Although both hill rice and padi (rice planted in irrigated fields) have been grown in Sabah for generations, this is not always the staple food, and in the far north, corn and cassava (tapioca) are often eaten. In many swampy areas, the wild sago palm flourishes. The Bisaya people of the Klias Peninsula, near Brunei, still make a gluey ‘porridge’ with sago starch locally known as “ambuyat”, eating by using a pair of chopsticks cut from the rib of the palm and twirl it up into a sticky mass. It might not look appetizing but the trick is actually to dip it in the accompanying sauce known as “cacah” and swallowing it whole. Cacah or the dip can either be made from local fruits or from fermented shrimps. Normally, cacah is sour but may be added in with chillies for those who like it hot or more chillies to make it hotter. Ambuyat taste best while hot so be very careful when swallowing it.
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