Dabai is a local delicacy in Sarawak and I believe it can be only be found here. The local called it "buah dabai" or dabai fruit. The Foochow here called it "Ka Lan". Anyway, I don't think it is a fruit. Dabai season usually coincide with the Durian season. Usually sold around RM8-12 per kilo depending on the size
Dabai physical appearance resemble an olive. The outer flesh is black and is tough when uncooked. To prepare dabai is rather simple. Place Dabais inside a container with hot/warm water (not boiling water) and let it simmer for about 30 minutes until the flesh is soft. Then add soya sauce and sugar.
This is how it looks like after been cooked. My mother told me there is another way to cook it which bring the best of Dabai's aroma but rarely practised. Add a little bit of oil and cooked under the hot sun. One need to be attentive and roll the dabai from time to time so it is evenly cooked.
The inside flesh is yellow. The flesh is soft when well done. Should the Dabai cooked with boiling water, the flesh will not turned out to be soft. Dabai should be consumed within 3 days after purchasing it from the market to ensure the texture of the flesh remain intact.
The seed is what left after its flesh had been munched. I been told the internal part of the seed is edible. One need to chop the tough seed to savour its internal part which I never try before. Dabai is one of my favourite food.
19 comments:
so special.. never try...
It's my first time to see this kind of delicacy. How does it taste?
I can't find this in West Malaysia, I like the salted version.
It's hard to describe the taste. It's not sweet, salty or sour. It has a distinctive taste. The sugar and soya sauce added sweetness to it.
quite interesting. can i know what foochow is?
hi BF, from the beginning i tot it is kurma (dates from Arab) but after reading, u said u need to soak with warm water and eaten with sauce and sugar, it must be something unique.. gosh..i like to try that ... anything new, i like to taste.. must keep that in mind.
dabai, we called 'olam' in hokkien. is my favorite. i love it with kicap and sugar. ;) it's really expensive now. selling at 12 per kg. I remember once bough 20 per kg in Kuching satok market......
I know that! =P I'm too, not sure whether Brunei got it or not, but we sure can get it in Miri. =)
My mother like to eat that with "kicap" and sometimes sugar. I know how to eat that too! =P
and btw, the inside of the seed is something like vegetable, becoz it's green in colour. It's nice! Me and my brother always used toothpick to scoop out the flesh inside. =D
i looks like dates! Must be very nutritious. Never seen before!
wow looks weird, i want to try one
wow, this seems really interesting and looks yummy. Do they sell packed versions of these?
Yeah I never saw it here. How it tastes like? Sweet or sour?
Dora:)
the seed like dates
we have like that here in philippines we call it duhat
Never eat this before, never see before!! what is it? It looks like a prune to me. what kind of distinctive taste? Strong flavour?
It does not have strong taste. You hardly smell anything with the nose. But can taste the flavour once in your mouth.
No, this thing don't sell in packed/sealed package.
Foochow is one of the Chinese clan/dialect.
Oh how I love this dabai thing when I was in Sarawak.. As you said, the taste is distinctly unique. There's no food which tasted like this. The saltiness of the soya and the sweetness of the sugar enhance the taste of this Dabai.
You made me hungry la...
it had been a long time i didn't eat that..can't rmb when is the last time..it really test good..but the method of eating it with soya source is how people in Sibu eat..
eat before.. weird taste i can say.. hahaha maybe cause i eat without any sauce i think haha
take one from market of sibu to try i think hahaha
u should try the inner part of the seed..it taste like sunflower seed.. 'KUA CI" =)
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