A Cookbook for the Durian-Curious I get it: durian is divisive. Some people can't get enough of its pungent aroma and creamy texture, while others run for the hills at the mere mention of it. But what if I told you there's a middle ground? A way to enjoy the unique flavour of durian without being overwhelmed by its infamous smell? That's exactly » Read More
Jackie M’s Handcrafted Curry Paste Kits
June 25, 2024 by
A few weeks ago, I launched a new range of handcrafted curry pastes online, and I now finally have a chance to actually explain what they are and how to use them. First of all though, a bit of background - As many of you would know, I use to be the owner-cook of my namesake Malaysian restaurant, Jackie M, in Concord (Sydney). When I » Read More
Jackie M’s 10-Day, 9-Night Durian & Culinary Tour of Malaysia
May 22, 2024 by
Since Covid travel restrictions ended in 2022, Paul, Noah, and I have visited Malaysia five times. During some of these trips, we teamed up with our Masters of Malaysian Cuisine (MOMC) chefs and YouTube content creators like the Dodo Explorers and the Jetlag Warriors. Other times, it was just the three of us. We even joined an exclusive » Read More
My Prawn Durian Sambal – The Story Behind It
October 5, 2023 by
There's a story behind this dish. The Malays use fermented durian (tempoyak) in a number of dishes including in a prawn sambal (it's called Sambal Tempoyak Udang). Back when I had my restaurant here in Sydney, my Malay staff (Iza and Tawfik) taught me how to cook this dish but because we didn't have any fermented durian on hand, we used the » Read More
Martin Yan In Sydney – What’s On, Where
October 3, 2023 by
When I first came to Australia in 1984 I watched an Australian TV chef misconvey how to handle a basic Asian ingredient (rice vermicelli) on breakfast television. It made me so angry I swore off watching cooking shows, and the passage of time hasn’t really repaired my cynicism about TV chefs (I’ve never even watched my own cooking segments on » Read More
ChatGPT vs Foodies Against Revolutionary Technology
August 12, 2023 by
So, last week, one of my online students threw me a curveball — could I demonstrate how to use a Thermomix to cook non-Thermomix-specific recipes? Now, I have some 400 recipes on my website (the one and only jackiem.com.au) but most of them weren’t written for a Thermomix audience. I figured, why go back to the drawing board and reconstruct my » Read More
Does Jackie M Still Do Markets Post-Covid Lockdowns? Here’s The Scoop
August 3, 2023 by
Curious about whether I still do markets post-Covid lockdowns? The short answer is, yes I do. But before I get into what markets you can find me at, and what I now sell, here’s a bit of an update since I last published about my in-person (IRL) activities back in early 2020 (check it out here >> » Read More
Laksas of Malaysia: Episode 2 (Street Food Journeys 4)
September 22, 2022 by
How to Cook Laksa Terengganu, Laksa Melaka, Laksam, and Laksa Lipat Gulung In this episode of Street Food Journeys, we travelled to Terengganu Cultural Village courtesy of Tourism Terengganu, to learn how to make Laksa Terengganu (two versions - white and red). The beautiful backdrop of the Terengganu Cultural Village (photo courtesy of » Read More
Street Food Journeys Returns With Series 4 & 5 Filmed In Malaysia
August 27, 2022 by
MEDIA RELEASE 26 August 2022 Street Food Journeys Returns With Series 4 & 5 Filmed In Malaysia Tourism Malaysia's Street Food Journeys is back with two new series, Laksas of Malaysia and Malaysia: Melting Pot of Asia, to once again showcase Malaysia’s culinary diversity through the lens of Sydney-based former restaurateur Jackie M. and her » Read More
Lobster Rolls At The Rocks, Sydney
August 23, 2022 by
One good thing about having South African digital marketer Paul Gray in Sydney with us is that it allows me and Baby Noah to play tourist in our own city. Now that we're at the tail end of winter (we conveniently missed 5 cold, wet La Niña weeks thanks to filming and travelling in Malaysia) we've spent our weekends exploring Sydney's unmatched » Read More