Sarawakian Local Delights : Lengki or wild bananas

Photo by Lucy Siew of Miri. Lengki buds for sale at Padang Kerbau Market

Lengki bud in Ulu Limbang.

The lengki is a kind of wild banana found in many parts of hilly region of Sarawak.

the buds are beautiful in pink and can be seen from far. Foragers of food early in the morning will collect the buds for a good stir fry at home in the longhouse. It is not every day the long house people can get to eat stir fried lengki flowers.

so it is quite a treat for both visitors and family.

In towns, the lengki flowers are sold in tamu whenever rural people can bring them to town by bus or by their own vehicles. Lengki flowers are best eaten fresh.