BBC's Discovering the World's Table sees food writer Nick Kwek journey to his ancestral homeland of Sabah in Malaysian Borneo, where he eats pufferfish with the Bajau Laut sea nomads, learns the art of rice wine-making and is given a secret hangover cure.

Pristine turquoise waves lap our boat as we depart the harbourfront in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah's busy state capital, and sail towards a jungle oasis. But it's not an island paradise we're heading for – in fact we're not touching foot on land at all. Instead, we're destined for a cluster of stilted shacks perched above the water's surface some 7km from the shore. The settlement is home to the Bajau Laut, a nomadic community who live most of their lives at sea.

Who better to kickstart my culinary adventure around Sabah with than the Bajau, who eat Malaysia's spectacular seafood for breakfast, lunch and dinner? But first we'll need to catch it. As renowned hunters, they follow the fish, dismantling and rebuilding their makeshift houses as they go, expertly freediving and spearfishing their prey with seemingly supernatural skill.

"They can erect them in as fast as a day," says local tour guide, Emily Chin, who has been working with the Bajau and other Indigenous groups for years. "They're so connected with the sea that they often don't know what to do if they're not on the sea – it's almost like a third arm for them."

Indeed, their bodies have evolved over the years giving them extra-large spleens that act like a biological "scuba tank", allowing them to hold their breath for up to 10 minutes at a time. Meanwhile, my breath has been taken away.

Meet the expert:

Nick Kwek is a food writer, presenter and filmmaker who has travelled the world documenting stories for BBC series including Discovering The World's Table, The Travel Show and Click. He's reported for BBC News, ABC and SBS and contributed to leading food and drink publications.

Kwek grew up into a family of chefs and bakers, before working in some of Scotland's best bars and restaurants.

This is my first time back in my father's homeland, Sabah, in almost two decades. Born and raised in Fife, Scotland, I grew up in my parent's pan-Asian restaurant, surrounded by the billowing smoke of red-hot woks, scorching chilli and fragrant ginger. The exotic flavours and enchanting ingredients of my childhood inspired my passion for food and an insatiable appetite for travel.

To be returning here to discover more about Sabah's traditional dishes, explore its local ingredients and their heritage is an emotional, fantastical experience.

Kwek is a Chinese surname, with my father's side part of Malaysia's largest ethnic minority – the Chinese-Malay community. They live alongside Malays, Indians and Indigenous groups that make up the melting pot that is Malaysia. And it's this uniquely rich cultural diversity that makes for a very special cuisine, bursting with bold, lasting flavours.

Today’s menu is no different – the Bajau are treating me to freshly-caught pufferfish, notoriously poisonous if not prepared correctly and usually served on special occasions such as weddings or family reunions. It's boiled with chilli, garlic, turmeric and fresh calamansi juice, a native citrus with the appearance and sourness of a miniature lime but with the sweet zing of clementine orange. The dish is both hot and tangy, with the fish unexpectedly meaty, reminiscent of monkfish.

Whilst........

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