How to Make Ambuyat | Traditional Bruneian Recipe

 

Ambuyat is a traditional Bruneian and Sabahan/Sarawakian dish made from sago starch, often considered a national dish of Brunei. It's a neutral, sticky starch eaten with various flavorful side dishes and dipping sauces, especially a tangy fermented sauce called cacah.

It’s all about the dipping experience — you use a two-pronged bamboo stick called a chandas to swirl and scoop the Ambuyat, then dip it into bold, spicy, or sour sauces.

Traditional Recipe of Bruneian | Ambuyat

How to Make Ambuyat | Traditional Bruneian Recipe

(Bruneian Sago Paste)

 Prepare Time: 5 minutes

 Cook Time: 10 minutes

 Serves: 2 to 3 persons

 Ingredients

For Ambuyat:

• 1 cup sago starch (also called ambulong)
• 2 cups boiling water (approximately)
• A mixing stick or fork (traditionally a chandas)

For the Dipping Sauce (Cacah Tempoyak – Spicy Fermented Durian Sauce):

• 1 tablespoon tempoyak (fermented durian) – optional but traditional
• 2 red chilies, finely chopped (adjust to taste)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 tablespoon water
• Salt  to taste
• sugar to taste
  

Instructions

1. Make the Ambuyat

1. Place the sago starch in a large mixing bowl.
2. Slowly pour boiling water into the starch bit by bit, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon or fork.
3. Keep stirring until the mixture becomes translucent and sticky, like glue.
4. It should form a smooth paste.
5. Add more boiling water as needed to reach the desired consistency (not too runny, not too stiff).

 Important: The water must be boiling hot — warm or cold water won’t gelatinize the starch properly.

2. Make the Dipping Sauce (Cacah)

• Combine all sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
• Adjust seasoning — it should be a balance of spicy, sour, salty, and slightly sweet.
• If you don’t have tempoyak, you can substitute with a bit of mashed ripe durian or omit it entirely and make a simple sambal-style dip.

3. Serve

• Serve the Ambuyat warm with a variety of sides:

Grilled fish (Ikan Bakar)

Sambal belacan

Tempoyak-based sauces

Vegetable stir-fries or curries

• Use a chandas, chopsticks, or a fork to twirl a portion of Ambuyat, dip it into the sauce, and eat it in one bite (don't chew — it's meant to be swallowed).