Ambuyat

At dinner, I went straight to the counter that carried the plaque 'Ambuyat'. It's a Brunei dish whom many say we have to try it once. Locals eat it mostly at lunch. But at dinner, I guess it can be an appetizer. I hadn't tried it before. So I wanted a taste of it. There was a confusing array of sauces and dips. How to mix all of them up to eat ah? The chef patiently explained the ingredients and showed us how we should eat it.

That starchy gluey thingy is made from adding hot water to the powder of palm sago. One is supposed to mix all the sauces, twirl a small ball of starch and dip it in the sour mix called 'cacah'.

I skipped the shrimp and stuff, but accepted the cencaluk. Then the chef merrily scooped in something suspicious before I could stop him. It was fermented durians. ARRRRRGH. There was mango and lime stuff, cucumbers and all. An oily looking fish soup was drizzled over it as well. The entire dish was rather sour.

Chewing isn't encouraged. But I did it anyway and didn't see why one couldn't chew. Swallowing it whole might actually choke me. It makes for an interesting experience. I ummm.....am not fond of it. It's too starchy. While I don't mind the stink of the fish soup or sauce, I don't like the rest of the taste that defines the sour-ness of the ambuyat, the same way I'm not fond of sour stuff like preserved plums, Thai som tam and salads.