Ingredients
Pickle
- 300 gyoung wild ginger stems (tuhau), or the tender inner stems of young galangal
- 1 tbspsalt
- juice of 4 limes
- 3bird’s eye chillies, sliced
- 2shallots, sliced thin
To serve
- hot rice
- grilled fish or roast pork
Directions
- Use only the young tender stems — the pale part near the base, before the fibre sets. Older stems are woody and no amount of pickling softens them.
- Peel off the tough outer layer and slice the stems as thinly as you can, across the grain. Thin slicing is the whole preparation: cut thick, tuhau is stringy and unpleasant.
- Toss the slices with the salt and leave for 20 minutes, then squeeze out the liquid that comes away.
- Mix with the lime juice, chilli and shallot.
- Leave at room temperature for two hours before eating. The lime softens the ginger’s raw heat and the salt draws out the last of the water.
- Refrigerate. It keeps about a week and is at its best in the first two or three days, while the aroma is still sharp.
- Serve a small spoonful with hot rice and grilled fish. It is pungent, and a little goes a long way.
Technique
- Slice it as thinly as your knife allows. Everything else is easy; this is the part that matters.
- It is a fresh pickle, not a preserve. A week in the fridge is its life.
- The aroma is strong and camphorous — that is tuhau, not a fault.
Substitutions
- Young galangal or the tender core of lemongrass, both of which give a similar sharpness.
- Calamansi in place of lime.
Variations
- Mixed with grated coconut, which is common in Sabah.
- Pounded into a sambal with chilli and dried shrimp.
History
A Sabahan condiment gathered from the forest floor; the sharp aroma is prized by Dusun and Murut cooks.
Frequently asked questions
What is Tuhau?
Tuhau is a fermented & pickled from Malaysia: wild ginger stems sliced thin and pickled with lime, chilli and salt. A Sabahan condiment gathered from the forest floor; the sharp aroma is prized by Dusun and Murut cooks.
How long does Tuhau take to make?
Tuhau takes 25 min plus 2 hours of preparation and no cooking at all. The recipe makes fills a 500 ml jar. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Tuhau?
Yes, within limits. Young galangal or the tender core of lemongrass, both of which give a similar sharpness. Calamansi in place of lime.
What is the most important thing to get right in Tuhau?
Peel off the tough outer layer and slice the stems as thinly as you can, across the grain. Thin slicing is the whole preparation: cut thick, tuhau is stringy and unpleasant.
