Page 204 - The Guide To Sarawak

202 THE FLAVOURS OF SARAWAK - FOREWORD
Nothing in Sarawak is more important than food. When we meet friends, we do not ask “how are you?”, we ask “have you eaten?”. Food is something we take very seriously indeed. Fortunately, our food is worth taking seriously; we have a huge variety of cooking styles and recipes, thanks to our diverse heritage. We take great pride in our signature dishes; Sarawak laksa and kolo mee, crispy fried jungle ferns, the longhouse masterpiece manok pansoh (chicken steamed in bamboo), the spicy Melanau raw fish salad, umei, and even sago worms (raw or stir fried)! We also enjoy classic Malaysian dishes such as fish head curry, banana leaf rice and nasi lemak, as well as superb fish and seafood, fresh from the South China Sea. The next best thing about food in Sarawak is its affordability; a seafood banquet or a fusion feast will cost a fraction of its price elsewhere. Diners can choose from 5-star hotel outlets and hundreds of speciality restaurants, but the best places to eat typical local food are often hawker stalls, each with their own signature dish. There are even courses available for those who want to cook like a local.
Our love of food is reflected in the annual Kuching Festival Food Fair, which has been a major event in the city’s gastronomic life since 1988. Organized by the Council of Kuching City South, the Food Fair runs for 3 weeks every August and has attracted over 750,000 people to try a delicious array of local, national and international foods.
If you can’t make it to the festival, take advantage of our unique “open house” tradition;
visit an Iban longhouse during Gawai Dayak to enjoy delicious jungle vegetables washed down with tuak (rice wine), drop by a Malay kampung at Hari Raya to gorge on rendang and kek lapis (Sarawak layer cakes), or sample authentic Hakka or Hokkien-style home cooking during Chinese New Year.
Life revolves around food in Sarawak, something we feel has contributed to our WHO Healthy City status and our UN-backed Tourist City Award. The best way to discover the state and its people is to explore its gastronomic offerings, so please take advantage of Sarawak’s many diverse cuisines and to eat, drink and be merry to your heart’s content.
Y Bhg Dato James Chan Khay Syn
Mayor of Kuching City South