If you're already frightened out by the fact that the most bizarre food of Borneo is Sago Worms, which is really a delicacy, you might be even more disturbed by the fact that the Melanau tribe of Sarawak has another worm dish that is similar.

For the unfamiliar, Balan, Kampung Sungai Kut, Hulu Tellian, and Dalat in Sarawak are famous worm-hunting destinations. And not just any worms, they are searching specifically for Ulat Lelamas or Lelamaih.

This worm-hunting activity is known as Melamas, and it is an annual affair among the Melanau community that offers them a good part-time income. The Lelamas hunters could earn between RM1000 and RM3000 per day depending on the number of worms they catch, which they then sell in Mukah and Dalat after being cooked.

It turns out that it is an unheard exotic cuisine for us, and it is dubbed as 'food for the rich' due to its expensive price tag. Who knew these worms could cost RM300 and even more for a kilogram?

You'd think that capturing Lelamas would be straightforward, but it isn't! In reality, the only reason these species are so expensive is that they are only available seasonally from January to August and it requires a lot of patience to catch them. 

The demand for the worms is pretty high during the seasonal period and many are willing to purchase them at a higher price. 

So, if you're heading to Sarawak to try some worms, wait for them to mature before eating them, otherwise, they'll taste bitter. And you can't just walk out and look for them at any plants 'cause they can only be found in tropical rainforests that grow Nyatoh wood.

To discover how a Lelamas worm matures, look for it wrapped in leaves with silk, and if you're lucky, you might discover two of them wrapped in the same leaf.

You may eat the worms raw, just like sushi, but the Melanau people like to boil them and 'agak-agak' make a dish from scratch without recipes. They tend to use the worms as condiments or even deep fry them to eat them as a snack. 

So, do you dare to try them?