ExploFood · Asia
What to eat in Brunei
Five dishes to try in Brunei, the most typical first. One is vegetarian.
Five dishes to try in Brunei
Ambuyat
Sticky sago starch twirled on bamboo forks and dipped in sour sauces, with fish and greens.
How to have it: The national dish, shared at the table; dip into cacah (tempoyak or binjai sauce) and swallow without chewing.
Nasi katok
Plain rice with fried chicken and sambal, wrapped in paper.
How to have it: Brunei's cheap any-hour meal, sold at small shops and 24-hour stalls for a dollar or two.
Nasi lemak
Coconut rice with sambal, anchovies, peanuts, egg and cucumber.
How to have it: A breakfast staple at kedai kopi and markets, often sold in banana-leaf parcels.
Satay
Grilled skewers of marinated chicken or beef with peanut sauce.
How to have it: Best at the Gadong night market in the evening, with ketupat rice cakes.
Kelupis
Glutinous rice steamed in a long leaf wrapper.
How to have it: Eaten with rendang or curry at festive meals, and sold at markets around Hari Raya.
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Questions
What food is Brunei famous for?
Ambuyat (sticky sago starch twirled on bamboo forks and dipped in sour sauces, with fish and greens) comes first on our list, followed by Nasi katok, Nasi lemak, Satay and Kelupis.
What is the national dish of Brunei?
Ask ten people and you get several answers. The dish we put first for Brunei is Ambuyat: sticky sago starch twirled on bamboo forks and dipped in sour sauces, with fish and greens. The national dish, shared at the table; dip into cacah (tempoyak or binjai sauce) and swallow without chewing.
Which dishes in Brunei are vegetarian?
One of the five on this page is vegetarian as usually made: Kelupis. Recipes vary, so ask about stock, lard or fish sauce.
What street food should I try in Brunei?
Nasi katok (plain rice with fried chicken and sambal, wrapped in paper) and Satay (grilled skewers of marinated chicken or beef with peanut sauce).
How reliable is this list?
The dishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, where you can also tick off the ones you have tried. Recipes vary by region and by family, so take it as a starting point.
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Tick off every dish you try in Brunei
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Get ExploDishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, with links to Wikipedia. Recipes and names vary by region.