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Kadazan-Dusun · Murut · Many Sabahan communities · ingredient

Bambangan

Also called: Wild mango, Mangifera pajang, Membangan

Bambangan is a large wild mango (Mangifera pajang) native to Borneo, with rough brown skin and bright yellow-orange flesh. In Sabah it is best known pickled with salt and its own grated seed, as a sour relish for rice.

  • Sour
  • Fruity
  • Resinous
  • Salty

Updated

Tubs of jeruk bambangan, pickled wild mango, for sale
Bambangan quick facts
OriginBorneo
CommunityKadazan-Dusun, Murut, Many Sabahan communities
Typeingredient
FlavourSour, Fruity, Resinous, Salty
Typical priceVaries; usually sold by weight or jar
WherePenampang, Keningau

Origin and culture

Bambangan trees grow wild and in village orchards across Borneo. The fruit is much larger than a typical mango and has a strong, resinous smell.

In Kadazan-Dusun kitchens the flesh is pickled with salt and grated seed, and the grated seed itself goes into hinava for extra tang.

Ingredients

  • Bambangan flesh

  • Grated bambangan seed

  • Salt

  • Chilli

    Optional

What does Bambangan taste like?

Tart and fragrant, with a strong resin-like aroma. The pickle is salty and sour enough to flavour a whole plate of rice.

How Bambangan is made

  1. 1

    The peeled flesh is sliced and mixed with salt and the grated inner seed, then packed into jars to ferment for several days.

  2. 2

    Ripe fruit can also be eaten fresh, although its fibrous texture and strong aroma are an acquired taste.

Where to eat Bambangan

Pickled bambangan is sold at tamu markets and served as a side at Kadazan-Dusun restaurants.

Restaurants serving Bambangan

  • Kadazandusun dishes and leaf-wrapped rice parcels on banana leavesRestaurant

    Penampang · Kampung Pogunon

    Borneo Spice

    Sources mention: Siga set (ambuyat, pinasakan, hinava and sides), Hinava

    Kadazan-DusunSabah LocalNon-halal
    Researched from 3 sources · not yet visited

Is Bambangan halal? Dietary notes

Plant-based and halal by ingredients.

Bambangan dietary information
PorkNo pork
SeafoodNo seafood
VegetarianYes

Bambangan FAQ

Can you eat bambangan raw?

Yes, ripe bambangan can be eaten fresh, but most people in Sabah eat it pickled with salt and grated seed as a relish.

Sources and further reading

Related dishes

  • Hinava: strips of lime-cured mackerel with red chilli, shallot and young ginger on a banana leaf

    Kadazan-Dusun

    Hinava

    Hinava is a Kadazan-Dusun dish of raw fish cured in lime juice and tossed with chilli, shallot, ginger and grated bambangan seed. It is fresh, sour and sharp, and it's served as a side with rice.

  • Tuhau: chopped wild ginger relish with red chilli in a jar and a small bowl

    Kadazan-Dusun

    Tuhau

    Tuhau is a pungent Kadazan-Dusun and Murut relish made from the stems of a wild ginger (Etlingera coccinea), chopped and mixed with chilli, lime or vinegar and salt. It is eaten in small amounts with rice and fish.

  • Linopot: rice parcels wrapped in leaves, stacked in a basket

    Kadazan-Dusun

    Linopot

    Linopot is rice, usually hill rice or a mix with sticky rice, wrapped in a doringin, tarap or banana leaf into a neat parcel. It is the traditional Kadazan-Dusun, Murut and Rungus way to carry and serve rice with side dishes.

Guides and trips with Bambangan