I have nostalgic memories of eating Yong Tau Foo in Ampang on our once-in-a-blue-moon family day trips from Seremban to Kuala Lumpur when my dad used to pack us like sardines in the car as we headed for the dizzy lights of Malaysia’s capital. We would spend the day window shopping at Sungei Wang Plaza,…
Mee Tuaran is a dish which originated in Tuaran, Sabah, and it consists of springy egg noodles that are cooked twice – fried until crispy, then simmered with Chinese greens. It’s typically served with char siew (barbecued pork) and Hakka egg rolls (“choon ken”) made using minced pork. Hakka girl here is one of those…
Lempeng Pisang, a Malay pancake traditionally cooked in banana leaves, is an iconic snack that’s widely available in Negeri Sembilan, according to celebrated Malaysian chef, owner of Rebung Restaurant and Tourism Malaysia Culinary Ambassador Chef Dato’ Ismail Ahmad. Like yours truly, Chef Ismail is originally from Negeri Sembilan, though I have to admit I’d never…
Cucur Topi literally translates as “Hat Fritters” in Malay, because these cakes look like little hats. Cucur Topi and its variations can be found in other parts of the Malay archipelago and in Thailand; this version, from Kelantan, uses only 5 simple ingredients, and it’s an accidentally vegan recipe (ie. my favourite form of vegan…
Perlis is known for its rice paddy fields, and it follows that a lot of its cuisine features rice and rice products. Kuih Dangai (which I’d never tried until I filmed this episode of Street Food Journeys: Malaysia) is a great example of this – it’s made using glutinous (aka sticky) rice flour, shredded coconut…
Street Food Journeys: Malaysia returns with Series 2, and starts off with the capital of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur. In this first episode, KL-based acclaimed Nyonya cuisine expert Debbie Teoh reveals how to make a street snack variously called Ban Chean Kuih/Ban Jian Kuih or Apam Balik (a lot of dishes go by different names depending…
Sarawak is home to the famous Laksa Sarawak, with its peppery flavour and dark broth setting it apart from some of the better-known laksas in Malaysia. The ingredients which go into a Laksa Sarawak paste is often a tightly-guarded secret, so most Malaysians who attempt to recreate this dish at home (including most food bloggers)…
Chef Johari Edrus of Masters of Malaysian Cuisine’s recipe for an iconic northern Malay dish called Bihun Sup Utara
Penang doesn’t pander. This is what I love most about the place – it took me several false starts; several trips to Malaysia’s most famous foodie destination – before I came to recognise that it deserved all the accolades it’s received in the media over the years. For the longest time before that, I thought…
Kuih Nekbat is a delicate rice flour cake soaked in sugar syrup that’s popular in the east coast of the Malaysian peninsula, especially in Terengganu and Kelantan. Masters of Malaysian Cuisine uber chef Rene Juefri, who’s listed as one of the most influential executive hotel chefs working in the Middle East today, is originally from…