Ambuyat (Bruneian Sago Starch with Spicy Dipping Sauce)
In short: A glossy, sticky paste of sago starch twirled on a fork and dipped in a sour, spicy shrimp paste sauce, with fried fish and greens on the side. It takes about 50 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 330 kcal
Ambuyat is Brunei's national dish, a glue-like paste made by stirring boiling water into sago starch. It tastes of almost nothing on its own, which is the point. You twirl it around a two-pronged bamboo fork called a candas and dip it into cacah, a sharp, hot sauce, then eat it with fried fish and vegetables. Eat it hot, because ambuyat sets and turns rubbery as it cools.
Instructions
- Make the cacah: pound or blend the chilies, shallots, garlic and toasted shrimp paste into a rough paste. Stir in the lime juice, sugar, salt and water and set aside.
- Season the fish with the salt. Heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat and fry the fillets for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Keep warm.
- Blanch the greens in boiling water for 2 minutes and drain. Arrange with the cucumber on a plate.
- Stir the sago starch and cold water in a heatproof bowl until smooth with no lumps.
- Pour in the boiling water in a steady stream while stirring fast with chopsticks or a stout fork. In about 1 minute the mixture turns glossy, translucent and very sticky.
- Serve immediately. Twirl a portion around a fork, dip it in the cacah, and eat with bites of fish and greens.
Tips
- Use water that is truly boiling. Water that has cooled slightly gives a cloudy, lumpy paste that does not turn clear.
- Tapioca starch is a common substitute outside Southeast Asia and behaves in a similar way. For a milder sauce, use fewer chilies and serve extra lime.
Questions and answers
What does ambuyat taste like?
Almost nothing. It is a neutral, slippery, chewy starch, and all the flavor comes from the sauce and side dishes.
How do you eat ambuyat?
Twist a portion around a bamboo fork or chopsticks into a ball, dip it in the sauce, and swallow it in a bite or two instead of chewing at length.
Can I make ambuyat ahead?
No. It must be made right before eating, since it sets firm and rubbery within minutes. The sauce and fish can be made ahead.
How long does it take to make Ambuyat (Bruneian Sago Starch with Spicy Dipping Sauce)?
About 50 min in total: 30 min of preparation and 20 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Ambuyat (Bruneian Sago Starch with Spicy Dipping Sauce)?
About 330 kcal per serving, with 14 g of protein, 50 g of carbohydrates and 8 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 330 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 14 g |
| Carbohydrates | 50 g |
| Fat | 8 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 4 g |
| Sodium | 700 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
