Bahar (drink)
| Type | Palm wine |
|---|---|
| Origin | Sabah, Malaysia, (West Coast Division, Kudat Division) |
| Alcohol by volume | 10% to 25%[1] |
| Colour | Red |
| Flavour | Strong, sweet, and slightly sour |
| Ingredients | Fresh coconut flower sap mixed with rosok tree bark[2] |
| Related products | lihing, montoku and tapai (Sabah), langkau and tuak (Sarawak, Kalimantan, Java, and Sumatra), saguer (Maluku Islands and New Guinea) |
Bahar is a type of Malaysian palm wine that originates from the state of Sabah. It is made through a fermentation process of fresh coconut flower sap that was mixed with rosok tree bark, and is a traditional palm wine for the Kadazan-Dusun especially among the Lotud Dusun of Tuaran District (including Kiulu Dusun in Kiulu) and other Dusuns in Kota Belud and Kota Marudu districts.[3][4][5] The drink taste sweet and slightly sour where it is commonly served during various occasions such as Christmas and the Kaamatan.[6]
Types of bahar
The two types of bahar that are common in Sabah are the Kiulu Bahar and Topokon Bahar, most of which are produced by the Lotud Dusun community in Tuaran.[7] Topokon Bahar is slightly bitter in taste, while Kiulu Bahar has a sour taste.[7]
Preparation
The drink is prepared by placing a recently collected sap in a container and mixing it with rosok bark, where it is stirred slowly before being covered with a cloth or banana leaf.[6] It was then fermented for around 12–24 hours, where the mixture turned red and prepared to be stirred when ready.[6]
See also
- Alcohol in Malaysia
- List of alcoholic drinks
- Langkau – Traditional rice wine of the Dayak and Iban from Sarawak, Malaysia
- Lihing – Traditional rice wine of the Kadazan-Dusun from Sabah, Malaysia
- Montoku (drink) – Traditional rice wine of the Kadazan-Dusun and Rungus from Sabah, Malaysia
- Tapai (drink) – Southeast Asian traditional fermented of rice and alcoholic beverage
- Tuak – Traditional palm or rice wine of Indonesia and Malaysia
References
- ↑ (Robert Lourdes et al. 2022, pp. 1–2)
- ↑ Ibrahim 2001, p. 125.
- ↑ Lingenfelter 1990, p. 90.
- ↑ Vivienne, Anna (28 October 2013). "Palm wine of the Kadazandusun". The Borneo Post. Archived from the original on 10 August 2026. Retrieved 11 August 2026.
- ↑ "Bahar minuman tradisional terkenal Sabah" [Sabah's famous traditional drink Bahar]. Borneo Digest (in Malay). 30 May 2021. Archived from the original on 10 August 2026. Retrieved 11 August 2026.
- 1 2 3 "TRADITIONAL BAHAR". Sabah Bah Food. Archived from the original on 10 August 2026. Retrieved 11 August 2026.
- 1 2 NA, Ismail (28 January 2024). "Kenali 5 Jenis Arak Tradisional Warisan Masyarakat Sabah" [Get to Know 5 Types of Traditional Liquor from the Heritage of Sabah Community]. ILoveBorneo.my (in Malay). Archived from the original on 17 June 2026. Retrieved 11 August 2026.
Bibliography
- Lingenfelter, Sherwood G. (1990). Social Organization of Sabah Societies: Studies from Six Societies, Bonggi, Idaʼan, Lotud, Makiang, Tagal, Timugon. Sabah Museum and State Archives Department. ISBN 978-983-99532-9-9.
- Ibrahim, Zawawi (2001). Voices of the Crocker Range indigenous communinities [sic] Sabah: social narratives of transition in Tambunan and its neighbours. Institute of East Asian Studies, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak. ISBN 978-983-2369-01-1.
- Robert Lourdes, Tania Gayle; Abd Hamid, Hamizatul Akmal; Riyadzi, Mohd Ruhaizie; Rodzlan Hasani, Wan Shakira; Abdul Mutalip, Mohd Hatta; Abdul Jabbar, Norli; Mat Rifin, Halizah; Saminathan, Thamil Arasu; Ismail, Hasimah; Mohd Yusoff, Muhammad Fadhli (21 July 2022). "Findings from a Nationwide Study on Alcohol Consumption Patterns in an Upper Middle-Income Country". Int J Environ Res Public Health. 19 (14): 8851. doi:10.3390/ijerph19148851. PMC 9324780. PMID 35886700 – via United States National Library of Medicine.
