Nonsom / Bosou

Nonsom / Bosou, the Pickled Food of Sabah

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.

Nonsom / Bosou, the pickled food of Sabah
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 fruit (Pangium edule)
Pangi seed is a main ingredient in preserving and fermenting food in Sabah

5 thoughts on “Nonsom / Bosou, the Pickled Food of Sabah

  1. Oh, come on! It wouldn’t harm you to try it. It’s actually called ‘bosou’ by the Kadazan Dusun. I’ve been eating this since childhood and no harm done to the system, in fact we serve on kaamatan or bambarayon. You should try it.

  2. They should export this stuffs to our area in Tawau, I’ll try, it looks great to me. Great pictures taken!!

  3. They should export this stuffs to our area in Tawau, I’m sure most of Malay people will love it.
    I tried worst than this one. ummmmmmm…

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