Sabah Hinava in Australia

Hinava, is undoubtedly the most famous local Kadazan-dusun raw fish salad in Sabah, Malaysia. Nowadays, it is usually served during Harvest Festival known as Pesta Kaamatan and as well as in most of the 5-stars hotels. How do you eat it? It is served together with rice, and of course, with rice wine. For those in Australia, perhaps, you can give a try with red or white wine.

Intriguingly, I have to modify this local cuisine and renamed it as 'Aussie Hinava' raw fish salad. Yes, it is all about creativity and innovation based on the local ingredients availability. The Sabahan usually use mackerel fish for this kind of dish; surprisingly, the snapper fish tastes so much better. Alternatively, you can use octopus as to replace the fish, indirectly, it will become Croatian Octopus salad dish. I tried that, tasted so good, as if you were in paradise. lol.

Despite the fact I have never demonstrated any cooking demonstration, I decided to take it as a challenge for this trip, sounds like travel and living channel, or Fear Factor Show. Well, I usually cook for my own. lol. So, these are the ingredients:-

Ingredients:

·        400 g Saddletail snapper, drained, skin and bones removed

·        2 Spring onion, finely chopped

·        3 inches ginger, finely chopped

·        ½ red onion, finely chopped

·        2 red chillies, finely chopped, seeds removed

·        300 ml lemon juices / 5 lemon

·        1 cup of vinegar

·        1 teaspoon of salt

 Spring Onion

Ginger

Red Onion

Red Chillies 

Lemon juice

Saddletail Snapper fish

Methods:

·        Fish Preparation

o   Remove the skin and bones

o   Cut into small chunks, about 2cm square

o   Rinse the raw fish with water

o   Marinade fish with the vinegar and salt for 1 minute

o   Squeeze out the excess after doing the marinade

o   Put it into the refrigerator for one hour duration (approx.)

o   Do not freeze it.

·        Then, put the marinade fish into the bowl and mix thoroughly with the prepared ginger, red onion, red chillies, spring onion and lemon juice earlier on. Do it gently.

·        Ready to be served. Bon appétit  

 parents and teachers are waiting for the chef :p

So, the chef explained how to prepare the dish 

Ready to be served. 

Never thought I could actually get a certificate from the Winthrop Primary School Principal, Mdm Lyn.

Dedicated teachers and parents :p

 Yeah, taking pictures with friendly teachers and parents

Reflection: 

Definitely it will be another memorable sweet experience for me as a traveller, particularly in doing cooking demonstration. I enjoyed the proactive discussion with the school teachers and parents. To my fellow blogreaders, I have to admit it is such a wonderful place to travel to Perth, Australia, especially with beautiful people and places, and of course, numerous types of food, yummy and delicious. Alright, Bon Appetit everyone with my new recipe: Aussie Hinava.