Umai is a local delicacy from Sarawak (raw fish salad). It is traditionally made with fish or prawns. It is a staple food for the Melanau ethnic group, especially the fishermen. It is sometimes nicknamed as "Sarawak sushi" due to the use of raw fish/seafood.
To make umai, the most important thing is to use fresh produce since no cooking is involved.
The method of preparation is similar to the Peruvian ceviche(Peru marinated raw fish or seafood), where the seafood is marinated in citrus. Both umai and ceviche require no physical cooking, the citrus (in this case lime) does the “cooking” - the citric acid causes the protein in the seafood to become denatured, the same way as heat does.
What makes umai different from ceviche is the addition of lemongrass, chillies ginger and garlic. The tastes were very light, refreshing and appetizing with tangy flavours. The umai scallops would work very well as an appetizer. It can also be prepared as a quick lunch, as it takes less than 30 minutes to assemble.
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