A Wok Around Asia Recipe By Penang Home Cooking School Ais tingkap got its name from a bygone era when Indian vendors would sell the drink from a window (tingkap means “window” in Malay; ais is “ice” as in “iced drink”); it’s a refreshing drink made with fascinating ingredients that I’ve never before incorporated into any of my cooking (malva nuts » Read More
How to Make Easy Blue Pea Flower Ice Cream
June 5, 2018 By
I got into this “food thing” because of my determination to recreate the food of my Malaysian childhood, so it’s always a bit frustrating when my efforts are hampered by the non-availability of critical ingredients in Australia. For 20 years, one such ingredient was something called bunga telang, aka blue pea or blue butterfly flower, which gives a » Read More
Penang Food – What The Locals Eat (Part 1)
May 27, 2018 By
A Wok Around Asia Penang Food Guide It can be tough trying to navigate the food scene in Malaysia - even for someone like me who grew up there. Each town or city has its own food culture, and the best eats are not necessarily what you might find on Expedia or Yelp. That's why I strive, with Wok Around Asia, to meet up with locals and really get » Read More
How to Cook Creamy Turmeric Mussels (Masak Lemak)
May 19, 2018 By
A Wok Around Asia Recipe Courtesy of Symphony By Chef Jo Restaurant, Kuala Lumpur Creamy Turmeric Mussels, aka Mussels Masak Lemak, is an easy, yet delicious example of the eclectic cuisine style served up by Masterchef Malaysia judge Chef Jo at his Damansara restaurant, Symphony by Chef Jo. The sauce is a signature Minangkabau recipe from my home » Read More
How to Make South Indian Appam, Dosai and Mutton Curry
May 15, 2018 By
I had a bit of a culture shock when I first arrived in Australia and found the Indian food available in this country (and much of the West, as it turns out) to be very different to the Indian food I grew up eating in Malaysia. That was when I learned the difference between the North Indian curries found in Indian restaurants here, which are usually » Read More
How to Cook Spicy Chocolate Seafood Pasta
May 10, 2018 By
A Wok Around Asia Recipe Courtesy of Symphony By Chef Jo Masterchef Malaysia judge Chef Jo's restaurant, Symphony by Chef Jo in Kuala Lumpur's DC Mall, serves what he describes as "eclectic cuisine" - he draws inspiration from food and flavours from around the world to produce a menu with intriguing-sounding items like Spicy Chocolate Seafood » Read More
12 Delicious Reasons Why You Should Visit Cabramatta, Canley Vale & Canley Heights
May 9, 2018 By
My connection to postcode 2166 - Cabramatta, Canley Vale and Canley Heights - goes back to 1984, when my family first arrived in Australia and settled in this part of Sydney. I come from a small town in Malaysia where one of its few claims to fame was its beef noodles (Seremban Ngau Lam Fun), so I was skeptical about this competing Vietnamese beef » Read More
How to Make Khmer Red Ant Beef Salad
April 30, 2018 By
A Wok Around Asia Recipe by Chef Chanrith Van of Courtyard by Marriott Siem Reap Resort I can legitimately say that I’ve never looked at an ant (red or otherwise) and wondered what it would taste like. Nonetheless, I wasn’t about to pass up an opportunity to try it during my visit to Siem Reap, where it was served as part of a carpaccio-like rare » Read More
Jackie M TV Segments – A Playlist
April 26, 2018 By
I've never really shared clips from my TV appearances, and while I'd like to put it down to my innate sense of modesty, it's more often a case of not actually knowing when I'm on, since I don't own a television. Finally, after being tagged multiple times on social media by people who've caught sight of me on various cooking or lifestyle shows, I » Read More
How to Cook Khmer Seafood Amok
April 19, 2018 By
A Wok Around Asia Recipe by Chef Chanrith Van of Courtyard by Marriott Siem Reap Resort I knew very little about Khmer food prior to Siem Reap, but I had heard of Amok, a strong contender for the title of Cambodia’s national dish. I was also vaguely aware of some lively online debates as to what constitutes an authentic amok. Chef Chanrith Van » Read More