| Azaraimy HH |
TUTONG ethnic cooking demonstrations and competition kicked off the three-day Tutong Food Festival 2018 held yesterday in the vicinity of the Pekan Tutong night market yesterday afternoon.
The event started with a cooking demonstration from the Tiong Hua community in Tutong with their ethnic delicacy Chang led by 88-year-old Li Mui Yin.
During the demonstration, the public also tried making Chang, and the finished products were sampled by those in attendance.
The public also learnt how to make Umai Umbut Rotan from a demonstration by a master chef in local exotic herbal and vegetable based delicacies and owner of Eco Ponies Garden Eyun Ukoi.
Umai Umbut Rotan is as exotic as its name suggested and is a traditional mouth-watering but spicy delicacy native to the communities in the Tutong District.
After the demonstration, the public tried making them in a competition. The finished product was then available for the public to sample.
Another cooking demonstration at the event was a demonstration of making Pulut Panggang. Pekan Tutong is popular for its Pulut Panggang among visitors to the district, and this was an opportunity for the public to see how it was made.
During the day, visitors also cruised Tutong River and tried their hand at a paintball shooting range.
The Tutong Food Festival also features many food booths that provide local favourites.
Among the most unique were Katam Kalok. The Katam Kalok is a tasty crab delicacy prepared by a group of students from Ma’had Islam Brunei, Tutong, one of the recent winners of the 6th Bigstart Competition.
In an interview, the group and their teacher said they received BND200 to kick start their project from the 6th Bigstart Competition and they participated in various food festivals selling the popular Katam Kalok.
Among other products available during the Tutong Festival 2018 was a unique herbal drink, the ‘Lemongrass Powder’.
People can readily mix it with either cold or hot water and drink it. It has various health benefits.
The lemongrass powder is sold in a commercial packaging, which is the product of MPK Kampong Panchong of Mukim Lamunin.
Head of Women Bureau of MPK Kampong Panchong Hajah Maimunah binti Abdullah said the product is made under the One Village One Product programme.
The Tutong Food Festival 2018 will continue this afternoon with more activities for the public.
Activities lined up for the event include an eating contest, unique delicacies from ethnic groups of the district, a Pulut Panggang workshop and a demonstration on rice cooking with firewood.
Sideline attractions will include a cooking workshop, food product exhibition and a master chef competition.
It will culminate tomorrow in conjunction with Tutongku Ceria, with even more activities.