Timorese food · Relish
Budu (fresh relish)
A sharp, fresh relish of tomato, lime, onion and herbs, served with fish, rice and batar da'an.
Last verified: Checked against a Timorese cookbook and published food sources
By David
Quick answer · as of October 2026
Budu is a fresh, sharp relish served alongside Timorese meals. The common version is chopped tomato with lime, red onion and herbs such as mint; others are made with chilli, seaweed or tiny salted fish. It is not the same as the fermented anchovy sauce called budu in Malaysia, which some guides confuse it with.
- Type
- Relish
- Origin
- Timorese
- Vegetarian
- Vegetarian versions exist
- Also called
- budu matak
On this page
What is Budu?
Wikipedia describes Timorese budu as "a sauce of tomato, mint, lime, and Spanish onion", served with batar da'an, rice and grilled fish. The ACIAR cookbook, written with Timorese fishing communities, shows a whole family of budu: budu matak tomate (a spicy fresh tomato salsa with ipu, tiny fish pickled in salt), a dried seaweed salsa from Atauro, and the chilli pickle aimanas budu.
Some English-language food guides describe budu as a fermented anchovy sauce. That is a Malaysian and southern Thai condiment with the same name. In Timor-Leste, expect something fresh and sour rather than fermented.
How it is made
- Tomato, red onion and herbs are finely chopped.
- Lime juice and salt are added, and often chilli.
- Variations add tiny salted fish (ipu) or seaweed.
Where to try it
Budu is served on the side at Timorese restaurants and in homes, especially with grilled fish and batar da'an. If a Timorese meal comes with a small bowl of chopped tomato and onion, that is budu.
See all restaurants and cafés in Timor-Leste.
Tips
- Spoon it over rice and fish to cut the richness.
More Timorese dishes
Relish
Ai-manas (chilli pickle)
Also: aimanas, aimanas budu, ai manas
Crushed chilli with salt, garlic and lime or bilimbi: the table sauce served with almost everything.
Vegetarian
Main dish
Batar da'an
Also: batar daan
Corn, mung beans and pumpkin stewed together: Timor-Leste's everyday comfort food.
Vegetarian
Street food
Ikan tunu (grilled fish)
Also: grilled fish, barbecued fish
Whole fish grilled over coals with a chilli, garlic and turmeric baste, sold at roadside and beach stalls.
Contains meat or fish
Frequently asked questions
Is Timorese budu fermented?
The common Timorese budu is a fresh relish of tomato, lime and onion. The fermented anchovy sauce called budu comes from Malaysia and southern Thailand.
Sources
Official sites, operators and references we checked for this page.
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