Sarawakian Local Delights: Pedada

The Pedada is a fruit tree found in the coastal regions of Sarawak. It is also found in the swampy river banks of most of the rivers in the state. Some of the nicest looking pedada trees are found along the Sarawak River stretching from the Astana to Kampong Gerisik.

The fruit has a lovely star like base . It has a long tip. which makes it a lovely fruit to look at. The flowers are white in colour and from afar they look like guava flowers.


The fruits are edible and are usually eaten raw with a hot chili sambal. The coastal Malays and Ibans love this fruit which is seasonal. Belacan, chillies and dried prawns with lots of onions make a good sambal to go with an afternoon meal of rice and ulam Pedada. Fresh cuts of limes will also make a good side dish. 

The Pedada trees grow easily where the soil is wet and even where the land is flooded by high tide.

Fire flies love to hang out on the tree branches . In fact some naturalists also claim that the pedada trees could bring back fire flies if the natural environment can become less polluted.