Sabah is located at the north of Borneo Island that exhibits exotic flora and fauna that are not found anywhere else on earth(Durian originates from Borneo). It is only natural that it also has some of the most exotic food. Although rich in resources, Sabah is now among the poorest in the world and therefore these forests will not last long and the exotic foods of Sabah must be recorded before they disappear forever.
Kembang dengan baik. Tidak perlu baking powder atau Eno.Rasa nya sedang manis tapi rasa tapai kurang. Masih ada tapi terlalu sedikit. Tidak macam yang aku pernah rasa, seperti masakan mama ku. Mungkin kurang gula, tapi itu tidak sehat.
Glucose ku naik dari 4.8 ka 5.1, selepas makan tapai nasi 150g saja. Mungkin keluar dari Ketosis sudah aku, apa lagi Boz ratio pun tidak lulus.
Kuih Kukus Tapai Nasi (juga dikenali sebagai Apam Tapai Nasi) merupakan kuih tradisional Borneo yang sangat istimewa kerana menggunakan nasi yang ditapai bersama ragi sebagai agen penaik semula jadi. Proses penapaian inilah yang memberikan aroma wangi yang unik, rasa manis-masam yang lembut, dan tekstur kuih yang sangat gebu selepas dikukus.
Resipi & Sukatan Tepat
Untuk mendapatkan hasil apam yang mekar dan lembut, berikut adalah sukatan standard yang biasa digunakan:
Bahan Adunan Apam: 1 cawan tapai nasi + 3 cawan tepung beras + 1 cawan gula pasir + 2 cawan air + 1 sudu teh Eno (atau yis segera untuk pilihan tapai ekspres).
Mungkin berdasarkan resepi ini tapi cara mama ku masak lain.
Di buat di talam macam kuih lapis saja. Tepung tarigu/gandum.,
Traditional **Apam Tapai Nasi** gets its soft, airy, and springy texture from a combination of fine rice flour (*tepung beras*) and the natural yeast in fermented rice. Unlike recipes using wheat flour, rice flour yields that classic light, web-like crumb structure.
### Ingredients
* **Fermented Base:**
* **1 cup (150g)** *tapai nasi* (sweet, well-fermented rice)
* **¾ cup (150g)** granulated sugar
* **1 ½ cups (360ml)** water (or fresh coconut water)
* **Dry Goods:**
* **2 cups (250g)** rice flour (*tepung beras* — Cap Teratai or Elephant brand works best)
* **1 packet (4.3g)** Eno Fruit Salt (plain/blue) *— for the final lift right before steaming*
* **Salted Coconut Topping:**
* **1 cup** freshly grated white coconut
* **¼ tsp** fine salt
### Method
1. Blend the liquid base
5 minutes
In a blender, combine the tapai nasi, sugar, and water. Blend on high until the rice grains are completely liquefied and smooth.
2. Mix the batter
5 minutes
Sift the rice flour into a large mixing bowl. Pour in the blended tapai mixture and whisk continuously until a smooth, thin batter forms with zero lump pockets.
3. Ferment the batter
3 to 4 hours
Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Set it in a warm spot for 3 to 4 hours. You will know it is ready when the batter doubles slightly and the surface is covered in fine, frothy micro-bubbles.
4. Prep the steamer and molds
5 minutes
Bring your steamer water to a rapid, rolling boil over high heat. Lightly grease mini silicone or plastic apam molds with a drop of cooking oil. Steam the grated coconut with salt for 5 minutes separately so it stays fresh longer.
5. Activate with Eno
Right before steaming
Sprinkle the Eno fruit salt into the fermented batter and gently stir. The batter will instantly foam up and increase in volume. Immediately pour the batter into your molds, filling them about ¾ full.
6. Steam on high heat
12 to 15 minutes
Place the filled molds into the steamer basket. Wrap the steamer lid with a cloth towel to prevent water drops from falling onto the cakes. Steam on high heat for 12 to 15 minutes. Allow them to cool for 5 minutes before unmolding and serving with the salted coconut.
> **Baking Pro-Tips:**
> * **Why Eno?** Traditional fermentation gives the taste, but adding a packet of Eno right before steaming gives the batter an instant carbonation boost—guaranteeing that signature "flower split" (*apam mekar*) top.
> * **Checking ferment readiness:** If your kitchen is cool, fermentation might take up to 5 hours. Look for a yeasty, sour-sweet aroma and visible bubbling before moving to the steaming step.
Cubaan pertama. Kuih sehat dan paling senang. Air kapur/limestone/calcum hydroxide buat nixtamalization. Juga rendah GI. Bukan macam Kasui, Kosui, Konsui Malaya yang menggunakan baking powder/sodium carbonate.
The Sciene of Nixtamalization: Why Real Corn Tortillas Start With Lime https://www.vttortillaco.com/blog/the-science-of-nixtamalization?srsltid=AfmBOop9aSKciybSOB1PgeQV9fjpUiSzZ1KTExbq6TWkmd76l6JCZCG3
Kuih kusui Sabah.
Air 150cc
Gula merah 30g
Glycine 20g
tepung tarigu/gandum 95g.
Air kapur pekat 5g.
kukus selama 30 minit.
Formulanya:
air = tepung + pemanis
kapur = 2g, 2% tepung
tapi sebab cair, aku taruh 3 kali lebih.
Baunya macam kusui laj. Rasa nya terlalu manis pula. Warna pun putih. Perlu pakai gula melaka yang gelap warna dan kurang manis. ll
Resepi orang Sabah tapi terikut cara orang Malaya, yang di panggil Kaswi sebab di campur tepung ubi yang jarang di gunakan di Sabah. Paling pun tepung kanji.
Cara masak di talam lah yang selalu di buat. Tepung ubi atau kanji lebih mahal jadi buat apa guna kalau kapur sudah cukup.
I need to look up the specific ratio for nixtamalization with wheat flour, as the traditional nixtamalization process is typically used for corn (maize), not wheat. Let me search for this
I need to be upfront with you: nixtamalization is traditionally done with whole corn kernels (maize), not wheat flour. The process involves cooking and steeping whole grains in an alkaline solution to soften hulls, release nutrients, and create a workable dough (masa). Wheat flour is already milled and processed, so the traditional nixtamalization process doesn't directly apply.
However, there is research and experimentation on nixtamalizing whole wheat grains (not flour). Let me share what I found:
Aku tanya Kimi tentang sukatan yang betul untuk Nixtamalization. Perlu lebih kapur, 2 kali ganda dari jagung. 5g kapur untuk 100g.
Tapi ini untuk biji gandum tapi sukatan tetap sama sebab kimia nya sama.
Aku tahu prosess ini sebab tauhu/bean curd pun pakai kapur.
Kasui dan Kosoi, Konsoi Malaya dan China guna sodium carbonate atau alkaline water. Di Sabah tidak. Kuih jadi kental dan tidak perlu lain tepung, macam kuih orang Malaya. Rasa Kusui ini pahit dan ada rasa sabun, tapi ini yang aku suka. Rupanya lagi sehat.
Untul sukatan, guna experimen Nordik.
Nixtamalization Ratios: What the Research Says
For Corn (The Traditional Standard)
The established ratio for corn nixtamalization is:
IngredientRatio
Calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)₂)0.5–1.5% by weight of corn
Water150–300% by weight of corn
So for 100g of corn, you need:
- 0.5–1.5g calcium hydroxide
- 150–300ml water
Most traditional recipes use 1% (1g per 100g corn) as a safe, effective standard.
A more specific traditional ratio is:
- 1.5g lime : 100g corn : 300g water
---
For Whole Wheat Grains (Experimental)
The Nordic Food Lab experimented with nixtamalizing whole Øland wheat grains and used:
IngredientAmount
Whole wheat grains100g
Water500g
Calcium hydroxide5g (5%)
Salt5g
This is a much higher concentration (5%) than corn, because wheat has a different structure — the bran is tougher and the grain is smaller. They cooked for 45 minutes and steeped for 6 hours.
---
The Problem with Wheat Flour
IssueExplanation
Already milledThe hull (bran) is already separated; no pericarp to soften
Starch is exposedAlkali will react directly with starch, causing excessive gelatinization
No "nixtamal" to grindYou can't make masa from flour — it's already flour
Texture problemsAlkaline-treated flour becomes gummy, soapy, or unpleasant
---
What You Might Actually Want to Do
If your goal is to treat wheat flour with calcium hydroxide for a specific purpose, here are the realistic options:
Option 1: Use It Like Baking Soda (Small Amounts)
Some traditional breads (like pretzels, bagels, or ramen noodles) use alkaline agents to:
- Improve texture (chewiness)
- Enhance browning (Maillard reaction)
- Develop flavor
For 100g wheat flour, a typical alkaline treatment would be:
> Note: This is NOT nixtamalization — it's simply adding an alkaline agent to dough. Most recipes actually use baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) or kansui (potassium carbonate + sodium carbonate) instead of calcium hydroxide for this purpose.
Option 2: Nixtamalize Whole Wheat Grains First
If you want true nixtamalization with wheat:
1. Start with whole wheat berries (not flour)
2. Use 5g calcium hydroxide per 100g wheat (based on the Nordic Food Lab experiment)
3. Cook for 45 minutes, steep for 6+ hours
4. Wash thoroughly
5. Grind into a dough/masa
Option 3: Buy Pre-Nixtamalized Flour
For corn, this is called masa harina. For wheat, there's no commercial equivalent because wheat isn't traditionally nixtamalized.
---
Safety Warning
ConcernDetails
Too much calcium hydroxideMakes food bitter, soapy, and potentially harmful to digestion
Food-grade onlyUse "pickling lime" or "cal" — never industrial/agricultural lime
pH mattersNixtamalization typically reaches pH 11–12; this is safe when properly washed
---
Bottom Line
What You AskedThe Reality
Nixtamalize 100g wheat flour with calcium hydroxideNot traditionally done — flour is already processed
If you want to add calcium hydroxide to wheat flour dough0.5–1g per 100g flour for texture/flavor (not true nixtamalization)
If you want to nixtamalize whole wheat grains5g calcium hydroxide per 100g wheat (experimental, based on Nordic Food Lab)
---
Could you clarify what you're trying to achieve? Are you looking to:
1. Make a chewy wheat-based dough (like ramen or pretzels)?
2. Experiment with nixtamalized whole wheat for tortillas?
3. Add calcium to your diet through fortified flour?
That would help me give you a more precise answer.
GEMINI ON REDUCING GLYCEMIC INDEX
When discussing carbohydrates and the **Glycemic Index (GI)**, food chemistry reveals a fascinating interaction between calcium salts and carbohydrate structure.
In soybeans and unsweetened soy milk, digestible carbohydrates (starches and simple sugars) are naturally very low. Most of the carbohydrates present are dietary fiber and prebiotic oligosaccharides (such as raffinose and stachyose). Because of this, unsweetened soy milk naturally has an extremely low GI—typically between 15 and 30.
However, the short answer to your question is **yes: both calcium sulfate (\text{CaSO}_4) and calcium hydroxide (\text{Ca(OH)}_2) can reduce the glycemic index of carbohydrate foods**, though they do so through slightly different mechanisms.
## How Calcium Reduces the Glycemic Index
When calcium salts are added to carbohydrate-rich foods or soy liquids, calcium ions (\text{Ca}^{2+}) interact directly with the molecular structure of carbohydrates and proteins:
### 1. Formation of Resistant Starch
Divalent calcium ions (\text{Ca}^{2+}) form ionic bridges with amylose and amylopectin (starch molecules). This cross-linking promotes starch retrogradation, converting easily digestible starch into **resistant starch**. Resistant starch behaves like dietary fiber—it resists breakdown in the small intestine, leading to a much smaller spike in blood glucose levels.
### 2. Enzyme Barrier & Slowed Digestion
The calcium-bound matrix acts as a physical barrier. Digestive enzymes, such as \alpha-amylase, have a harder time reaching and cleaving the carbohydrate bonds. This delays glucose absorption into the bloodstream, effectively lowering the food's GI.
### 3. Solid Matrix & Gastric Emptying
In soy milk, calcium sulfate causes proteins and remaining complex carbohydrates to gel into a solid matrix (curd or tofu). Solid food matrices take longer to leave the stomach (slower gastric emptying) than liquid soy milk, which further flattens any post-meal blood sugar curve—especially if the soy milk has added sweeteners.
## Calcium Sulfate (\text{CaSO}_4) vs. Calcium Hydroxide (\text{Ca(OH)}_2)
While both compounds deliver calcium ions (\text{Ca}^{2+}), their chemical environments alter how strongly they affect glycemic response:
* **Primary Use:** Famous for **nixtamalization** (the traditional Mesoamerican process of soaking corn/maize in an alkaline calcium hydroxide solution).
* **Impact on GI:** Highly significant. The strong alkalinity (\text{pH}) combined with calcium ions partially hydrolyzes starches and cell wall pectins while simultaneously forming insoluble calcium-starch complexes.
* **Result:** Corn processed with calcium hydroxide (like traditional masa flour for tortillas) has a **markedly lower glycemic index** and higher resistant starch content than untreated corn flour.
### Calcium Sulfate (\text{CaSO}_4) — *Gypsum*
* **Primary Use:** Traditional tofu and *taufu fa* coagulant.
* **Impact on GI:** Gypsum is \text{pH}-neutral. It does not chemically break down starch granules the way alkaline lime does. Instead, its primary mechanism for lowering GI is through **protein cross-linking and physical entrapment**.
* **Result:** In high-starch grains or sweetened soy desserts, gypsum cross-links residual pectins and proteins, creating a structured curd that slows down digestion and glucose release.
> **Key Takeaway:** If you are consuming plain soy milk, its GI is already exceptionally low. However, when calcium salts—especially calcium hydroxide in starchy foods or calcium sulfate in curdled soy matrices—are present, they help slow down starch breakdown, increase resistant starch, and keep blood glucose levels far more stable.
I don't have a picture of this tart but it looks like the picture below. But Tart Nenas Sabah is much better. There is more pineable jam because the edges are flat so the tart is full of the jam. The strings and edges are clipped to make them wavy but thin, and then painted with egg yolk with more surface area because of the clipping.
Santalia is a type of Coconut Jam. Surprisingly, it is not mentioned in the Wikipedia entry. It is close to the Filipino matamís. Santalia is kaya without egg so it should be simpler.
Based on this picture, it is different from our Santalia in being lighter. Santalia is almost black. And in Sabah, it is usual to add durian. Tausug in Sabah and Philippines may share the same name of Santalia but not sure of their way of cooking.
Pialam Itum is the unique dish of Sabahan Tausug, not Tiula Itum. Tiula Itum is the unique dish of Filipino Tausug.
Pialam Itum is the dish that my wife cooks based on the recepi of her grandmother from his father's side. A tausug sharifah, descendent of Hassan the son of prophet Muhammad. Although my side of the family is also tausug, we do not have this dish.
I do not have any picture of this food but it is a combination of Tiula Itum and Pialam Ista from the Philippines, modified to the Malay ingredients. However, only used for a specific fish, Ikan Sembilang, Eeltail Catfish.
This recepi is typical Filipinos or recent Filipino migrants to Sabah who have not mixed with the local communities of Brunei, Javanese, and Banjarese. It uses tomato to provide the sour taste whereas we use Assam jawa.
Pialam Ista turned into Pialam Itum by mixing with burnt coconut just like Tiula Itum. This variation cannot be found in the Philippines. So Pialam Itum is the unique dish of Sabahan Tausug, not Tiula Itum. Tiula Itum is the unique dish of Filipino Tausug.
Kuih Telinga Gajah. Our nickname for this biscuit. Not sure what the chinese baker calls it. It is not a normal biscuit bevause it is spicy, not the Indian spiciness, also not purely chinese. It is mixture of chinese and indian spices.
Originally, only found in Sandakan, but can now be bought in Kota Kinabalu, although not as delicious as the one in Sandakan.
