Page 259 - The Guide To Sarawak

THE GUIDE TO SARAWAK 257
Preparing sago pearls the traditional way. Cottage industries like this continue to thrive in Sago-growing areas such as Mukah, as local consumers are willing to pay a premium for traditional quality and flavour.
crackers enjoyed throughout Sarawak.
Sago offers more than just carbohydrates. The sago worm (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus) is a large grub that lives in the starchy
pulp of the sago palm’s trunk. It has a plump, yellowy-creamy body with
a soft-ridged texture and a hard-shelled head. With a distinctive meaty taste, it is regarded as a great delicacy throughout Sarawak (See also page 205). Sarawak’s sago industry has grown rapidly in the last 20 years, with the total planted area expanding from 20,000ha in 1991 to roughly 53,000 hectares today. Yet this
is only the beginning; thanks to substantial state government investment
in research and capacity
building, productivity is expected to increase five- or six-fold to 70–100 logs per hectare over the next
ten years, with Sarawak set to maintain its position as the world’s leading sago producer.
Tebaloi (sago crackers), a traditional Melanau delicacy popular throughout Sarawak.