulut bee houses. Each log hosts a colony. You can have a few to 100 bee houses in a bee farm

6. Health Benefits

The main selling point of kelulut honey is its stronger health values from anti-bacterial, anti-carcinogen and anti-oxidant properties. It has a history of traditional indigenous in treating cough, fever, cuts and rashes. Some of the claims are proven by research, just to list a few below:

Locals believe having a tea spoon of kelulut honey twice a day can strengthen immune system, to prevent cold and flu.

Nest structure of kelulut. At the right are “honey pots” that store the honey

Beekeeping Method (Meliponiculture)

The rearing of stingless bee is known as meliponiculture. There are more than 38 species of stingless bees found in Malaysia, but only a few of them are suitable for beekeeping, for example, Heterotrigona itama and Geniotrigona thoracica are the most preferred species, followed by Lepidotrigona terminata and Tetragonula leviceps.

Kelulut bee farm is best built under shade with lot of flowers and fruit trees nearby. The bees can increase the yield of your crops too.

Generally kelulut is passive. To defend their home, they would attack invaders by biting, but it is more like ant bite and far less painful than honeybee sting. No bee protective suit is required for handling of kelulut. Stingless bees share similar food, behavior, and social structure with honey bees, so you can rear them like normal honey bees.

Stingless bee farm in Kota Belud (Pinolobu Village)

Beekeepers can house the kelulut colony in a bee house called Gelodok or transfer them to a wooden box. You can open the box periodically to harvest honey without doing too much damages to their nest. The old methods of using bamboos, flowerpots, or coconut shells as bee house would be less sustainable as beekeepers need to cut the container in half for collecting honey.

Stingless bee house with top cover makes honey harvesting easier and causes less damage to the nest

Commercial kelulut beekeeping is introduced in Malaysia in 2012. Now there are 750 to 1,000 bee farmers nationwide. Sarawak state produces the most kelulut honey, followed by Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia.

Close-up of stingless bees (kelulut) and their nest

Beescaping

Bee houses are placed in shade to avoid excessive heat. Stingless bees have short flight ranges of about 500 metres (honey bees is 2 km). Therefore, for higher honey yield, the bee farm should be nearby the favourable food source of stingless bees, the following are some preferred host plant:

  • Flowers: air mata pengantin or Honolulu Creeper (Antigonon leptopus), Buttercup (Turnera subulata)
  • Fruit trees: rambutan, starfruit, passion fruit, coconut, durian
  • Acacias, rubber and other flowering forest trees

(Note: the choice of plant can affect the taste and colors of the honey)

Sipping kelulut honey as a fun activity

Small kelulut is vulnerable to attack and raid by bigger bees and hornets. A trick is to place some belacan (shrimp paste) near the bee hives to keep these predators away.

Got Honey, Got Money. A Profitable Business

Malaysia government has initiated the National Kelulut Honey Industry Development Plan 2020-2030 that aims to make the kelulut honey industry a new source of stable and sustainable income because kelulut beekeeping can generate good income quick without high capital and advanced skill as a start. You can get the kelulut nest from the wild or buy it from local open market (tamu). A new colony normally starts producing honey after three months.

Honolulu Creeper (Antigonon leptopus) flower is a good host plant for stingless bee farming

If you have RM1,500, you can start a small farm of three stingless bee colonies. Each kelulut nest produces about 0.33 to 2 Kg of honey monthly. In Sabah, beekeepers earn about RM60 per kg of kelulut honey, which is marketed for RM120 to RM140 per Kg in the shops after processing and packaging. You can build a bee farm of 50 to 1,000 bee colonies with a starting capital of between RM40,000 and RM50,000, that can bring you a monthly income of RM5,000 to RM30,000.

Gelodok bee house for Kelulut (stingless bees) at a village house

Currently, the total market volume of Malaysia’s kelulut honey industry is only RM33.6 million while the market potential is about RM67.2 million. According to data provided by the Agriculture Department in 2017, the total kelulut honey production in Malaysia stood at 134,244 kilograms. From what I heard, the demand for stingless bee honey is high and most go to local consumption. The needs for kelulut honey will grow when it becomes more popular.

Old-fashioned stingless bee houses in village

Besides, about 1,000 downstream products can be made from honey, propolis and pollen from kelulut nests. The ingredients can be used in health supplements, cosmetics, skincare, toothpaste, face cream, essential oil, hand cream, skin disorder ointments, lip salve, etc. These byproducts will increase the revenue generated from bee farms.

Box type of stingless bee houses (in Kiansom)

Training and Funding

Interested in starting a kelulut farm? The organisations below might be able to help you. Good luck!

Big entrance of stingless bee nest. Found in Gaya Island, off Kota Kinabalu city

1. Borneo Honeybee Centre

In Sabah, the State Agriculture Department and Koperasi Pembangunan Desa (KPD) provide advice and conduct courses for stingless bee farming. KPD opened the Borneo Honeybee Centre in Sikuati, Kudat (north of Sabah). The Borneo Honeybee Centre is a centre for collecting, processing and bottling of honey and also conducted the bees farming courses (for about RM350). This 8.5-acre complex has various facilities such as Honey Processing Factory, Bee Gallery, Honeybee Souvenir, Honeybee Café and guided tour for those who want to learn more about beekeeping.

Facebook: BORNEOHONEYBEECENTRE

Borneo Honeybee Centre in Kudat is a hub for collecting, processing and bottling of honey and also provides beekeeping courses

2. Akademi Kelulut Malaysia (AKM)

Located in Bangi, Selangor, this company provides beginner to advanced training on kelulut beekeeping and making of stingless bee products. They also publish some books on stingless bees.

Facebook: akademikelulutmalaysia
E-mail: akademikelulut@gmail.com
Phone: 011-1514 2620

Some courses by Akademi Kelulut Malaysia (AKM) on making of Kelulut products

3. Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Mardi)

MARDI is a government agency established with the main objectives of generating and promoting new, appropriate and efficient technologies towards the advancement of the food, agriculture, food and agro-based industries.

Facebook: mardimalaysia
Website: mardi.gov.my
Twitter: mardimalaysia
Blog: blogmardi.wordpress.com

The potential market of kelulut honey is huge

4. Young Agropreneur Programme

Implemented by Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industries’ (MAFI) in 2016, the Young Agropreneur Programme aims to encourage the involvement of youths (18 – 40 years old) in entrepreneurial activities in the agricultural sector’s value chain. If you are eligible, you can apply funding at: mafi.gov.my.

Photos taken in Sabah, Malaysia Borneo

UFO Tart of Sandakan

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If you visit Sandakan, just ask any local there, “Hi! I want to eat cow dung. Where to get one?” and they will recommend you to try Cow Dung Tart, the most famous dessert of Sandakan (or even Sabah). Cow Dung Tart is also known as UFO Tart because of its flying saucer shape. To sound more appetizing, the name UFO Tart is preferred on media.

UFO tart is made up of a biscuit base and with sweet custard and creamy meringue.

However, the local Chinese has been calling it Cow Dung Tart (牛屎挞) since day one and don’t want to change this, as they think the original name is cute and amusing. Personally I nickname UFO Tart as “Bull Shit Tart” lol.

Cow Dung Tart is also known as the UFO Tart because its shape resembles a flying saucer.

You can find UFO Tart easily in Sandakan. Many coffee shops (kopitiam), restaurants, even night market, are selling UFO tarts. Now you can buy this tart at a few shops in Kota Kinabalu City too.

Cow Dung Tart is a creation by accident. No cow (and UFO) is hurt in the process.

UFO Tart has a soft and butter-flavored cake base topped with sweet custard and fluffy meringue. You can gulp the whole tart in only two or three bites. For me, it tastes like an eggy cookie with rich aroma of vanilla. UFO Tart goes well with a cup of hot coffee. If you ask me, I enjoy UFO Tart more than egg tart.

UFO Tart (or Cow Dung Tart) is invented in 1955, the time Malaysia (and Borneo) was still ruled by the British. To some people, UFO tart is a taste of their childhood.

The born of UFO Tart is simply an accident happened over 60 years ago. No, it’s not a dessert introduced by the aliens from the outer space. In 1955, a Hainanese cake baker named Fu Ah On (符和安) was baking tarts as usual one day. While busy mingling, he over-baked his tarts. Surprisingly, the scorched tarts tasted good. Then he introduced this new tart and people loved it, hence it became a traditional cake unique to Sandakan until today.

Every bakers design the look of their UFO tarts. The left one looks like UFO and the right one looks like cow dung. You can find six designs in this article.

Today UFO Tart has become an iconic food of Sabah. To commemorate this popular Sandakan delicacy, 5 May is declared as the “UFO Tart Day” of Sabah.

May 5 is declared as a ‘UFO Tart Day’ in Sandakan

Where to Buy UFO Tart?

UFO tart costs about RM2.50 (≈USD0.60) each. It is not cheap because it takes many tedious steps to create this tart. Someone said the original recipe of UFO Tart is lost, so every bakers have their own formula to recreate the original flavours, then the tastes would be inconsistent. Anyway, the following are the shops that sell delicious UFO tarts, highly recommended by the local foodies.

Sandakan City

  1. Kedai Kopi Wing Hup Lee (永合利): Lot 6, First Floor, Villa Permai, Mile, 5, Jalan Sibuga
  2. Syn Ming Hing Cafe & Cake (新民兴): Jalan Lebuh Dua, Sandakan City Centre
  3. San Da Gen Kopitiam (三大羹): next to NAK Hotel
UFO Tart of Sandakan. Left: original, tiramisu and mocha flavours sold by Kedai Kopi Wing Hup Lee (永合利). Right: UFO Tart by San Da Gen (三大羹)

Kota Kinabalu City

  1. Kedai Kopi Mee Ngar (味雅面包茶餐室): HQ in Sandakan and have branches in Kota Kinabalu (Iramanis, Damai, Telipok, etc.)
  2. Syn Syn Biscuits (新新): Damai Plaza in Luyang
Kedai Kopi Mee Ngar (味雅面包茶餐室) sells one of the best UFO tarts in Kota Kinabalu.

Do you like UFO too? Please recommend other places where you can find excellent UFO Tarts.

DIY: making your own UFO Tarts

Photos taken in Sabah, Malaysia Borneo