Pusas
      Various types of pusas in Sabah | |
| Course | Appetiser or snack |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Malaysia |
| Region or state | Sabah |
| Created by | Kadazan-Dusun and Rungus |
| Serving temperature | Hot or cold |
| Main ingredients | Various |
Pusas are appetisers or snacks of certain types of food among the Kadazan-Dusun and Rungus in Sabahan cuisine within Malaysia. The Dusunic community within Sabah is known for its certain types of snack foods accompanied by traditional alcoholic drinks such as montoku, lihing, talak, tapai and various commercial beers.
Etymology
It is a local term in the Kadazan-Dusun language referring to a snack or small dish enjoyed with alcoholic beverages, typically consists of grilled food, smoked meat, or finger food.
Categories of pusas
Foods that are classified as pusas usually have a salty, spicy, or sour taste which is to stimulate the appetite while drinking alcoholic beverages. Among the common types of pusas of the Kadazan-Dusun including:
- Tender shoots and meat: Sweet potato shoots cooked with chicken or fish.
- Salted fish: Dried fish fried with onions and chillies.
- Butod (Rhynchophorus vulneratus larvae): Sago worm.
- Sinalau: Pork or other fried crispy smoked meat.
- Tuhau: Forest plants that are sliced and mixed with chillies and vinegar.
See also
- Anju (food) – Korean term for food eaten with alcohol
- Hors d'oeuvre – Small dish served before main meal
- Kap klaem – Thai term for food consumed with alcohol
- Meze – Small dish in Middle Eastern and Balkan cuisines
- Pu pu platter – Tray of American Chinese cuisine
- Sakana – Japanese snacks, eaten with alcohol
- Tapas – Appetiser or snack in Spanish and international cuisine
- Zakuski – Russian term for appetizers served before meals
References
- ↑ Barlocco 2013, p. 78.
- ↑ (Bansa et al. 2025, p. 6)
- ↑ Seok & Grace 2020, p. 143.
- ↑ Chan, Julia (29 May 2017). "Sabah's Kaamatan celebration, a true show of unity". The Malay Mail. Archived from the original on 9 July 2026. Retrieved 9 July 2026.
- ↑ Chan, Julia (15 January 2017). "Next time you are in Sabah, try its traditional cuisine". The Malay Mail. Archived from the original on 13 September 2026. Retrieved 12 September 2026.
- ↑ Israel, Nraisah (16 March 2026). "5 MAKANAN YANG UNIK YANG WAJIB CUBA DI SABAH (Part 1)" [5 Unique Foods You Must Try in Sabah (Part 1)]. Sabahan.my (in Malay). Retrieved 9 July 2026.
Bibliography
- Barlocco, F. (2013). Identity and the State in Malaysia. The Modern Anthropology of Southeast Asia. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-317-93238-3.
- Seok, Chua Bee; Grace, Getrude Cosmas @ (25 May 2020). Psikologi Masyarakat Borneo [Psychology of Borneo Society] (in Malay). Universiti Malaysia Sabah Press. ISBN 978-967-2962-16-8.
- Bansa, Lawrence Alan; Rodney, Rayzigerson; Pimid, Marcela; Frias, Liesbeth; Guerrero-Sánchez, Sergio; Hasan, Noor Haliza (14 October 2025). "Exploring Human-Flying Fox Interactions in Sabah Malaysia Borneo: Observations, Cultural-Utilitarian Practices, Conflicting Interactions and Trade". Ethnobiology and Conservation. 14 (33): 1–36. doi:10.15451/ec2025-10-14-33-1-18. hdl:2031/e98630e3-3483-4dba-872b-ddaa699d4cce. ISSN 2238-4782. Archived from the original on 9 July 2026.
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