Today is the national day of Brunei and from our cookbook National Dishes From Around The World we have the recipe for Ambuyat Tempoyak – the national dish of Brunei. Ambuyat comes from within the trunk of a sago palm. It is eaten using a bamboo fork or better known as ‘chandas’ and dipped in different varieties of local sauces, such as Tempoyak sauce. Ambuyat and its tropical sauce dip is usually served with other local dishes such as fried fish, grilled prawns, fried belutak (mixed beef), lalap (fried dried beef) and local vegetables.
Since this recipe uses region specific ingredients such as Sago starch and Durian fruit, your best choice for creating your own authentic recipe is to visit your local asian supermarket. Sago starch can otherwise be substituted with potato starch or tapioca.