Jus...Lihing

LIHING

lihing is a kadazan drinks, in the previous post, i write about making food using Lihing.......
in this post i will write more about Lihing........



In the making of lihing (Kadazan-Penampang for Rice Wine), nothing but ‘pulut’, glutinous rice rich in sugar, and natural yeast, called ‘sasad’ and also made from rice, enter the preparations. Sometimes, lihing is referred to as hiing (certain Dusun languages), and others call it kinomol, segantang, kinarung, kinopi, linahas, and eventapai. They are all different (but always fermented, rice-based) beverages. Tapai proper is actually wine made from the tuber of the cassava plant, the preferred party drink of the Murut. To add to the confusion, the Iban of Sarawak call their rice wine tuak, which must not be confused with Sabahan talak, which is rice-alcohol (and arak in Malay just means 'alcohol'...).


Rice wine accompanies all Kadazandusun celebrations and rites, and at a Murut party there will be rows upon rows of jars with fermented cassava tapai. It is an integral part of the lives of Sabah's ethnic groups, and depending on where you are there are various ways of enjoying this drink: from bamboo or, more contemporary, plastic cups, or through a bamboo straw - and even that one comes in a modern version: a thin plastic hose...