The dabai fruit is a popular delicacy that is loved by Sarawakians.
MIRI: It is the time of the year again for ‘dabai’ lovers to get their hands on the exotic fruit, a popular delicacy that is loved by Sarawakians.
Commonly known as ‘Kana’ in Hokkien, the seasonal fruit ripens more or less the same time as durian, around June to August and December to January.
A ground check at a ‘tamu’ here revealed that the price of Dabai is notably very high – between RM25 and RM28 per kilogramme.
“The reason for the high price is because there is limited amount of dabai available now,” said a vendor who preferred not to be identified.
The vendor who brought the fruit from Sarikei also revealed that the demand here was quite high, hence the higher price.
“Now that everything is expensive, people tend to make profit from the high demand. But I like to keep the price as reasonable as possible to keep my customers.”
The dabai fruit is white in colour and has an oblong shape, and turns black when it ripens.
To soften the fruit, it is highly discouraged to boil it, as the hotter the water temperature, the harder it gets.
Instead, the dabai should be soaked in lukewarm water until it softens.
Usually the locals love to preserve the fruit using just soy sauce and sugar to enjoy the yellowish creamy flesh which many liken to avocado while others would prefer to eat it with rice.
“During the olden days, people would clean the fruit and add in garnishing, before putting it under the sun to soften it, because the process helps to absorb the flavour of the fruit. Either way, these are the ways to consume dabai in a tasty way,” the vendor shared with The Borneo Post.
Meanwhile, those who eat dabai would surely know that the nut inside the seed is the second best thing that comes from the fruit.
“You just crack it open and use a toothpick to take out the flesh, it is the old-fashion way to enjoy the natural delicacy,” the vendor said.