02/09/2025
The Story of Pansuh - Part 2
~Cooking with Bamboo~
For Sarawakians, pansuh is more than a dish. It is a method of cooking rooted in tradition. The Kayan call it lahok, the Iban say pansuh, while the Bidayuh know it as darum bu-uruk, which means “in the bamboo.”
This practice began long ago, when hunters and foragers ventured deep into the rainforest carrying only the bare essentials. With no pots, pans, or stored ingredients, they turned to what nature provided in abundance: plants that grew wild, fish that swam freely in the rivers, and animals that roamed the jungle. Cooking inside bamboo over fire became both a survival method and a way to transform these fresh ingredients into a nourishing meal.
Over time, this practice returned to the villages, was passed down through generations, and eventually found its place in our modern kitchens, becoming part of Sarawak’s celebrations and festive seasons.
What began as necessity has endured as heritage. At Lepau, we honour this ingenuity by keeping the bamboo flame alive, serving pansuh the way it was meant to be experienced - simple, authentic, and deeply Sarawakian.
