During my twice-weekly Zoom cooking sessions, my Malaysian Hawker Pro and Skool Malaysian Cooking Club students are always engaging with each other on the latest and greatest kitchen utensils and gadgets – most recently, silicone wok-stirring spatulas.

What triggered the silicone spatula conversation was my experience using a spatula that snapped in half after only a couple of weeks, because it had a wooden handle that was separate to the scoop.

Like this – 

So down the rabbit hole we went, until one of our members came across a Kickstarter project spatula called the Turnula – details here – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/turnula/turnula-smarter-and-easier-way-to-cook?ref=cmcu5u

I approached the people behind the Kickstarter about doing a review, and they sent me two Turnulas – a right-handed and a left-handed one (Paul is left-handed).

Quick heads-up that I’m not getting paid for this review nor do I get any commission on sales etc. I’m just giving my honest opinion about the Turnula based on my experience of using it for different cooking functions over the last two weeks.

Truthfully, when we first started using the Turnula, I was using it the way I would normally use a traditional wok spatula – sometimes it worked well, other times, I was confused about the point of its side-scoop design.

Meanwhile, Paul was happily using it for his scrambled eggs and pancakes every morning – I even shared a clip of him doing so on social media – only to have the Turnula people contact me to point out he’s actually not using it the way it’s meant to be used. Either way, Paul remains very happy with his left-handed Turnula, so we’ll leave him at it.

What the company clarified with me was that the Turnula is designed for lateral sweeping; for example, when it comes to sautéing, you’re meant to –

(1) Let the head glide along the surface of the pan so it slides fully underneath the ingredients before lifting.
(2) Sweep the ingredients sideways across the pan, allowing them to roll gently off the side of the Turnula.

Based on this previously overlooked functionality, I tested out the Turnula on a number of dishes/pans. Here are my thoughts on where it stood out, and where it struggled –

Everything clicked once I stopped trying to use the Turnula like a typical wok spatula (ie. scooping it forwards).

I started using a combination of the lateral sweep movement it was designed for (as demonstrated in the first clip), and also just turning it with my wrist (in clips 2-4).

Cooking sambal and rempah (spice pastes) in a wok, which requires a long, patient process of frying spice paste until the oil separates, is perfect with the Turnula.

The wrist-driven motion means the effort is noticeably less than with a traditional wok spatula (anyone who’s cooked a long rempah fry-off knows how much that can take out of your arm and shoulder).

The Turnula, by contrast, is so light and fluid and low-effort it feels therapeutic instead of stressful, and the continuous stirring motion suited the task perfectly.

Same story with congee (I tested it on Bubur Lambuk which is basically Malay-style congee). The Turnula handled the low, gentle, rhythmic stirring of the congee beautifully.

If your cooking life involves a lot of wok work, particularly the kind of low-and-slow paste frying that Malaysian cooking demands, this tool is what you need in your kitchen.

Low-walled frying pans are where the Turnula’s design works somewhat against it – scooping sideways didn’t feel like it gave me enough control to prevent my spice pastes from spilling over the sides, and it didn’t get enough leverage to lift up my crepes cleanly – so I still prefer using a regular spatula for these tasks.

The Verdict –

Ultimately I think you need to see the Turnula as a specialist utensil, rather than something that will replace all your cooking spatulas. Its lateral design fits in perfectly with tasks that require long, patient stirring – apart from rempahs, sambals and porridge/congee, think of tasks like roasting sesame seeds and shelled peanuts.

You’ll find that the effort is noticeably less than if you were using a wok spatula, where a lot of elbow and shoulder exertion is required.

Key Features of the Turnula, as listed in the Kickstarter:

• Innovative lateral-sweep design
  Enables smooth rolling motion for more even, efficient cooking.
• Designed for all users
  Available in both right-handed and left-handed versions.
• Precision-Tapered Edge
  0.03mm tip that slides under food without resistance.
• Flexible stainless steel core
  Firm support with enough flexibility to bend to different pan shapes.
• High-wall design:
  Allows quick, controlled scooping of ingredients and sauces in one quick sweep.
• Special Arch
  Creates a built-in safety clearance between hand and heat source to reduce burn risk.
• One-Piece Design
  The seamless finish prevents trapped grease for easy cleaning, and is dishwasher-safe.

Check out the Turnula page for more details (shortened link so it’s easy to remember): JackieM.com.au/Turnula

The post Review: Turnula for Malaysian Cooking 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..

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..