Rice is the staple food of Malaysians, who may see rice as something ordinary. However, rice holds a special place in Borneo. Kadazandusun people, the largest indigenous group of Sabah, believe that rice has soul because the presence of paddy spirits, Bambarayon. Linopot is rice being packed and wrapped nicely in a big leaf, a traditional takeaway of Sabah natives. The word “Linopot” means packing in Dusun language.
Left: Bobolians (High Priest) of Kadazandusun appease the paddy spirits to pray for a bountiful harvest. Right: Linopot (Black hill paddy) and its dishes (Tuhau, Bambangan, Salted fish, Sayur Losun and Kantan, Sayur bunga betik and pucuk ubi)
In old days, before plastic food containers are common, farmers and villagers, who left home for long hours to work in farm or forest, would bring Linopot with them as lunch pack. Rice packed in Linopot can last for days without going rancid. After unwrapping, the leaf is used as an eco-friendly plate and need no washing.
Linopot is the traditional take-out of Sabah people, the wrapping leaf can be used as a plate.
Rice of Linopot
In traditional preparation, hill paddy was mostly used in Linopot, and the rice can be mixed with other starchy crops such as yam, to create different types of rice like the following (Note: Nasi means Rice in Malay language):
Nasi Gu’ol (rice mixed with yam)
Nasi Tawadak (rice mixed with pumpkin)
Nasi Mundok (rice mixed with cassava)
Nasi Kasou (rice mixed with sweet potato)
Nasi Tadong (Black Hill Paddy)
Takano (rice in Dusun language)
Different types (colours) of hill paddy in Sabah
Nowadays paddy sold in supermarket is mainly processed white paddy. Though processed white race has longer shelf life and more pleasing to the eyes, its best nutrients are gone due to the removal of bran and germ, which contain fiber, protein, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. That’s why health-conscious consumers opt for brown rice, which retains these nutrients. The coloured hill rice of Linopot shares the similar health benefits. Moreover, the addition of root and tuber vegetables supplements complex carbohydrates that enhances the taste and nutrition too.
Left: pretty purple rice Linopot by Ropuhan di Fifie. Right: Linopot (red Bario rice) with traditional side dishes (Hinava, Tuhau, Bambangan, Losun vege, Ikan Basung)
If the rice is boiled with yams or sweet potato, the colours of these vegetables would add a natural purplish or brown hue to the rice. You could add pandan leaf for extra fragrant. Once the rice is cooked, it will be pounded and stirred by a wooden pestle so the starchy ingredients are mashed to mix evenly with the rice.
Wrapping Leaves of Linopot
When the rice is prepared, next step is to pack it into Linopot with the fresh leaf of doringin, kobu, tarap, tintap, longkobung, toropoi, wonihan, or banana because their leaves are big and readily available.
Big leaves of Longkobung (left) and Doringin (right). Doringin is preferred in packing Linopot because of its pleasing scent. Credit: photo of Doringin by Jnzl
Local Name
Common Name
Scientific Name
Doringin / Rungin
Simpoh Ayer
Dillenia suffruticosa
Wonihan / Wongian
Common mahang
Macaranga bancana
Timadang
Tarap
Artocarpus odoratissimus
Tintap
–
Neonauclea Gigantea
Longkobung
Parasol Leaf Tree
Macaranga tanarius
Kobu / Nyirik
Lerek / Kelupis
Phacelophrynium maximum
Lemba / Remba
Palm grass
Molineria latifolia
Ketapang
Indian almond
Terminalia catappa
Pisang / Punti
Banana
Genus: Musa
A list of common and scientific names of big leaf plants typically used in making Linopot
Linopot wrapped in the big leaf of Doringin (left), Banana (middle) and Wonihan (right)
The aromatic leaf makes Linopot more palatable. The leaf also absorbs the excessive moisture in the rice so the food can last longer. The leaves are washed and dried before use. Some leaves need to have their hard midrib trimmed, so they can be bent and folded easily.
Making a Linopot
The wrapping is carried out while the rice is still hot, because the heated leaves are softer and easier to fold. The rice is first poured on the smooth surface of the leaf, then being pressed from all sides by both hands behind the leaf, until the rice is compressed and hold well together like a brick. Without this step, the rice will break apart and fall everywhere when we open the Linopot.
The rice for Linopot shouldn’t be too dry or overcooked. Photos by Camy @CamyLinopot.
You can watch the video below to learn how a Linopot is made (spoken in Malaysia language, but you still can see how they do it):
Side Dishes for Linopot
The rice of Linopot is the main course, and to be eaten with condiments and side dishes. Basically they are makanan kampung (village food), and many are food that outsiders unheard of, for example, ferns, torch ginger flower, core of banana trunk, petiole of papaya. The villagers just harvest the food materials from their backyard, river or nearby forest.
Some common food materials of Sabah kampung food (village food)
Below are some popular traditional food that go with Linopot (in English translation and description):
Hinava: raw fish salad made of king mackerel (ikan tenggiri), mixed with calamansi juice, sliced shallots and grated ginger
Bambangan (mangifera pajang): fermented wild mango, a mouth-watering appetizer
Tuhau (etlingera coccinea): pickled wild ginger minces with distinct smell, also served in dried floss (Serunding)
Losun: leaves of local wild shallots, eaten as salad or mixed veges
Ikan basung: Mackerel scad (Decapterus macarellus), yummy when fried or cooked in sour soup (pinarasakan)
Ikan masin: salted fish
Bosou: raw fish / meat fermented in jar with brown rice, salt and pangium seeds for week(s)
Highly Recommended: Ikan Basung Goreng is Mackerel scad being deep-fried until it’s very crispy. The meat is tasty and the best part is the super crispy fish head.
The locals’ favourites are bambangan, tuhau, losun, and salty fishes. You can add anything, even hotdog and chicken wing as you pleased, but a balance diet is always encouraged. For tourists, the “safe” choices are hinava, ikan basung and vegetables. If you are on a gastronomic adventure, try tuhau, bambangan, and bosou for acquired tastes. Tip: these food are more delicious if you eat them with your hands.
Enjoying Linopot without spoon and fork
Where to Eat
Though Linopot and the food mentioned above are true Sabah dishes, most tourists haven’t tried them. Most travel agents bring tourists to fancy restaurants for seafood and other food that tastes like chicken, and reluctant to challenge the taste buds of their customers with overly exotic food.
1. Sabah Homestay
The best place to try Linopot is a vacation in homestay, especially in West Coast and Interior Districts of Sabah. You will eat the same village food with the host family. Linopot is also commonly served in local wedding of Kadazandusun people.
Linopot is gaining popularity among tourists who want to try real Sabah food
You also can order from the following Linopot set sellers (Delivery and Halal option available):
2. Aurora Anabella Lovelia (Tuaran and Kota Kinabalu)
Facebook: mynative.sabah Instagram:@mynative.sabah Opening Hours: 11:30am-8:30pm (Mon-Fri), 11:30am-6:00pm (Sat), Closed on Sunday Phone (Whatsapp): +60 16-8332381 Location: 1st Floor, Plaza 333, Penampang, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia (Note: they also have another outlet “Native Cafe” at Hotel N5)
The longest Nuba Tingaa (packed rice) line (308.95 Metres) in Malaysia Book of Records, made by Lundayeh people in a longhouse in Sipitang of Sabah. Linopot is also called “ludtak” in some places.
The blue-coloured Nasi Kerabu is a well-known Malaysian dish. Linopot deserves to have the same reputation, consider it’s such a remarkable cultural heritage. Just look at the video channel of Li Ziqi (李子柒), one of the most famous social influencers who features traditional culinary skills that attract tens of millions of fans. This proves that many foodies do appreciate classic cuisines. What Linopot needs is just more exposure to national and international audiences.
Creative Linopot with green tea rice by Sabah Tea. Photo courtesy of Martin Kong @ Sabah Tea Resort
Sabahans are Malaysians too, but we always feel that West Malaysians don’t understand us. Only Sabahans can understand all the differences below. This is meant to be funny, so please don’t feel offended.
Majority of our highways only connect major cities, towns and urban areas, some places, especially small villages, only have paved or gravel roads. Part of the city roads still can be bumpy, and you must be vigilant to avoid hitting the potholes.
Because of the bad roads, Sabahans who needs to enter villages regularly would prefer a 4-wheel-drive over a fancy saloon car. When West Malaysians see so many 4WD in Sabah, they think Sabahans are rich. Well, without a 4WD, you can’t access many places in Sabah.
Toll
Huh?! No Thanks!
Credit: (left) Slleong, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Rojak
The typical rojak of Malaysia consists of cucumber, bean sprouts, and various kinds of chopped fruits. If you order rojak in Sabah, what you get are sliced beef, yellow noodle, bean curd puff and cucumber mixed with sweet peanut sauce, which are something meaty rather than fruity.
Nasi lemak is our national dish originating in Malay cuisine. It’s wrapped and served nicely in banana leaves. In Sabah, we wrap cooked rice and dishes in the big leaves of doringin or tarap.
Satay vs Sinalau Bakas
In Peninsular Malaysia, sometimes pork is a problem, while in Sabah, we enjoy pork so much and really fond of Sinalau Bakas (smoked wild boar meat). You could find Sinalau Bakas stalls next to the busy rural roads between towns.
Durians
Besides the ordinary durians, Sabah has durians with red or orange flesh (Sukang and Dalit). These small durians have stronger aroma and exotic flavors, so they are also used in cooking.
Seafood
Everything is expensive in Sabah except seafood. If you invite Sabahans for a seafood dinner in your state, don’t be upset if they complain about the small but expensive seafood.
2Malaysia Prices
Many businesses in West Malaysia don’t feel guilty to charge Sabahans more. Sabahans usually end up paying 20% or more but we are already numb to such price differences. It’s not a great feeling, as Sabahans have lower income but burdened by higher living cost.
Free Shipping?
So many times I got tricked by some online Malaysian shops that said they offered FREE shipping in Malaysia. The excitement became disappointment the moment I keyed in my Sabah address in check-out page. Sometimes the shipping fee can cost more than the product itself.
When I was living in KL, it confused me that the sky was still bright at 7pm. In fact, before 1982, Malaysia had two time zones. The time in Sabah was 30 minutes faster than West Malaysia so it gets dark sooner.
Sabahans don’t feel much emotions when they see the historical footage of Tunku Abdul Rahman shouting “Merdeka” for the independence of Malaya in 1957, because that year Malaysia hasn’t existed yet. We care more about the Malaysia Day on 16 Sep, which becomes a National Holiday since year 2010.
Public Holidays
Sabah has a lot of Catholics and Christians, so we have extra day off for Good Friday and Christmas Eve. Kaamatan is the harvest festival of Kadazandusun and Murut communities.
Beer vs Tapai
Did anyone tell you that Sabahans are good drinkers? We do like beer but it’s more like an orang putih thing, so true Sabahans would go for the more potent rice wines such as Tapai and Lihing.
Boh vs Sabah Tea
I don’t care about the taste, any brand with the word “Sabah” is my favourite lol.
Mango vs Bambangan
Bambangan is a wild mango of Sabah. It’s very sour and is commonly eaten as pickle and appetizer. Bambangan to Sabahans is like Kimchi to Koreans.
Traditional Wear
Sabah has shirts and daily wear with native styles and motifs inspired by our traditional costumes.
Sabahans dance Sumazau whenever they are happy or partying.
Beauties
To Sabahans, Unduk Ngadau (Miss Harvest Festival) means more than a gorgeous woman, she is also a figure who represents the sacred and motherly Huminodun, a maiden sacrificed to save her starving people.
Gadis vs Sumandak
Sumandak is a Dusun word for girl. Chinese (Hakka) terms such as Ah Moi and Liang Moi are also widely understood.
The Malayan tiger is strong and charismatic. Orangutan is intelligent and cute.
Warriors
Hang Tuah is a silat master and the most well-known hero of Malaysia. Murut people are fearsome warriors in the past, and they harvested your head to make house decoration. You don’t want to be their enemies.
Disclaimer: Remember, Malaysia is a multicultural country, and this is the most beautiful part of Malaysia. Diversity doesn’t impair Unity, as long as we respect one another. This post is purely for entertainment purpose, the differences are exaggerated but have no intention to mock anyone or any group, nor does it represent all Malaysians and Sabahans. Any other difference you can think of? Please share it in comment section below.
Fruits are nutritious and tasty, mostly. Their fans are mainly divided into two camps: Sour vs Sweet loving, which side are you? I always crave for sour fruits such as bambangan, star gooseberries and bilimbi, so my friends like to tease me that I’m a pregnant guy. Liposu is another sour fruit that makes me salivates and has a special place among Sabahans, some even call it “Sabah Apple”.
Liposu / limpasu tree is common in Sabah forest. This one grows in a hill forest of Kiansom, Inanam.
The scientific name of Liposu is Baccaurea lanceolata. It is widely distributed in Southeast Asia so it has many local names, for example, Borneo Ampusu, Asam pahong (Peninsular Malaysia), Lingsoe (Java), Kalampesu (Kalimantan), Lampaung (Brunei), Som Lok (Thailand), Lengsu (West Java), Tegeiluk (Sumatra), Liposu (Sabah), Lipasu, Lipaso. Limpasu seems like its official common name, but the term “Liposu” is used more frequently in daily conversation among Sabahans.
Foreigner trying out liposu fruit. You can tell the taste from his sour expression.
A fruiting liposu tree is a a spectacular sight, with hundreds of low-hanging fruit lining its trunk, the best definition for fruitful. Isn’t it exciting to see so many fruits? You don’t even need to climb up high to pluck the fruits. Even without a “wife tree” nearby, a male liposu tree can fruit on its own, but without the mesocarp. The fruits of liposu are in clusters of one to four seeded berries from globose to ellipsoid shape. The unripe fruits are purple or green in colour, and turn whitish yellow or light brown when matured.
Liposu fruit and its flesh. It can be eaten raw but very sour.
Liposu tree can grow up to 30 metres high, and found in lowland forest to sub-montane forests up to 1300 Metres in altitude. In Sabah, most villagers harvest liposu fruits in the neighbouring jungle. Liposu is seldom cultivated in orchards. It’s considered as a semi-wild and non-climacteric fruit with little commercial value.
White rice served with liposu slices and spicy fish on linopot wrapping. A common dish for farmers on the field.
Did you see something? If liposu is a person, he would be someone who is willing to give a lot (of fruits) to others without asking anything in return. Though people don’t take care of him, he can flourish on his own. Such selfless and generous trait is extremely rare in the world of human as well as plant. That’s why the title says Liposu is the kindest tree of Borneo. Liposu must be a fruit plant originated from the Garden of Eden.
Liposu Fruits as Food
The thick skin and translucent white flesh of liposu are edible, and its taste is really sour with a bit of sweetness. Usually it’s eaten by being dipped into sugar or salt, or as an appetizer with rice. The video below shows you how to make special paste with liposu fruits.
Sabah natives, especially the Dusun pickles or makes it into sambal (a type of chili + shrimp paste), for cooking it with anchovies or salted fish, Capsicum annum (cili padi) and crushed shallot, garlic and ginger. They also consume liposu as fruit beverages and sun-dried fruit slices.
I can eat three bowls of white rice with this sambal liposu paste.
Liposu is rich in potassium (126 mg per 100g edible portion) and antioxidants. Surprisingly, though very sour, the vitamin C in the fruit is low (only 0.6mg per 100g edible portion) and getting less when it matures. Anyway, liposu fruits all year round and can serve as a reliable food source for birds, deer, monkeys, gibbons, orangutan, and other wildlife, so it can support conservation.
Other Uses of Liposu
Besides fruits, other parts of liposu can be utilised. Liposu is also commonly used as phytomedicine, skincare, and herbs in different places and communities, as shown in the following list:
Bidayuh in Sarawak pounds the leaves and mixed it with water. This decoction is taken orally to treat stomach-ache.
Murut people use the leaf to relieve abdomen pain.
In Indonesia, liposu is made into face mask and powder form to treat acne.
Banjar and Hamlets tribes in Kalimantan apply the pulverized fruits on their skin as natural sunscreen.
To prevent drunkenness, Penan people pound the bark and drink the sap before consuming alcohol.
Kelabit community consumes the shell of the fruit to cure diarrhea.
Kalimantan people boil the fruit to make showering water that heals cold or fever.
Dayak women rub their face with the pulp of liposu to remove black spots and to keep their skin healthy.
The Iban uses the fruit of liposu as protection against charms and first consumed before paying house visits during Gawai.
Other uses: treatment for headaches and body swellings, mouse repellent
Liposu can be made into various products such as face mask and skincare lotion. This is not a real product photo, but liposu masks do available in Shopee.
Majority of studies on Liposu are carried out in Indonesia, we can learn from their researches to develop new liposu products and market them, to generate more income for rural communities.
My Thoughts
This section is not directly related to liposu but I think it’s fun to share a popular China story that is taught in almost every Chinese schools. This happened in Three Kingdoms Period of China about 1,800 years ago. Cao Cao, the warlord of Wei Kingdom, led his army marched across a vast dry-land. Without water supply, his soldiers were very thirsty and the weak ones even collapsed. Worried about the low morale among his men, Cao Cao hiked up to a hill to scan the surrounding but saw no sign of water.
Cao Cao told his soldiers about the plum trees ahead. Illustration Designed By 柚柚酱儿 From LovePik.com
However, despite the hopeless situation, he told his dehydrated followers, “Worry no more, comrades. Waiting for us at the other side of the hill are a lot of trees with juicy plums!” As plum is sour in taste, hearing the word triggered the reflexes of soldiers, their mouth were watering and felt less thirsty immediately. Then they were motivated to move on and found water eventually, but no plum tree. This incident created a famous Chinese proverb “望梅止渴”, literally translated as stopping thirst by visualising plum.
Liposu is a gift from nature. Look at the number of fruits!
Cao Cao is the biggest villain in three kingdoms story, so most historians call him a liar who used silly trick to deceive others with faked hope. If someone use this proverb to describe you, basically it means that you are a fool who comforts yourself with imaginary gain during a bad situation.
Some call Liposu as “Sabah Apple”
However, personally, I think what Cao Cao did was really smart. If he didn’t motivate everyone to carry on, nobody would survive. For this, I give a thumbs-up to his leadership because he knew how to boost everyone’s morale in a crisis by giving them hope (without spending a cent). Same to us, when there is nothing much we can do, probably the best way is to just wait it out and believe that there will be many liposu waiting for us in future.
Unripe fruits of liposu are green or purple in colours. It becomes light brown when matured.
So what’s your liposu? Do you use liposu for other purposes? Please share it in the comment section below. Let’s pray we will have a fruitful year ahead.
References
“A Guide to Wild Fruits of Borneo” by Anthony Lamb, Publisher: Natural History Publications (Borneo), 2019
Bak Kut Teh is a delicious Chinese soup of Malaysia. Normally pork is used as the main ingredient to be simmered in a broth of spices and herbs, like the one introduced in my earlier blog. When someone told me about the Seafood Bak Kut Teh in Sandakan, I thought it was a crazy idea, “Seafood is fishy. Isn’t it ‘incompatible’ with the smell of herb?” For me, it sounds like someone trying to fry cucumber with chocolate.
I was wrong. Seafood Bak Kut Teh rocks! Bak Kut Teh (肉骨茶 in Chinese) is officially recognised as one of the Malaysia heritage food in 2024 so now you have more reasons to try it.
I’m talking about Nam Chai Bak Kut Teh (Chinese Name: 南財肉骨茶), a Chinese restaurant over 2 decades old in Sandakan city. Its Bak Kut Teh is so good that it’s full during meal time.
I came early so I got a seat. Later more diners come and they have to stand around to wait for their turn. In fact, their loyal customers don’t mind to wait at all.
Pic: the food menu and (old) price list Though their specialty is Seafood Bak Kut Teh, they also sell very good traditional (pork) Bak Kut Teh. You can order rice, noodle and vegetables (cabbage, spinach and mustard greens) to go with your Bak Kut Teh too.
Every morning the owner buy the fresh pork and seafood at market, to ensure the best quality of his food. When you order, they will ask you if you want the soup more spicy. If you say yes, your soup will have stronger pepper flavor.
We order two rabbitfish (Chinese Name: 泥鯭), one bowl of sliced fish (grouper fish) and one prawn. The soup is darker than the traditional Bak Kut Teh and with aroma of pepper.
The rabbitfish of Sandakan is the best in Sabah. Its white meat is sweet and tender. The rabbitfish of other places doesn’t taste as good and I don’t know why. They use pepper, scallions and ginger to remove the fishy smell, and this also enhances the sweetness and freshness of the fish.
Look how big are the prawns. I use a spoon as a scale.
I really can’t describe how satisfied I am with a mouthful of big fresh prawns.
The sliced fish of grouper. Taste yummy too.
Pic: Close-up of the sliced fish
The address of this restaurant is No.1 Block D, Bandar Nam Tong, Sandakan (see Location Map). They open from 9:15am to 1:45pm and 5pm to 8pm, Tuesday to Sunday (close on every Monday). Their phone number is +60 11-65612603.
Probably you had tried grilled and steamed seafood. But Seafood Bak Kut Teh will be a pleasant surprise to you, when your tongue learns another way to appreciate seafood. And you will come back for more again for this taste.
Many locals don’t realise how lucky it is to live in Sabah. Our seafood is so fresh and affordable. So, enjoy what we have and eat more seafood in Sabah. Good things should be shared, so I would like to introduce you something nice and special at Mr. Fish Restaurant (Chinese Name: 鱼记海鲜小吃店) in Lok Kawi.
Very satisfying seafood dishes. Recommended for first timers
Mr. Fish Restaurant is a kopitiam (coffee shop) style restaurant where you can order dishes such as fried noodle, fried rice and noodle soup, but with seafood in them. Eric Tan, the Mr. Fish, opened this restaurant in Sep 2020. Because of his experience in seafood packaging so he knows where to source the freshest caught from Kudat, Kota Kinabalu (KK) and Semporna, which is a bonus. Of course, snapper, grouper, and sea brass (selunsung / siakap) are on their menu.
Seafood dishes of Mr. Fish Restaurant
If you are not sure what to order at Mr. Fish Restaurant, you may start with the food I tried below, or they would be happy to recommend if you ask.
1） Sandakan Fish Cake
To me, ordinary fish cake is so bland that I even think it’s a waste of space to put one into my steamboat buffet. Other seafood restaurant may offer better fish cake made of “tofu” fish, but the best one is the triangle-shaped Sandakan Fish Cake of Mr. Fish Restaurant. According to Eric, this high quality fish cake was mostly exported to Hong Kong in the past, so very few locals tried it.
Sandakan Fish Cake is triangle shape and has strong seafood flavor
The flavour of Sandakan Fish Cake is strong, almost like our favourite salty fish. The price is RM2.50 for three. It’s so tasty that I finished two really fast, then I regretted and ate the third one slowly.
Menu Board of Mr. Fish Restaurant. Some translation for your info: Ayam = Chicken, RM = Ringgit Malaysia (price in Malaysian currency), Watan Ho = Flat Rice Noodles in Egg Gravy, Tuaran Mee = Noodle of Tuaran town, Mee Goreng = Fried Noodle, Nasi Goreng = Fried Rice, Asam Pedas Kepala = Sour and Spicy Fish Head, Sup = Soup, Mihun = Rice vermicelli / noodle, Nasi = Rice, Kon Lon = Yellow noodle served dry, Biasa = Normal, Udang = Prawn, Kerapu = Grouper, Merah = Red Snapper, Ikan = Fish
2) Tom Yam Seafood Noodle
Tom Yam Seafood Noodle is a heavenly combination of seafood and spicy food if you love both. The soup is rich in seafood flavour, a bit to sweet side and not too hot. You can choose to have prawns, fish slices, or Sandakan fish cake in the soup.
Tom Yam noodle soup with Sandakan fish cake and prawns
For those who can’t take spicy food, you may try Tuaran Mee (Tuaran Fried Noodle), Watan Ho (flat noodle with gravy), Kon Lau (Dry noodle) with seafood. The prices range from RM10 to 18.
3) Stewed Fish Head (焖鱼头)
The real seafood lovers always go for fish head. In fact, I notice most customers at Mr. Fish Restaurant have Stewed Fish Head on their desks. I ordered one and to my suprise, it’s springy and meaty, probably due to the dense collagen. Stewed Fish Head (of grouper or snapper) is sold for RM25 to 30.
Stewed fish head
Another popular choice is Asam Pedas Fish Head, if you prefer sour and spicy fish head with aromatic curry flavour.
Stewed fish head is rich with natural collagen
4) Bottled Ice Coffee
I don’t know what’s wrong with the weather lately, it is so warm every day. A chilling iced coffee is just perfect. Do you know that iced coffee taste better overnight? FYI, only RM2.50 per bottle, Cheers!
Bottled iced coffee
5) Fried Fish Eggs
Fish eggs are not always available and the quantity is small. Don’t miss it when you are lucky. Fried Fish Eggs are sold for RM5 (small), RM10 (medium) and RM15 (large) per plate. It goes well with beer.
Fried fish eggsFried fish eggs is only available occasionally with small quantity
Location and Contact of Mr. Fish Restaurant
Mr. Fish Restaurant is located in Lok Kawi, about 17 KM away from KK. I know you KK folks. Distance is not an issue when comes to delicious food.
Mr. Fish Restaurant (鱼记海鲜小吃店) is located in Lok Kawi
GPS Location: 5.837593562860821, 116.04375318067473 (see Location Map) Opening Hours: 8:00am – 8:45pm daily Phone & Whatsapp:+60 16-8794300 Facebook:Mr.FishSabah E-mail:mrfishsabah@gmail.com Address: Ground Floor Lot 13-0, Block C, Jalan Papar Baru, Kem Lok Kawi, 89600 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
The setting of Mr. Fish Restaurant is a typical open-air kopitiam (coffee shop)
Though they don’t serve pork, the restaurant is not certified as halal, so use your discretion in food consumption.
Photos taken in Kota Kinabalu City, Sabah, Malaysia
Nonsom, also known as Bosou, is a popular traditional preserved dish of the Kadazandusun people, the largest indigenous group of Sabah. This unique delicacy is made by mixing raw fresh water fish and cooked rice, and pickle them by salt and pangi (a local herb commonly used as preservative). The mixture is then carefully stored in a glass or plastic container, allowing it to marinate for two weeks.
You can find Nonsom / Bosou easily in Tamu or local market of Sabah
Similar to other preserved traditional foods, Nonsom / Bosou has a distinctive salty and tangy flavor. It can be eaten raw or served with white rice and even fried noodles, but is more typically cooked with other meats and vegetables. To enhance its aroma, consider sautéing the Nonsom / Bosou with diced garlic, a sprinkle of pepper and olive oil.
Pangi seed is a main ingredient in preserving and fermenting food in Sabah
This year I celebrated my birthday differently. No Internet, no birthday cake, and no cozy bed. For me, to feel great being alive is to do something I love. Touching some boobs would be awesome, so this birthday wish brings me to Batu Nenen (Boobs Rock) in Maranggoi of Kota Belud.
(Left) Photos next to a Liposu fruit tree. (Right) Oh dear I am (in middle) so fat. At the right is Risin (my guide) and left is Uncle Sinuar (cook)
About Maranggoi and Pinolobu
Located in Pinolobu Village (Kampung Pinolobu), Maranggoi Eco Tourism is a new destination of rural tourism, which promotes travelling in countryside of Sabah. This village is blessed with forest, waterfalls, spring water and clean river. Maranggoi is the name of the river, which is named after a missing young man Maranggoi, who used to collect resin in forest around that river. But one time he didn’t return home after 3 days, which he normally did. The villagers went out looking for him and shouted his name, but they only found the cigarette butt Maranggoi left.
Kampung Pinolobu is a village about 17 Kilometres away from Kota Belud town. Pinolobu means breaking into a new frontier. Most of the population in Pinolobu Village is Dusun Tindal people and majority of them are farmers. Fruits and crops are everywhere in Pinolobu, to list a few, tapioca, pineapple, mango, rambutan, durian, sweet potato, and rubber. The entire village is built on hill area. To move around neighbourhood, you would need to walk up and down some slopes.
Visit the Boobs Rock (Batu Nenen)
Last month I booked a 2-day-1-night tour with the operator of Maranggoi. I drove 2 hours from Kota Kinabalu to Kampung Pinolobu. I was a bit worried about the bad weather lately, and wished the sky would be kind to me on my birthday. Luckily, the day was clear in the morning and by 7:30am I met Risin, who was my guide. Risin is married with 4 kids and own a farm in Kampung Pinolobu.
River pond with crystal clear water
After a light breakfast in a local shop, we headed to the starting point of jungle trekking, to visit four waterfalls and Boobs Rock in Maranggoi. The hike started in the base camp, which is nearby the first waterfall, Wasai Telupid. Telupid is the name of a rare exotic tree that bears sour fruit, its leaf also has strong flavor of sour, and both can make mouth watering pickle and food.
First waterfall (Telupid Waterfall) in Maranggoi river trail
To reach Batu Nenen, We needed to walk over 2 KM along Maranggoi River and passed by a few waterfalls. As this is upstream, the boulders are huge and the stream is crystal clear. Risin says there is no more village upriver so the water is unpolluted. Maranggoi River also seldom floods, even in rainy season. Do bring swimwear if you want to enjoy the clean and cooling water. All waterfall ponds are shallow and safe for a soak.
Telupid tree, a rather rare and exotic tree with edible sour fruits and leaves
The nature trail to Boobs Rock is pretty challenging for tourists who are not used to jungle trekking. We have to cross a few streams and climbed over many slippery boulders (Do expect to get wet until knee level). Besides, half of the time I walked on narrow soil trail along the side of the slope, a misstep could cause a bad fall down the slope. Most of the steep sections don’t have rope or rail support. Landslides blocked our way a few times, and we had to clear another path to get around them. Just to warn you that this is a rugged trail. Most visitors can do it but casual tourists would feel uncomfortable.
Left: zombie forest ants infected by parasitic fungus (commonly known as Cordyceps). Right: big caterpillar
Due to hunting activity, no big wildlife is spotted, so forest leech is absent too. We did see some fresh holes dug by wild boars foraging for food. According to Risin, Konexer captured the video of a Tufted Ground Squirrel (species: Rheithrosciurus macrotis) in camera trap there. Tufted Ground Squirrel is also known as Vampire Squirrel, it’s very rare and endemic to Borneo. It has the world’s fluffiest tail.
Bat Cave under the boulder
The riverine zone is a regenerated secondary forest with dense undergrowth. Risin shows me some interesting trees and herb that we spotted along the trail. Some fruit trees have spread into this forest, like rambutan, tarap, and cempedak. We passed through quite a number of farmland and rubber plantation in forest edge but didn’t see anyone else though.
Withered flower (left) and bud (right) of Rhizanthes lowii
The most exciting plant I saw is Rhizanthes lowii, which is endemic to Borneo and a parasitic flowering plant without leaves, stems, and roots. Rhizanthes is a corpse flower same family as rafflesia flower. Its flower lasts only a few days. Though I saw only the withered flower and bud, this is already worth my trip.
Gotokon Waterfall at Maranggoi River
After 1.84 Kilometre, we arrived the second waterfall, Gotokon Waterfall, which is a cascading waterfalls with the highest tier around 4 Metres in height. Personally I think it’s the most beautiful waterfall in Maranggoi river. Gotokon is derived from the term that describes the action (Togop) of scratching tree bark to collect sap. The sap is sticky and can be used as strong glue for bird trap.
Gotokon Waterfall is about 1.85 KM away from campsite
The next waterfall, Ronggu Waterfall, is less than 400 Metres ahead. Because I kept stopping for pictures so we were slow and it’s already 12:33pm, so we decided to have our lunch next to this waterfall. Risin brought some rice and traditional side dishes. We sat on the rocks and enjoyed our food.
Ronggu Waterfall (about 2.12 KM away from campsite)
We continued our hike after lunch. Within 15 minutes, we approached a rockface with flowing water. Probably due to the natural minerals, the water leaves a black trail on the surface it flows through. Risin says, “this is spring water (mata air) that percolates through rocks! We have a few spring water sources around Maranggoi. They never dry up even during drought. Instead, they even overflow in dry season occasionally. Sometimes I bring buckets of natural water from Maranggoi to my twin daughters who study in Tamparuli because they are not used to drinking the chlorinated water in town.”
Natural spring water coming out from the rocks next to Maranggoi River. Note the picture at the right, the mineral deposits in the spring water turn rocks into dark color
Finally, we made it to Batu Nenen (Boobs Rock) at 1:33pm. The local myth mentions about Batu Hujan (Rock Rain), which is a display of the wrath of God. Everything hit by this rain will turn into rock. The Boobs Rock was probably an unlucky woman hit by the rock rain, but no confirmation about its origin. When I wanted to have some quality time with the boobs rock, heavy downpour suddenly came. We left in a hurry. Bummer!
Boobs Rock (Batu Nenen)Risin enjoyed grabbing Boobs Rock (Batu Nenen) lolA strange tree near to Batu Nenen (Boobs Rock). It looks like p….
We walked back to the village. After nearly 2 hours I saw rows of whitish trunks of rubber trees, I knew we were home.
Watu Kepungit Waterfall looks mythical with the vines
What I Ate
I like to acquire new tastes so I requested them to provide local meals. Their traditional village food is not bad, as it is freshly caught or harvested locally and not high in fat and sugar. White rice is always the “main course”. The rice is compacted and wrapped in big Doringin (Dillenia beccariana) leaf and they call this rice pack linopot. Farmers always carry linopot to the field because such packing prevents the rice from spoiling fast.
Breakfast
I had some Linuput rempis (fishes wrapped and cooked in multiple layers of doringin leaves). The small fishes are from the river next to our camp. “Palm heart” soup is new to me, the soft core of palm trees such as banana and coconut are edible.
Breakfast: Linuput rempis, palm core soup and white rice . There are two liposu fruits at the back.
Lunch
These are what I ate at the waterfall. I love sour food so the liposu fruit has become my new favorite. The fruits are cut into slices, red color is the raw pulp and whitish color ones are smoked liposu.
Lunch at waterfall: salty fishes, canned spicy fishes, sour liposu fruit slices and wrapped rice (Linopot)
Dinner
Rice with Bahu (Mango pickle with red chili) and raw tarap soup. The older the Bahu mango, the more sour it is. The seeds of tarap fruits are edible and taste like peanut.
Dinner: Linopot (wrapped rice), Bahu (mango pickle) and salted fishes
Fruits
The highlight is Sukang durian, a mini durian grows in the wild but now also widely cultivated in Sabah orchard. The fruit is smaller but creamy and meaty. The durian aroma isn’t too overpower. Besides, I also bought 7 Kilograms of rambutan fruit (RM3/Kg) from a villager. I’m lucky because it is fruiting season.
Rambutan fruit and yummy Sukang durian
Second day of the my trip is to tour around Kampung Pinolobu, a relaxing day.
Stingless Bee (Kelulut) Farm
Stingless bees are also honey producer. It’s called Kelulut in Malay language but sounds similar to something negative in local language, so the local people prefer to call it Tantadan. Stingless bees don’t sting and Kelulut honey can fetch higher price than normal honey, so more and more villagers rear stingless bees at home.
Visit Stingless Bee (Kelulut) Farm in Kampung Pinolobu, Kota Belud
I visited an organic stingless bee farm that is built by local community in Pinolobu Village. There are 75 bee houses in the farm. If they include bee houses of whole village, there will be a total of over 300. Each hive produces about 2 Kg of honey per month, and it is sold for RM20 per 100 grams, a good side income.
This kelulut farm is placed under the rambutan fruit trees and next to clusters of Honolulu creeper flowers (air mata puteri), the preferred host plant for the stingless bees. Sometimes beekeepers feed the bees with rambutan and banana fruit if the bees can’t go out harvesting nectar during rainy season.
There are about 75 Stingless Bee (Kelulut) houses in this farm
Stingless bees are a lot smaller than honeybees, so they can access tiny flowers and extract more nutrients. They build their nests in tree hollows and crevices. When the villagers find their hives in the wild, they would cut the log section that contains the nest and transfer them to the bee house. This has to be done at night, after all the worker bees return to their nest.
The taste of kelulut honey varies in flavour depend on fruit and flowers they visit. In general, kelulut honey is sourish sweet, usually sweetness is the base taste, with a bit of sourness or bitter, or a mix of all, sometimes with a hint of fruit aroma. The colour of the stingless bee honey can be yellow, brown and even pink (rare and more expensive but no difference in nutrients).
Stingless bees store their honey in the containers called honey pots. The fun part of the visit is to sip the honey from these pots with a straw. The stingless bee honey is sticky so I need to suck harder. It’s sourish sweet, with a bit of durian aroma.
Sipping honey from Kelulut nest
This stingless bee farm has more than 6 species of stingless bees. Heterotrigona itama and Geniotrigona thoracica are the preferred species for beekeeping, as they are more productive. I was attacked by a swarm of Lophotrigona canifrons when I got too close to their nest for filming. Their bite is like ant bite, not really hurt but definitely unpleasant to have the bees all over your face lol.
Risin says a teaspoon of kelulut honey twice a day can improve the immunity system. If you want to learn more about kelulut honey and beekeeping, you may check out my last post.
Burung Jinak (Tamed Birds)
The last stop is to check out the tamed birds. There are 5 or more wild Magpie robin that can be hand-fed. The villager just brings some mealworms and whistle to call them. The birds gathered and chirped on a tree nearby. Then the birds fly to him and pick up the worms from his hand. It took them some years to gain trust from these wild birds.
Calling and hand-feeding wild magpie robin birds
I’ve been feeding some feral pigeons for a long time. Even today they still don’t want to befriend me. So the lesson is – only nicely treat those who appreciate your friendship. Some freeloaders are just takers and don’t deserve to be your friend.
Camping Grounds
There are two camping grounds in Maranggoi. Bunti Campsite has better environment and facilities. Wasai Telupid Campsite is quite basic (shelter and toilet only) but it offers more camping experience, and it’s a short walk to a beautiful waterfall. Mosquitoes may present during dusk. Insect repellent and mosquito coil would be useful. The night is quite cooling like air-conditioning. Do bring a good sleeping bag, mat and some warm clothing. Both campsites have no phone service (only weak signal of Digi in higher ground).
Bunti Campsite. The big building is the house of Uncle Sinuar. I overnight in the small hut (picture at the right)
I was staying in Bunti Campsite, which is well maintained by Uncle Sinuar. He also cooked for my meals with produces / caught from his farm and river. This 70-year-old and friendly villager is still active in farming. He worked as a carpenter before, so he builds all the hut and gazebo there himself. Visitors can choose to sleep in camping tent or the hut.
Camping ground and river (where I bath) at Bunti Campsite
Booking and Contact
You can find more information and photos in their Facebook page @ Maranggoi. It’s more fun to camp with a group of friends. Below is the price list for your perusal (rates as of August 2020).
Entrance Fee
Adult: RM3.00 Senior (65 and above): Free Child (7-12 years old): RM2.00 Child (Below 7): Free
Activity Fee
Hiking: RM5.00 Visit Stingless Bee Farm: RM5.00 Camping: RM7.00/Night (bring your own camping tent) Camping Tent Rental: RM15.00/unit
For full-day or overnight trip, you may consider the following packages. I was going for package no.2. For further information or booking, please call or Whatsapp 0111-514-7226 (Risin Ituk), 0111-530-7865 (Jalni), 019-880-3344 (Lazrus)
Package 1 (Preface)
Price: RM56.00 per person / 1 Day
Hiking & jungle trekking (4 Waterfalls)
Stingless honey bee farm visit
Fish feeding
Lunch
Guide(s)
Certificate
Package 2 (Night with Maranggoi)
Price: RM100 per person / 2 Days 1 Night
Hiking & jungle trekking (4 Waterfalls)
Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Stingless honey bee farm visit
Cultural night
Fish feeding
Guide(s)
Certificate
Package 3 (Maranggoi Outdoor / Survival package)
Price: RM150 per person / 2 Days 1 Night
Hiking & jungle trekking (4 Waterfalls)
Camping
Bonfire
Night hiking (optional)
Cultural night (optional)
Guide(s)
Rice (provided)
Certificate
Gathering foods from the river and forest
How to get there
Maranggoi is situated in Kampung Pinolobu (GPS: 6.254638, 116.490666, see Location Map) of Kota Belud district and about 84 Kilometres away from Kota Kinabalu city (2 hours by driving). There is paved road in good condition from Kota Kinabalu to this village, except the last 7KM of gravel road (still accessible by sedan). Or you can request them to pick you up in Kota Belud town or Kota Kinabalu city.
Gravel road to Maranggoi Eco Tourism site (Kampung Pinolobu)
Photos taken in Kota Belud, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo
I guess the little black bees (see photo below) are no strangers to you, as they are so common in Sabah. They seem to nest anywhere that has cavity, like tree hollow, even wooden houses. They usually make a wax-like exit tunnel for the hive. When I was a naughty boy, I just couldn’t help to pinch the tunnel to close the exit, though they are gentle and harmless.
In one occasion, I was told that they are “stingless bees” (Trigona spp). FYI, they are locally known as Kelulut, and Chinese calls it Mi Zai (蜜仔). When stingless bees got agitated, they don’t sting. Instead, they secrete something sticky and make my hair stick together. I didn’t pay much attention to them, because they are so ordinary and abundant.
Stingless Bee Farming
One day I passed by a house in Kiau Nuluh Village and saw a few log, each with a small opening.
Another closer look of the log. Actually they are hollow log (usually coconut trunk) for bee farming. The locals call this empty log “Gelodog”. Beekeepers keep the stingless bees in their original log hive or transfer them into a wooden box. Some put it in bamboos, flowerpots, coconut shells, and other recycled containers such as water jug.
However, to my surprise, they are not farming honey bees, they farm stingless bees instead. It was early in the morning and most villagers have gone to work in their plantation, so I could not turn to anyone for answer. I wonder why they rear such a small bee species. Aren’t larger honey bees more productive?
Stingless bee hives in Kiulu (noted the bamboo logs being pointed to by green arrow)
Later I met a bee expert, Mr. Salim Tingek, who is one of the authors for the book “Honey Bees of Borneo”. He told me that the honey produced by stingless bee is sour and even bittern in taste, but its honey has better medical values, with functions still not being well-known to most researchers.
As stingless bees are a lot smaller than honey bees, they may have access to smaller flowers such as herb. His studies are mainly focus on commercial honey bees, so he advised me to ask the locals for more details.
Searching on the Internet, I found a bit of info from a propolis bee farm at the Penang Botanical Garden. They breeds stingless bees (in fact only Malaysia doing this) to get the propolis which can “promote healing and regeneration of tissues. It has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory functions and protect the body from oxygen free radical damage, …useful as healing agent and application for home remedies such as honey, soap and balm”. In Sabah, the State Agriculture Department and Koperasi Pembangunan Desa (KPD) provide consultancy and training courses for villagers in stingless bee farming.
Last month in a jungle trek in Gaya Island, I saw hunderds of stingless bees gathered on a small tree, which is next to their hive.
It was quite an interesting phenomena, but I have no idea what they were doing. This specie has every big exit tunnel.
Due to the forest fire caused by drought, many bees lose their home. Above is a photo of stingless bee rebuilding its home on a burnt tree.
Thanks to Dr. Arthur Chung, I learn that the honey of stingless bee is much sought-after because it contains more antioxidant properties than honey bee. It contains less sugar, with phenolic compounds, which is a superfood good for health. Geniotrigona thoracica and Heterotrigona itama are preferred stingless bee species for commercial honey production in Malaysia.
Preferred Host Plants for Stingless Bees
Flowering creepers, such as “Honolulu Creeper” (Antigonon leptopus) and passion fruit.
Ornamentals, such as Turnera subulata.
Fruit trees, such as star fruit and rambutan.
Acacias and other flowering forest trees.
Honey Bees of Sabah
Talking about honey bees, probably I can share something I learn from the honey bee experts (Nikolaus Koeniger, Gudrun Koeniger and Salim Tingek). There are five species of honey bees in Borneo. One of them is Apis nuluensis (nulu means Mountain in Dusun language), a new species endemic to Sabah. They found its nest in a tree hollow near Laban Rata. There are 9 species of Apis honey bees in the world. The dominant honey bee species of Sabah is Apis koschevnikovi.
Apis cerana is the most common honey bee species being farmed (domesticated) in Sabah. In Kudat you can find many bee farms around and they have become tourist attraction of villages. The most famous honey bee farm of Sabah is located in Kampung Gombizau.
The “Gelodog” (hollow log) bee farming method is destructive, as you may damage the bee hive when you open the cover to collect the honey. The more sustainable method is by using Movable Frame Hive (like photo above).
Apis cerana honey bee is an Asian bee species, and it is not as famous as the European bee such as Apis Mellifera. We pay RM40, 50 to buy a small bottle of imported honey, even though our local honey bees also produce high-quality honey. Our environment is cleaner and more nature than the western countries. By right, our honey is better. We only don’t package our honey and turn it into a $ound brand.
Pic: a small bottle of Sabah honey (right) can cost MYR25 (≈USD8.33), expensive, but still cheaper than imported honey.
Photo above: unwelcome guest detected by honey bees. Many natural predators and thieves are eyeing for the sweet honey and want to get a share. Besides stinging, honey bees have many ways to deal with enemies. Like the “sticky ring” next to the hive of Apis andreniformis bees, ants and other bugs who want to approach the hive will be glued. The powerful mandible of drone (soldier bee) can chew off their heads too.
Here comes the most famous bee of Sabah, Apis Dorsata. This largest wild honey bee of Sabah is not only famous for its honey, but also its aggressiveness. Chinese calls it “Ba Gong Mi” (八公蜜) and this bee means horror. Stealing honey from these bees brings death penalty. I sweated when a bee expert showed a photo of her only 2 feet away from the dorsata swarm. She says it is ok, because the swarm is looking for a nesting site so the bees are not in the mood of protecting honey. I can’t read bee language so I will never dare to try that. I advise you not to too..
Apis dorsata specie is not a suitable candidate for bee farming, as they are not cavity dwellers. For safety and easier navigation, they love to build their hives high on tree, especially tall Menggaris tree. But my God, this bee seems to love to nest on Rambutan fruit tree too. Village kids like to throw stone to pluck Rambutan and that’s how they hit the jackpot by accident. Some locals hunt for their honeycomb and very likely the wild honey you buy in local market is from A. dorsata (or Apis cerana). The bee larvae is also edible. My mom tried it before and say it tastes like milk. Very healthy food I suppose.
Other Bess
The big black bee in photos above are Carpenter Bees, which were used to be the bee I feared the most. Later I found that it is very gentle and rarely attacks people. The only thing I know about it is this bee likes to drill a hole on the wood and nest inside, and it doesn’t live in group. Now I find it very cute. Oh Bee-Bee…
Ok, this one is a hornet (Lesser Banded Hornet), not a bee. If you see a rat corpse without eyes, that’s the work of this hornet. So far I haven’t seen any of them harvesting nectar, so I assume they like rotten meat. For those who do fishing in the wild, you better cover the fishes and bait, otherwise you will find many hornets come and feast on them. Anyway, it is quite safe to get near to them, as long as its nest is not somewhere nearby. Chinese calls it Tiger Head Bee (虎头蜂 in Chinese. Scientific name: vespa affinis). Its bright orange stripe is a clear warning. Everyone, who was stung by this hornet, says it scores 10 of 10 out of pain scale and the wound may leave a permanent scar. Imagine if you are stung by hundreds of them. The only way to escape the attack from swarm of hornets is to jump into the water, no matter you know how to swim or not. It is far more better to drown rather than being stung to death by hundreds of hornets.
Honey bees die if they sting, because they detach the sting that is linked to vital organs, this is not the case for hornets. Many even call them killer bees. Hornet hives are very common on the trees of countryside. If you come too near, they will send a few patrolling hornets to check on you. It is important that you slowly walk away from their hive and don’t do anything stupid that makes them perceive you as a threat.
Hornets like to nest on the tree, inside the shrub, under the roof and cliff. Their nests are very beautiful. However, after some days, the nest will grow from fist size to size of sandbag (or even bigger!). That’s how they get another name, i.e. Sandbag bee (泥包蜂 in Chinese). If you see their nest, don’t try to chase them away by boxing their hive like sandbag or fight them with mosquito insecticide. Just call the Fire Department, they know about to eliminate the nest (and it is a free service).
Can’t believe I can write so much about bees, hope you enjoy reading this…
