Catch the replay here (63 mins) –

Here’s a breakdown of the key points from the livestream –

Concept: Malaysian-Style Swedish Meatballs

The core idea is an East-meets-West fusion dish, recreating the Swedish meatball experience at home but with a Malaysian twist. This approach was inspired by a craving for IKEA meatballs but wanting a more satisfying, flavourful, and budget-friendly version. The key innovation is using a Malaysian bouncy beef ball recipe as the base for the meatballs, which are then fried and served in the traditional Swedish style with lingonberry jam.

---

The Meatballs: Bouncy Asian Beef Balls

This recipe creates meatballs with a distinctively firm and bouncy texture, different from softer Western-style meatballs.

Key Ingredients & Principles

• Beef Mince: Use a fattier, “lower quality” mince. In Asian cooking, the higher fat content is desirable as it prevents the meatballs from tasting coarse and dry. It’s also more economical. We used a 1kg pack that cost $13, and only needed half ($6.50 worth).
• Temperature is Crucial: The minced beef should be kept in the freezer for about an hour before use. It needs to be firm and very cold, but not frozen solid. This prevents the meat from “pseudo-cooking” from the friction and heat of the blender blades.
• Seasoning:
  • Fish sauce
  • Chicken powder
  • Sugar
  • White pepper
  • Tapioca starch
  • Baking powder
  • A little water
  • A little oil
  • (The full recipe can be found here – https://jackiem.com.au/2017/01/19/make-beef-meatballs/)

Technique (Thermomix Method)

1. Blitzing: Combine the semi-frozen mince and all other ingredients in the Thermomix bowl. Blitz at a high speed (e.g., Speed 9) but for a short duration. I blitzed for 15 seconds, stopping to scrape down the sides. Blitzing for too long can overwork the meat and heat it up. The goal is to create a fine, pink, firm paste.
2. Kneading: After blitzing, use the Thermomix’s kneading function for about one minute. This step is vital for developing the bouncy texture.
3. Alternative Method (No Thermomix): You can use a regular blender for the blitzing step. For kneading, transfer the mixture to a stand mixer with a dough hook or do it manually by slapping the meat paste against the side of a large stainless steel bowl. Slapping helps expel trapped air bubbles, which is the key to achieving the desired bounciness (dahn ngaan in Cantonese).

Cooking Process (Two-Stage)

1. Boil First: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Form the meatballs by squeezing the mixture between your thumb and forefinger. Drop the balls into the boiling water. They are cooked when they float to the surface. Let them cook for another 3 minutes after they float.
2. Then Fry: After boiling, the beef balls are transferred to a deep fryer to get the classic brown, slightly crispy exterior of Swedish meatballs.
3. Meal Prep: These boiled beef balls can be frozen for later use.

---

The Sides: Mashed Potato & Grilled Corn

Paul’s Mashed Potato (Thermomix Method)

• Preparation: Cut potatoes into smaller chunks to speed up the cooking time. There’s no discernible difference in water absorption or final texture.
• Skin On or Off?: This is personal preference. Leaving the skin on adds nutrients and texture. For a smoother, more IKEA-like mash, peel them. The Thermomix blends the skin in well, so you barely notice it.
• Potato Variety: Most standard supermarket “washed” potatoes work fine.
• Cooking: Place the cut potatoes into the Thermomix simmer basket. Fill the jug with water up to the max line. Cook for 20 minutes at 110°C on a low speed (e.g., 1.5).
• Alternative Cooking: You can also roast, grill, or even microwave potatoes to soften them before mashing.

Malaysian-Style Grilled Corn

• Inspiration: Hawker-style grilled corn from Pangkor Island, Malaysia.
• Technique: Shuck the corn and place it directly on the grill. There is no need to pre-boil it.
• Seasoning: We used Hilmie’s barbecue seasoning (a Malaysian product meant for meat) to replicate the flavour. Butter is also a key component. The Hilmie BBQ seasoning was a revelation and worked perfectly with the grilled corn (we wanted to go right back out to Woolworths to get more corn).

The post How to Cook Malaysian-Style Swedish Meatballs first appeared on Jackie M..

And if you’re as painfully Malaysian as I am, your default supermarket cut for steak would be something like scotch fillet (which is why I rarely eat steak – it’s exxy). But Paul decided to add a “Budget Meal” angle to our South Africa Meets Malaysia broadcasts, so he tested three different ways to prepare chuck crest to produce the most tender results.

Catch the replay here –

Here are the key points and techniques from the broadcast:

1. Choosing and Preparing Cheap Cuts

• The experiment used chuck crest, one of the cheapest and toughest beef cuts (previously ~$12/kg, now ~$14.99/kg).

• Chuck crest is usually used for slow-cooked dishes (curries, stews), not steak. The goal was to see how it performs as steak using different prep and cooking methods.

• Always cut steaks 3 cm thick (approx.) to allow proper heat penetration and searing.

Budget tip:
Buy cheap “dog bones” and secondary cuts (like chuck, shank, ribs) from butchers or wholesalers such as Australian Meat Emporium. These are undervalued by mainstream customers but perfect for home cooks who know how to coax flavour from them.

2. The Three Methods Tested

For cheap cuts, slow pre-cooking (sous vide or oven) breaks down sinew and collagen. A quick sear at the end adds crust and flavour.

3. Key Searing Tips

• Use high-smoke-point fat — beef tallow, ghee, or canola (avoid olive oil).

• Dry the steaks thoroughly before searing to avoid steaming.

• Sear for 60 seconds per side, pressing down with a heavy object or steak press to maximise surface contact.

• Don’t cover with a lid — use a porous splatter guard to prevent moisture buildup and splatter.

• Flip often (every 30 seconds) if cooking directly from raw to build even crust.

4. Seasoning and Marinade

• Simple, Malaysian-influenced seasoning:

  • Salt

  • Chicken powder

  • Chili flakes

  • Sarawak pepper (adds floral aroma and depth)

  • Optional: a dusting of cornstarch for light tenderising

• Always season to taste — adjust salt and spice levels to your preference.

5. Sauce #1 – Mushroom + Peppercorn Sauce

Technique:

• Sauté fresh garlic and Sarawak peppercorns in butter to extract oils and aroma.

• Add button mushrooms (browned in butter if possible).

• Incorporate beef stock (preferably homemade from beef bones).

• Finish with evaporated milk for creaminess.

Budget notes:

• Cheap mushrooms from “specials shelf” or clearance bins work fine.

• Homemade beef stock from pet-grade bones yields flavour and tallow for frying later.

6. Sauce #2 – Malaysian-Style Chili Hot Sauce

Hybrid concept: a cross between a Western hot sauce and a Malaysian sambal.

• Soak dried chillies in hot water until softened.

• Blend with onion, garlic, tomato, vinegar (apple cider, ~1 tbsp), chicken powder, Sarawak pepper, and salt.

• Cook down until fragrant — consistency should be pourable, not pasty.

• Adjust thickness with water or the reserved chili-soaking liquid for more heat.

7. Stock & Fat Rendering

• Save and reduce leftover beef-bone stock until gelatinous.

• Once chilled, scrape off the fat cap to render into beef tallow.

• Use that tallow for frying steaks — it’s cost-effective and adds rich, beefy flavour.

8. Additional Tips

• If you only own one Thermomix, make chili sauce in it and cook mushrooms on the stove.

• Avoid bottled minced garlic — use pre-peeled cloves from Asian grocers (~$6–8 per kg).

9. Results Summary

• Sous Vide (57 °C, 2 hrs) → Tender, juicy, clearly the winner.

• Oven (90 °C, 2 hrs) → Acceptable, but firmer texture.

• Pan-only (raw) → Tough; not steak-worthy.

Takeaway:
To transform cheap chuck cuts into steakhouse-quality meals, low-temp precook + high-heat sear is the unbeatable combo.

The post The $10 Chuck Steak Challenge: Can You Turn the Cheapest Cut into a Decent Steak? first appeared on Jackie M..

• Grilled lamb fillets (reverse-seared)
• Malaysian lamb curry using my Handcrafted by Jackie M. Meat Curry Paste
• Beef Bak Kwa using a recipe I had previously posted here – https://jackiem.com.au/2018/03/09/make-chicken-beef-bak-kwa-barbecued-minced-meat/
• Chakalaka (a South African side/relish that I’d never come across prior to that day)

Here’s the replay of the livestream (1 hr 08 mins long) –

1. Grilled Lamb Fillets (reverse-seared) by Paul:

Paul experimented with the lamb two ways:

• Air fryer method: 120°C for 25 minutes. This cooked faster than expected, so it was closer to medium than medium-rare.
• Sous vide method: 55°C for 4 hours using the Thermomix sous vide function. This turned out more tender and juicy.
• Both were finished in a hot pan with butter and beef tallow for about 60 seconds a side, then rested for 5 minutes.
• His marinade was a mix of oyster sauce, garlic, chicken powder, cumin powder, and cumin seeds.

Keep in mind that oyster sauce contains sugar, so the meat caramelises and chars quickly in the pan.

2. Malaysian Lamb Curry by yours truly – 

Since I didn’t want to get in Paul’s way on camera, I did my Malaysian lamb curry in the Thermomix, as follows:

1. Dice the lamb.
2. Add my meat curry paste, a little water, some oil, and coconut cream.
3. Cook for 45 minutes at 120°C in the Thermomix on reverse stir, measuring cup on.

You don’t have to use a Thermomix; this recipe works just as well on the stovetop, in the oven, or in a slow cooker.

I do things agak-agak (guesstimate)-style – I didn’t weigh how much lamb was going in, nor measure the amount of water, oil or coconut cream – I just eyeballed everything. I would guess there was about 1kg of lamb in my batch, and I used a whole pack of my Family-Sized curry paste kit in it, probably about 1/2-2/3 cup water, and about the same amount of coconut cream, along with about 2 TBSP oil.

My packet instructions say to reconstitute the paste ingredients in water, saute for a couple of minutes with oil, then add the protein etc., but really, throwing everything in together works just as well when you’re cooking meat that requires a longer cooking time.

3. Chakalaka by Paul – 

Paul also made chakalaka, a South African side dish often served with grilled meat and pap (maize porridge). He calls it the South African version of sambal.

The base ingredients are onions, garlic, ginger, carrots, capsicum, chillies, and tomato. We used an official Cookidoo (ie. Thermomix) recipe and skipped all the ingredients we didn’t happen to have on hand, ie. the capsicum and the beans. Despite their omission and the fact that we didn’t adapt the rest of the seasoning to accommodate their absence, the end result was really good and flavoursome (and not too salty etc. as you would have expected).

4. Bak Kwa (Malaysian-style Barbecued Meat Slices) by yours truly – 

Bak kwa is something I used to make occasionally at my restaurant, and I revisited it for this session. This time I used beef mince, but pork or chicken will work too.

Ingredients (for 500 g mince):

• Thick cooking caramel (kicap pekat / caramel sauce)
• Five spice powder
• Fish sauce
• Soy sauce
• Chinese rice wine
• Sugar
• Oil
• Fried onion (I tested this to absorb moisture and add texture – didn’t really make any noticeable difference)

Method:

1. Knead everything together until the mixture turns sticky. I used my Kenwood dough mixer with the K whisk.
2. Roll it out thinly (about 2 mm). Traditionally I would place the mince in between parchment sheets before rolling with a rolling pin, but this time I tried heatproof cooking bags, which created much less mess.
3. Bake at $120°C$ for 20 minutes.
4. Cut into squares.
5. The original recipe I published (refer link at top of this post) said to bake again, at 180$°$C, for 20-30 minutes. Because I wanted to wrap up the session in a hurry, I skipped that step and instead, scorched the slices with a torch to create a smoky char. In hindsight I think they would have been better served being baked – it felt like the sugar didn’t not have enough time to soak through and caramelise the pieces.

FYI shop-bought bak kwa usually looks redder thanks to food colouring. Mine skips the colouring, but the flavour is the same.

Camp Food Packing Tips:

Apart from the above, we also had some beef rendang which I had made the day before – again, using my famous Handcrafted by Jackie M. Rendang Paste Kit – I made that in a slow cooker, also throwing everything in – the diced chuck crest, a pack of my curry paste, about half a cup of water, some coconut cream, and some oil – and cooking it on the high temperature setting for about 5 hours. At the end, I stirred in a couple of tablespoons of kerisik which I had made previously (completely optional) to give it that extra toasted coconut paste nuance.

What we took with us in two chiller bags (there was a fridge and a microwave onsite):

1. Both beef rendang and lamb curry keep very well since they’re dry-ish and slow-cooked; we packed them in takeaway boxes.
2. We vacuum-packed the bak kwa in small vacuum pouches – several slices per pack.
3. We also vacuum-packed what was left after our lunch, of the reverse-seared lamb cutlets.
4. We packed the chakalaka in a leak-proof tub.
5. We packed some acar which I’d made in last week’s South Africa Meets Malaysia broadcast – but didn’t end up eating it because there was too much food in the end.
6. A small thingy of bird’s eye chilli powder

As an FYI the food above was meant to supplement what was being served at the retreat; eg. we ‘d eat their rice/toast/even their scrambled eggs, but we’d scale it up with our stuff.

Why did we go through such trouble? You’re going to think we’re food snobs, and you’re probably right.

I just don’t like the idea of wasting my calorie allocation on forgettable food:

1. I don’t eat pork, and being an Australian-run retreat, pork features a lot on the menu – think bacon, pork chops, pork sausages etc. If you ask for a pork-free serving, you may end up with less food (ie. the pork stuff are omitted but not always replaced with bigger portions of other stuff) or they give you a vegetarian substitute and you become an involuntary vegetarian for part of the weekend.
2. We often joke about English food and how plain and bland it is – well, in my controversial opinion, the English influence on Australian camp food is still alive and well 200+ years after the poms settled in this country. My fellow retreat attendees will protest that hey, they did serve Butter Chicken for dinner – but look, it was an Indian dish in name only – any spice in it was so diluted the sauce might as well have been ketchup stirred into cream.
3. For the record, everything else about the retreat was beautiful – the accommodation, the facilities, the staff (not to mention the talks) – but really, I wish they’d allow me to set up a market stall onsite next time for those attendees who, like me, prefer food with a bit more punch.

The post Camp-Ready Food – Lamb 2 Ways, Chakalaka, Bak Kwa (South Africa Meets Malaysia 2) first appeared on Jackie M..

I remember wondering why she would even think I knew anything about gnocchi because last I checked, it wasn’t Malaysian. Like it or not, that’s how I’ve always been when it comes to cooking; across the 33+ years I’ve been in the food space, I’ve always been tunnel-visioned to the exclusion of most other cuisines. 

That’s the same when it comes to South African cooking. My partner-in-crime Paul Gray, as most of you would know, is from South Africa. Paul is an outstanding cook in his own right, but because I tend to hog the kitchen most days of the week, I don’t get nearly enough exposure to his cuisine.

Some of you might even remember the good old days of our Masters of Malaysian Cuisine (MOMC) broadcasts during the Covid lockdown, when Paul would cook along live on air with Liam Ghani, who’s a Malaysian based in South Africa.

Since they stopped doing so (for various reasons – including that the lockdowns ended, and Paul moved to Sydney, etc.), I’ve had many people reminisce about how much they enjoyed watching these “boys” cook and banter about South African life, food, and culture.

I’m still hoping we can loop Liam back in some day, but in the meantime, I decided to get Paul back in front of the camera (instead of behind it, which is where he is most times – all our MOMC videos are edited, and sometimes filmed, by him), hence why we went Live last Friday on fairly short notice.

Paul made a steak using rump cap (a cut that I would never have thought would work for this purpose), while I contributed some obligatory Malaysian and Malaysian-inspired sides like a shortcut Acar, a Garlic & Butter Potatoes with chillies and curry leaves, and a shortcut coconut rice (although Paul ended up making it).

Here’s the replay of the broadcast for you to check out (it’s actually multi-streamed across our social media and YouTube channels) –

 Here are some tips extracted from the broadcast:

South African-Style Steak

Paul’s method for cooking the steak is a “reverse sear,” which is ideal for thicker cuts of meat.

Cut of Meat: A rump cap (also known as picanha) was used. Other good cuts include ribeye or Scotch fillet.

Preparation:

For a better crust, you can coat the steak in salt and leave it uncovered in the fridge for up to 24 hours to help draw out moisture.

Before cooking, pat the steak completely dry with a paper towel. A dry surface is crucial for getting a good sear.

Cooking Technique (Reverse Sear):

1. Place the steak in an oven on a low heat (130°C was used). Cook it until it reaches your desired internal temperature for doneness (e.g., 48°C for medium-rare). Using a meat thermometer is the most accurate way to do this.
2. Remove the steak from the oven and let it rest for about 15 minutes before searing.
3. Heat a cast-iron pan until it is very hot. Add a fat like beef tallow, followed by some butter just before finishing.
4. Sear the steak for approximately two minutes per side to develop a crust.
5. Once seared, it is crucial to let the steak rest for at least five minutes before cutting. Resting allows the juices to recirculate throughout the meat, resulting in a more tender and flavourful steak. A useful tip is to rest the steak on a grill rack so that the bottom doesn’t get soggy and lose its crust.

Easy Coconut Rice (Hack)

This is a quick method for making coconut rice without the risk of burning the rice due to the starch in the milk.

1. Cook your rice as you normally would, but add a bit of salt to the cooking water.
2. Once the rice is fully cooked, fluff it up with a spoon or spatula.
3. Add about two tablespoons of coconut milk powder directly into the hot, cooked rice.
4. Mix vigorously to ensure the powder is evenly distributed and fully incorporated.
5. Place the rice in a sealed container (like a thermo server) to keep warm and allow the powder to fully hydrate.

Quick Acar (Malaysian Pickled Salad)

This recipe uses a “hack” of starting with a pre-made sambal base.

Ingredients:

• Vegetables: Cabbage, carrots, and cucumber.
• Base: Any leftover or store-bought sambal.
• Dressing: White vinegar, water, sugar, salt, raw minced garlic, and turmeric powder.
• Add-ins: Crushed roasted peanuts, toasted sesame seeds, and fried onions.

Method:

1. For a quick-prep hack, chop the cabbage and microwave it for about five minutes to soften it, instead of blanching it in a large pot. Leave the carrots and cucumber raw for crunch.
2. Combine the vegetables in a bowl. Boil a solution of vinegar with a little water (around a 4:1 vinegar-to-water ratio) and pour the hot liquid over the vegetables.
3. To the vegetables soaking in the vinegar, add a generous amount of sugar, salt, turmeric powder, and minced garlic. Mix well.
4. After a few minutes, drain off some of the excess liquid, but not all of it, to avoid the acar being too dry or too watery.
5. Mix in your sambal base. Add fried onions, which help to thicken the sauce and add texture. Finally, stir in the crushed peanuts and toasted sesame seeds.
6. Adjust the seasoning with more sugar or salt until you have a balanced sweet, sour, and savoury flavour.

Potatoes with Garlic, Coconut Cream & Curry Leaves

This is a creamy, Malaysian-style side dish that can easily be made vegan.

1. Cut potatoes into bite-sized pieces. Cook them until soft by microwaving, steaming, or roasting. For extra texture, you can briefly deep-fry or air-fry the cooked potatoes until the outside is slightly crisp.
2. Heat oil in a pan (use vegetable oil for a vegan version). Sauté minced garlic, curry leaves (fresh is best, but dried works), and sliced chilies until aromatic.
3. Stir in coconut cream and season with mushroom seasoning (a vegan alternative to chicken powder), a pinch of sugar, and pepper. Let the sauce simmer and thicken slightly.
4. Add the pre-cooked potatoes to the pan and toss until they are well-coated in the creamy sauce.

Paul and I plan to continue doing these broadcasts regularly; if you’re not already on my email list (where I send updates/recipes/etc.) – you’re missing out. Just pop your name and email address here – JackieM.com.au/email

The post How to Cook Steak & Accompaniments – South Africa Meets Malaysia first appeared on Jackie M..

I’ve developed these kits to use dried ingredients so that  –

1. they can be shipped anywhere around the world, and

2. they don’t need refrigeration etc.

My recipes are constantly evolving, with the latest example being the one for my Dry Sambal Belacan – a condiment made using onion, shrimp paste, chilli, etc.

As a Thermomix owner, using my Dry Sambal Belacan kit is easy – I just throw the packet contents into the TM bowl, add water and oil (amounts are specified on the label), and cook it for 30–45 minutes (measuring cup off for some/all of that period – I’m very agak-agak).

However, I’ve come to realise that most people simply fry it on a stovetop after adding water and oil – which takes about the same amount of time (say, ~30 mins) – something their busy lives may not afford them.

So just before I left for Malaysia, I decided to replace the dried onions in these packs with fried shallots. Since the shallots are already (commercially) pre-fried, it reduces the cooking time to 5 minutes.

Either way, this is how it should look when done –

I don’t know about you, but I personally prefer the dried onion original, so after giving it some more thought, I’ve decided to make two separate versions –

1. One that says “ORIGINAL RECIPE” and “best for cooking in a Thermomix”. You can order it here – https://shop.jackiem.com.au/products/handcrafted-dry-sambal-belacan-kit-original
2. And one that says “5-MINUTE RECIPE”. You can order that here – https://shop.jackiem.com.au/products/handcrafted-sambal-belacan-kit-5-min

If you’ve bought/eaten my freshly-made sambal belacan at my Concord Hospital Market, that version uses fried shallots.

So if you like it (and many of you do – I keep selling out on market day) – then stick to Version 2 when you buy my Handcrafted Dry Sambal Belacan kits. It’ll taste like my Concord Hospital Market sambal, and it’ll only take you 5 minutes to whip up.

However, if you like these messages I received in the last couple of weeks referencing Version 1 (and you don’t mind cooking it longer, or you can do it in a Thermomix), I would suggest you get that instead –

(Customer 1) –
“Jackie, I have just made the samba belachan and it’s the best I have ever tasted. I will be coming up in September and may I order 6 pkts.”

(Customer 2) –
“I cooked up a packet of sambal belacan last night. Used some to fry with sotong and ate some with plain hot rice. So good! My son tried it for the first time yesterday and loved it so much that I had to bottle up the rest of the sambal belacan for him to take back with him to Canberra this morning.”

By the way, I use the Sambal Belacan almost exclusively as a dip to serve with my meals, but you could also use it to cook other dishes, like in this example here when I decided to add it to fried eggplant –

Finally, if you’ve never seen my Handcrafted Dry Curry Paste kits before, here’s a photo of what they look like –

Hit me up if you have any questions.

The post About My Sambal Belacan Dry Curry Paste Kits first appeared on Jackie M..

I ended up closing my restaurant soon after that to look after my disabled child Noah.  (FYI anytime I mention Noah it is to give some context re: why I no longer own a restaurant, so people don’t mistakenly think I’m a failed business owner; I’m not fishing for sympathy about Noah’s situation.)

Anyway, not operating a restaurant meant I had the opportunity to travel back to Malaysia regularly and collaborate with local chefs and hawkers. I learned A LOT about how things are done there, but I also realised that what I had taught myself and implemented in Sydney re: Malaysian hawker cooking actually held up pretty well (with the usual caveats re: ingredient availability this side of the world, etc).

I’m now finally ready to dedicate 100% of my attention and effort into helping motivated cooks online to master Malaysian hawker cooking.

This is the kind of person I’m looking to work with:

1. You’re comfortable handling food and you know your way around the kitchen
2. You love Malaysian hawker food, but you feel stuck when it comes to cooking it
3. You’re willing to expand your comfort levels (in a supported way) in order to test and master Malaysian hawker cooking
4. You’re friendly and coachable and have ~4 hours per week for 12 weeks to devote to this (most of it in your own time)
5. You might have even attended culinary school and found there’s a frustrating knowledge gap there when it comes to Malaysian/Singaporean hawker cuisine

If this sounds like you, go ahead and check out the full details at Malaysian Hawker Pro.

Let me know if you’re IN and I’ll get you set up.

PS this has taken much longer to get going than I had anticipated because a bunch of projects ended up on my lap (Masters of Malaysian Cuisine, The Durian Cookbook etc.).

The post Mastering Malaysian Hawker Cooking with Jackie M. first appeared on Jackie M..

Times have changed however, and we now eat dosai at home practically every day (by “we”, I mean Paul and Noah – I might indulge a couple of times a week).

For a long time, we relied on store-bought dosai batter, which you can find in the refrigerated section of Indian grocery stores. Over time, though, we noticed the prices kept creeping up, and the results were inconsistent— (though this could be a rookie error by our in-house dosai expert, Paul, who always struggled to spread the batter evenly on the pan).

The tipping point came when, out of desperation, we bought some batter from a small store—where the price was even higher than usual—and it simply didn’t work. I know, I know (you’ll hear me say this in the video replay below), the tub was labelled “Idli Batter” instead of the usual “Dosa/Idli Batter.” But in theory, both idli and dosai use the same ingredients (I learned this years ago from South Indian food blogger Divya), so we decided to take a chance after confirming with the shop owner. Unfortunately, our dosai attempts with the idli batter were a failure.

I finally decided to have a go at making dosai batter at home, and since I have a Thermomix with a Cookidoo subscription, I used one of the built-in Cookidoo recipes for dosai. I’m an impatient cook, and I like hacking recipes to simplify them —years of being a restaurant owner and bottleneck in my own kitchen will do that to you – so, after some experimenting (some of it AFTER the broadcast above), here’s the recipe, with my hacks –

Homemade Dosai (Thermomix) – Simplified

For the Batter –

250g uncooked rice (OR optionally 150g uncooked rice + 100g uncooked “Raw” rice – watch the recording for details)
100g urad dhal (skin off)
600g water
1 tsp salt
30g (1 TBSP) cooked rice

For cooking –

Ghee

METHOD:

1. Combine ALL ingredients in the Thermomix mixing bowl.
2. Cover and blend 4 minutes at Speed 9.
3. Switch to Fermentation Mode (TM6), set temperature at 40C and fermentation time at 12 hours.
4. Remove and transfer into a tub (we use large glass jars), and store in fridge until ready for use.
5. To cook dosai, use a flat pan, brush lightly with ghee and heat pan on high, then reduce temperature to low-medium (Paul uses 5 on our stove, I prefer 6 because I’m impatient).
6. Pour a ladle of batter on the pan, then swirl to make a thin crepe. Dot with more ghee on the surface and around the edges if you like.
7. Cook, uncovered, on one side, until crispy and golden brown – this will take at least 6 minutes. Don’t be impatient or you’ll end up with soft dosai.
8. Remove gently with spatula, rolling it from one side to the other.
9. Serve with your favourite dips.

OTHER TIPS:

• I now double the recipe above because we go through so much batter. The Thermomix jug isn’t big enough to hold it all once it ferments (it increases in bulk), so I split the batter into two large glass jars and place them in the oven with the lids slightly off. I set the oven to “dough proving” mode at 40°C for 10 minutes. The oven switches off after that, but I leave the jars in for the next 12 hours. This step isn’t essential—if you don’t have a TM6 or an oven with that function, you can just leave the batter to ferment at room temperature.
• “Raw” rice is a type of rice used in Indian cooking, and you can find it at Indian grocery stores. It’s typically used to achieve fluffy textures, which isn’t ideal for dosai, but I accidentally used it in an early batch and Paul found that it helped the batter spread better without making the dosai too fluffy.
• The original Cookidoo recipe called for “long grain rice” but we eat jasmine rice at home, so that’s what I’ve been using. Works fine.
• For a quick sweet snack, sprinkle some sugar on the dosai as it cooks.
• The fermentation time affects how sour the batter tastes. The dosai I’ve had in Malaysia is less sour than what you get here in Sydney. In fact, I used to make a version of dosai with no fermentation when I first started running my market stall at Orange Grove Farmer’s Market back in the early 2000s; I put it down to my early ignorance of Indian cuisine until I recently saw another Indian Malaysian cook share her own dosai batter recipe – also unfermented – so there you go, it does exist, though I do prefer to ferment it nowadays.
• In my earlier experiment (you’ll see this in the video), I soaked both the rice and urad dhal together in the Thermomix mixing bowl, cutting the soaking time by 75% by using the Fermentation Mode for one hour. But my latest hack is to skip the soaking altogether—just throw everything in and blitz it, then ferment. The batter will be slightly more granular, but the end result is the same once cooked. You can blitz for an extra minute if you prefer a smoother batter.

Final Thoughts

With these techniques and a Thermomix, we now create excellent dosai at home for a fraction the cost of the store-bought version.

Don’t forget to sign up to my email list at https://jackiem.com.au/email so you keep on top of my livestreams, recipes, and more detailed cooking insights.

Also, fun fact – a lot of Asian recipes on the Cookidoo platform can be simplified. Join my Thermomix WhatsApp community to keep up with my TM adventures – https://chat.whatsapp.com/LskIaYfn9Qy1p7ePMq4dBF (don’t forget to mute notifications so you don’t rage quit from oversharing by some of the members).

Our homemade dosai – batter by yours truly, cooked by Paul Gray –

The post Making Dosai at Home with a Thermomix: My Tips and Tricks first appeared on Jackie M..

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 closed my restaurant to look after Noah (the doctors basically said life as I knew it was over, I’d have to stay home and look after him around the clock forever, blah blah), I converted some of the recipes from my restaurant into wet curry pastes and sold them at markets and online. 

This is what my wet curry pastes look like now:

I kind of kept my wet curry paste range a bit of a secret because frankly I didn’t have much time to focus on them; really, the only people who knew about and persisted in ordering them were my old customers.

The wet pastes were finicky to ship outside of Sydney – they are shelf-stable for about 4 days, but after that they should go in the fridge.

A number of times, the shipments took longer to arrive, plus some arrived damaged (I used to pack them in plastic tubs).

So, over the last couple of months, I decided to rework the recipes for my wet curry pastes, and turn them into dry curry pastes instead, by replacing wet ingredients with dry ones (eg. dried lemongrass in lieu of fresh, etc.)

It’s required a lot of tweaking and substitutions and going back to the drawing board with some, etc.

The result is my Handcrafted Dry Curry Paste Kits, which you can find at Shop.JackieM.com.au

What’s in the Handcrafted Dry Curry Paste Kits?

• Different flavours with all necessary spices and seasonings (no need to add salt, sugar, etc., unless to taste).
• Add water to reconstitute the paste, oil to sauté, coconut cream/coconut milk, and your choice of protein.
• Include dried ingredients like lemongrass, curry leaves, garlic, onion, and kaffir lime leaves.
• Some packs have over 20 ingredients, some of which may be hard to find in your neck of the woods.
• Lightly vacuum-sealed and don’t require refrigeration.
• Shelf life comparable to other dry spices.
• Each pack includes instructions and is enough for up to 2kg of meat or 6 serves for the Laksa Nyonya.

Cooking Methods:

• Sautéing/Braising
• Slow Cooking
• Pressure Cooking
• Thermomix

Customising Your Curries

You can request different spice levels when you order. The pastes are versatile and can be used with various meats and cooking styles. Adjust seasoning as needed; don’t be afraid to add a pinch of salt or a dash of soya sauce to suit your taste.

I prefer rich and creamy curries, so I use coconut cream. Coconut milk is also fine. If you have trouble finding either, let me know, and I can add coconut milk powder to my range.

Features of My Handcrafted Dry Curry Paste Kits

• Made in micro batches, blended by me.
• No added preservatives (though the seasonings I use may have undergone processing).
• Light, portable, lightly vacuum-packed, with a long shelf-life. Great for self-catered holidays.

Wet Pastes vs. Dry Pastes

Wet Pastes:

• Ready to use without adding water and oil to sauté.
• Available mainly for Sydneysiders due to shelf life and delivery sensitivities.
• Six-week expiry refrigerated; six months in the freezer.

Dry Pastes:

• Contain the same ingredients but require additional steps (adding water and oil, and sautéing).
• Available for worldwide shipping; lighter (190g vs 300-500g) and they stretch further in cooking.
• Indefinite shelf-life, no refrigeration needed.

Recommendation:

• For weeknight dinners in Sydney, get the wet pastes.
• For gifting (they make great hamper gifts, by the way), camping, travelling, stocking your pantry for last-minute meals, or if you’re outside Sydney, get the Dry Curry Paste Kits.
• FYI, both the wet and the dry pastes are excellent for meal prep.
  
  Some of the food you can make with my range pictured below – Laksa Nyonya, Sambal Belacan, Chicken Curry, Lamb Curry (the latter two photos are courtesy of friends of mine including Adeline Lamond, Sharon Wong and Aaron Gan, who took some snaps of my food awhile back).

Practical Information

• My dry curry paste range is available for shipping worldwide.
• I also have market days where you can purchase the dry curry pastes, and pick up your orders in person.
• If you’re based in Sydney, I have a number of pickup locations you can select, if you want to save on delivery.

I’m loathe to share reviews about the pastes here, but you can find some of them in the online store – Shop.JackieM.com.au

And finally, don’t forget to sign up to my email list – Jackie.com.au/email (may be a bit slow to load but patience is a virtue etc.) – that’s where you get to find out about any specials along with other updates and recipes.

The post Jackie M’s Handcrafted Curry Paste Kits first appeared on Jackie M..

Here (making it from scratch) – https://jackiem.com.au/2019/07/24/how-to-make-tofu-pudding-taufu-fa/

and here (using the shortcut version) – https://jackiem.com.au/2022/05/11/how-to-make-easy-taufu-fah-sweet-tofu-pudding/

and since I don’t monetise the content on this site, I’m not that invested in writing the kind of 3000-word essays that permeate food blogs.

This blog post follows on from the Live broadcast I did on this same topic, the replay of which is no longer available because Facebook decided to delete all Lives after 30 days.

Here’s a summation of some of the key points from the live broadcast, though, truthfully, you probably should watch the video to get the vicariously immersive experience of making tau fu fah at home.

Ingredients and Equipment for Homemade Tau Fu Fah

1. Soy Drink, Not Soy Milk
First, make sure you’re using soy drink (no sugar) and not the soy milk you typically find as a dairy-free coffee substitute. The latter doesn’t work for making Tau Fu Fah.

2. Setting Agent
You’ll need GDL (Glucono Delta Lactone) as the setting agent. It’s more consistent and readily available compared to traditional gypsum and produces a more accurate texture compared to agar-agar. You can find GDL online – I bought mine on Ebay, and a little will last you a long time.

3. Measuring Tool

Refractometer: This tool measures the concentration of your soy drink. You want it to be between 8 and 10 on the Brix scale. This means getting a Refractometer with gradations that range from 0-20 (ie. ones that are marketed as suitable for “milk” readings). By the way, you can get this for under $30 Aussie if you buy it from Ebay/AliExpress/Temu. (Pictured below is one from AliExpress – https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32894287436.html)

The Process of Making Soy Pudding

1. Temperature Control
Heat your soy drink to between 90-98C. If it’s too hot or too cold, the soy pudding won’t set properly.

2. Thermomix (If Available)
A Thermomix is great for heating the soy drink to the precise temperature. If you don’t have one, simmer it on a stove, then let it cool down to below boiling point but above 90C (you’ll need a thermometer, of course).

3. Using a Refractometer
Place a drop of soy drink on the refractometer to check the concentration. It should read between 8 and 10 Brix.

4. Preparing Soybeans (Optional)
If you prefer using soybeans:

• Crush soybeans plus water in a powerful blender like a Thermomix. No, I don’t presoak my beans overnight.
• Strain the blended soybeans through a double layer of muslin cloth to get soy extract. Then transfer the strained soy extract back into the rinsed Thermomix bowl or pot and cook it.

5. Cooking and Setting

• Heat your soy extract or soy drink to between 90-98C (I always get it to 98C because it will have cooled down a few degrees by the time you get your act together with the cornstarch/GDL mixture)
• Mix GDL with cornstarch and about 1/4 cup of cold soy drink or water, then pour into mould (I use a thick glass bowl)
  Check the concentration of the soy drink; if it’s under 8, cook it further. Pour into mould and give it one stir, then quickly cover with tea towl + pot lid, or use a silicone cover like in my broadcast video above
• Set for at least 20 mins (30 is better)

Troubleshooting Your Malaysian Dessert

1. Brand Sensitivity
Different brands of soy drink may yield different results. I recommend the Hoa Hung brand for those in Sydney, Australia, which is already so concentrated (at 10 Brix) that you just need to heat it up to 98C and you know it is good to go. Other brands (or soy bean extract if making from scratch) may require you to simmer the soy drink for 20-30 minutes. Both the Hoa Hung and Fortune brands are pictured below. BTW I tried mixing half and half (by necessity because I didn’t have enough Hoa Hung on hand) and it actually turned out quite perfect.

2. Common Issues

• Using soy milk (ie. non-dairy substitute for your coffee) does not work – I’ve tried. Soy milk contains additives like vegetable oil and other stuff; you want something that’s straight soy beans and water.
• Temperature inaccuracies will prevent setting.
• Variations in soybean batches or soy drink brands may require adjustments.

Final Words

Experiment with different brands of soy drink if your first attempt doesn’t work. If you find one that does, try to stick with it.
Get yourself a Refractometer for milk – if it’s good enough for one of the most famous Tau Fu Fah places in Malaysia (Ding Feng in Ipoh), it’s good enough for the rest of us.

If you’ve found this content helpful, why not sign up to my email list – https://jackiem.com.au/email – I share a lot of exclusive in-depth content with my email subscribers, not to mention other news/special offers etc.

Catch you next time!

Jackie M.

The post How to Make Homemade Tau Fu Fah (Soy Pudding) That Doesn’t Fail first appeared on Jackie M..

Laksa Sarang by Chef Amin at Mu Hotel, Ipoh

Laksa Sarang (literally, bird’s nest laksa) refers to the egg that’s beaten, then poured in a thin stream into hot oil to create a nest-like effect. It’s served on top of the laksa, which adds a beautiful crispy texture and rich flavour to what would be recognised as a sour fish-based (asam) laksa. Chef Amin, the head chef of Mu Hotel in Ipoh, Perak, demonstrated how to make Laksa Sarang in this episode of Street Food Journeys: Laksas of Malaysia, and provided his insights into how to produce a rich and flavoursome broth.

 Chef Amin from Mu Hotel in Ipoh, Perak, with his Laksa Sarang from our web series, Laksas of Malaysia

Laksa Sarang ingredients

Also in this episode, Malaysia’s most well-known vegan chef, MOMC’s very own Dave Murugaya, showed me how to make a vegan version of Laksam, which is an East Coast Malaysian variation on laksa, served with rice noodle rolls. Laksam is usually made with fish, but if you didn’t know, you would not have guessed that the Laksam served by Dave was in fact vegan.

Vegan Chef Dave’s Vegan Laksam from Street Food Journeys: Laksas of Malaysia 

Masters of Malaysian Cuisine (MOMC) chef Dave Murugaya with his Vegan Laksam

Also in this episode was yours truly’s segment on how to make an easy version of Curry Mee, based on a more elevated version that our MOMC chef Debbie Teoh once made in a different series.

All these recipes were included in our Masters of Malaysian Cuisine eMagazine which was published shortly after the series.

To get all our future eMagazines and recipes, make sure you join our email list here >> MalaysianChefs.com/JoinToday

Street Food Journeys: Malaysia is a web series produced in partnership with the Tourism Malaysia Australia Sydney Office.

Watch the replay here >> https://youtu.be/_9auvw1-4-k

The post Laksas of Malaysia: Episode 4 (Street Food Journeys 4) first appeared on Jackie M..