Having said that, not all “roti paratha” bear as close a resemblance to Malaysian roti canai as the ones that are from Malaysia, so just make sure the label does say “Made in Malaysia” next time you check out what can be a bewildering variety of “roti paratha” at your local Asian and especially Indian grocery store.

Once you get your hands on frozen roti canai/paratha/prata, you’ll start to appreciate how versatile it is – apart from serving it with curries and simply on its own, there are myriad ways you can use it in your meal preparation.

Here are six ways to use frozen roti canai/prata/paratha to get you started –

Watch on YouTube – https://youtu.be/lxwWaK1u2cg

1. Roti + Dhal Dip 

This is the most common way to serve roti in Malaysia. The lentil or dhal dip I used in my restaurant called for toor dhal and a bunch of spices, which seems complicated at first glance but with my shortcuts it’s actually pretty easy (I’ll email the recipe out to my subscribers soon, along with other tips from this series, so make sure you sign up at MalaysianChefs.com/Recipes ).

2. Roti Curry Puff

First up, you need to make the curry puff filling – again, I have a simple but effective recipe I use for my business. Just make sure you let it cool down before you use it.

Bake the puffs at 200’C for 15 minutes, brush one side with egg wash, then finish baking for another 5 minutes and your roti canai curry puffs are ready to enjoy.

3. Roti Pizza

Roti canai makes a great impromptu pizza base; to do so, cook up the roti per packet instructions, then just add your favourite toppings to it – in my case here, I spread the base with a spicy tomato-based paste, added some smoked trout and ricotta cheese, then finished off with grated cheese. It then went under the grill for 5 minutes and that’s it – a quick and easy homemade pizza thanks to frozen roti canai.

4. Roti Tuna Egg Roll

This is a super convenient way to eat roti because you can hold it in your hand like a burrito and munch while you walk. You can skip the tuna or replace it with any other protein of choice; the key is to make sure the egg is still runny when you place the roti in the pan, so that it sets on the roti itself.

5. Roti & Jam

I used to sell my roti canai with homemade kaya when I first started running market stalls in Sydney 20 years ago, and to this day, many Australians who were first introduced to either roti or kaya courtesy of yours truly still think that’s the best way to eat it. While roti with kaya is delicious, you could also use any kind of jam.

Since I’d just gotten my hands on some AgroMas Malaysian Pineapple Jam (courtesy of the Malaysian Agriculture Counsellor Office, Sydney), I decided to use that instead, and it worked brilliantly.

6. Roti Rendang Wrap 

Roti and Rendang are a match made in heaven; I happened to have some beef rendang in my fridge though of course, you can use any kind of curry or even leftover barbecued chicken with this, along with your favourite salad ingredients and sauces or dressings if required.

I hope these suggestions will inspire you to experiment with roti canai at home; let me know your ideas for how to use frozen roti canai and I would love to add that to my list. 

This is part of my Malaysian Ingredients Made Easy 2.0 series produced in partnership with the Malaysian Agriculture Counsellor Office, Sydney . Don’t miss out on the rest of the series – sign up at MalaysianChefs.com/Recipes.

The post 6 Ways To Use Frozen Roti Canai (Paratha) first appeared on Jackie M..

(I’m aware you can buy ikan bilis from other countries, but once you’ve tried the Malaysian variety you’ll realise there’s a world of difference between them.) Thankfully, the increased demand for Malaysian ikan bilis means it is more accessible now at your local Asian grocery stores than ever before.

So what do we Malaysians use ikan bilis for, apart from nasi lemak? As a matter of fact it’s used in lots of ways, from baby food (yes, we start them young on ikan bilis in Malaysia) to beer snacks.

Here’s my video where I talk about ikan bilis and give you some ideas on how to serve them –

After I shared my initial video with my eight suggestions on how to use Ikan Bilis, Her Majesty Queen Azizah shared some of her own ideas with me, which are –

1) ikan bilis masak kicap (dried anchovies cooked with sweet soy) and
2) ikan bilis masak asam (dried anchovies cooked with tamarind).

I invited her to showcase her ikan bilis recipes on Masters of Malaysian Cuisine and she graciously agreed; I’ll write about this in a separate article.

By the way, I’ve elaborated on some of these tips in a pdf; want a copy? Just sign up in the form below and I’ll send it your way along with other Malaysian Ingredients Made Easy pdfs, cooking tips and recipes.

This is the first of a series of Malaysian ingredient videos done in partnership with the Malaysian Agriculture Counsellor Office, Sydney. I will be focused on cooking with Malaysian ingredients in the coming months, so hit me up if there’s any in particular you’d like me to cover.

The post 10 Ways To Use Malaysian Ikan Bilis (Dried Anchovies) first appeared on Jackie M..

Many ‘Malaysian’ recipes published by prominent chefs based outside of Malaysia call for an incredibly long list of ingredients for each dish. This can be intimidating for someone just starting out or trying to recreate the dishes they remember from childhood, and one has to wonder if it’s because the chefs are purists and like to make things from scratch, or if they don’t in fact know that most Malaysians use many shortcuts in their cooking.

For example, rather than stocking up on 20 different spices then roasting and blending them yourself, it’s often much easier to simply buy commercially-prepared spice mixes. Believe it or not, many signature curries continually praised as being the best people have ever tasted use these commercial blends.

Learning this new culinary language can be further complicated by the fact that Malaysia is an ethnically diverse country with cuisine contributions from different cultural groups each having their own take on what is indispensable, and what they would seldom use.

In addition, many ingredients go by different names depending on the country from which they originate (the herb Malaysians call ‘laksa leaves’ is known to others as ‘Vietnamese mint’), while some ingredients with the same name are quite different depending on the country of origin (palm sugar in Thai recipes is a different product from the palm sugar used in Malaysian desserts).

This Beginner Pantry list is by no means definitive, and to be honest it is not short – just shorter – but I hope that it will simplify things to a large extent. Even if you don’t have all these items on hand, knowing where to get them means you will be able to cook most Malaysian dishes you come across.

Vegetables

• Brown onions
• Garlic, fresh peeled and dry granulated
• Lemongrass, fresh or frozen minced
• Ginger, fresh or dry powder
• Pandan leaves, fresh or frozen
• Curry leaves, fresh or frozen
• Kaffir Lime leaves, fresh or dried
• Laksa leaves aka Vietnamese Mint, Daun Kesum or Polygonum, fresh only
• Chillies, large and small varieties, fresh or dried
• Coriander aka Cilantro, fresh

Spices, Seasonings and Dried Goods

• Meat Curry powder
• Fish Curry powder
• Turmeric powder
• Coconut milk and coconut cream
• Tamarind, pulp or concentrate
• Belacan (shrimp paste), granulated or block-style
• Petis Udang aka Hei Ko (prawn paste), thick molasses
• Chicken stock, cubes or granules
• Ikan bilis (anchovy), dried
• Udang kering (small shrimp), dried
• Palm sugar, Malaysian-style in logs specifically Indonesian-made versions labelled Gula Aren or Gula Jawa (Thai version are lighter and not recommended for Malaysian recipes)

Sauces

• Kicap Cair, light soy sauce
• Kicap Pekat, thick soy or thick caramel sauce
• Oyster sauce
• Hoisin sauce
• Ground bean paste
• Fish Sauce
• Red Palm or vegetable oil

Flours, grains and noodles

• Rice, usually jasmine
• Glutinous rice
• Rice flour
• Glutinous rice flour
• Tapioca flour
• Toor dhal
• Rice sticks aka rice vermicelli
• Fresh rice noodles aka Hor Fun or Kway Teow
• Fresh egg noodles aka Hokkien noodles or Mein

Shopping for ingredients outside Malaysia

It is unlikely you will find a ‘Malaysian’ grocery store, no matter the concentration of Malaysians in an area, so aim for stores from Malaysia’s closest Southeast Asian neighbours.

• Vietnamese, Indonesian, Thai and Laotian: the widest range and cuisines that are the closest match to that of Malaysia

• Indian: best bet for the spices such as cardamom or asafoetida

• Chinese grocery stores: thick or thin soy, rice, noodles, hoisin sauce

If you can’t find Malaysian-made ingredients, aim for those coming in from other Southeast Asian countries, for example Indonesian palm sugar and durian from Thailand. For Chinese-made ingredients, where possible look for Hong Kong or Singaporean products.

Brands trusted for quality by Jackie M (this is non-definitive)

• Mak Siti
• Carotino oil
• Habhal
• Cheong Chan
• Lee Kum Kee
• Kara
• Chang’s
• Pun Chun 

Tip:

• Different brands of sauce – soya sauce, oyster sauce, tamarind concentrate, etc. – have different levels of salt/sugar/sourness. Don’t be afraid to experiment and adjust recipes to suit your tastes.

PANTRY PHOTOS

• Coriander: A popular herb used in soups and for garnish
• Brown onion: Pureed and used as a base for Malaysian spice paste (rempah) in place of shallots
• Dried anchovies: Most often fried for Nasi Lemak, or used to make a great soup base
• Kaffir lime leaves: Commonly used in Malay and Nyonya recipes to impart fragrant lime undertones
• Garlic: A key ingredient in curries and stir-fries, usually minced
• Lemongrass: Used fresh and minced or bruised and knotted before being added to curry for an herbal lemon fragrance
• Curry Leaves: Adds a peppery flavour to curry dishes and some stir-fries
• Pandan Leaves: Paired with coconut milk in both sweet and savoury dishes, often described as ‘Asian vanilla’

• Palm Sugar: Indispensable in Malaysian sweets and desserts, dissolved in boiling water or grated before use
• Tamarind puree: Imparts sourness in dishes, using concentrate or puree is quicker than extracting pulp from seeds
• Meat Curry Powder: Mix of spices tailored for meat-based curries
• Fish Curry Powder: Mix of spices most suitable for fish or seafood curries
• Shrimp (Prawn) Paste: A thick molasses liquid used in rojak and Chee Cheong Fun, not to be confused with belacan, which is a pungent and dry or semi-dry product
• Belacan: Also known as Shrimp Paste, belacan is sold in blocks or granules and is commonly used in curries
• Coconut Cream: A must-have ingredient made from coconut flesh blended with water then strained, it forms the base of most Malaysian curries
• Chicken Powder: Often used in place of salt, stock powder (or cubes) give a more rounded flavour to all kinds of dishes
• Ground Bean Sauce: A Chinese ingredient that’s found its way into Malaysian dishes such as Mee Siam and stir-fries

• Carotino Red Palm Oil: A healthy oil produced from sustainable plantations in Malaysia, it’s flavour neutral and perfect for Malaysian cooking
• Salty Soya Sauce: Chinese sauce that’s used as a base in many noodle dishes and in stir-fries
• Sweet Soya Sauce: Kicap Manis is used in some Malay dishes to add sweetness and depth of flavour
• Thick Caramel Sauce: Kicap Pekat, a treacly, dark sauce often used in noodle dishes like Kuala Lumpur Hokkien Mee and non-Penang Char Kway Teow
• Fish Sauce: The use of this salty liquid, especially in Penang dishes, shows the influence of Malaysia’s northern neighbours
• Chilli Sauce: Thick, spicy and slightly sweet, a great condiment for fried rice and noodle dishes
• Oyster Sauce: A Chinese ingredient commonly used as a base in sauces, marinades and stir-fries

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The post The Beginner’s Malaysian Pantry first appeared on Jackie M..

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Find out in my 9-minute video below

Just to put some context into this, I spent minutes trawling through my pantry for ingredients I had on hand, I didn’t spend months writing a thesis, interviewing experts, drawing up definitive lists or  stocking up for this video. In other words, if I missed your favourite ingredient, don’t be sad. Or mad. Just add your two cents’ worth in the comments below

The post Malaysian Cooking – What Ingredients Do You Need? first appeared on Jackie M..

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‘Must have’ in the sense that they’re what I would personally get if I were limited to only 10 items – again, depending on your own (Malaysian) cultural upbringing, you might have a vastly different list to mine. Will elaborate on these another time along with suitable recipes. As mentioned in a previous post, when hunting down Malaysian ingredients, aim for Malaysian brands where possible, followed by those of its closest neighbours – Singapore/Thailand/Indonesia/Vietnam.

1. garlic
2. onion
3. chicken stock granules
4. oyster sauce
5. coconut cream
6. Malaysian curry powder
7. fish sauce
8. tapioca starch
9. noodles (eg. rice sticks if you want sth that keeps well)
10. jasmine rice

The post 10 Must-Have Malaysian Pantry Ingredients first appeared on Jackie M..

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First off, thanks to my Malaysian friends Nirmala, Marinna, Hazel and Muna for their contributions – before I draw up the list, I wish to point out that their input reflect the following –

–          Some do a lot of cooking; others, as with most busy, working women nowadays, either don’t, or they use commercial, prepared pastes/sauces/seasonings to simplify their task.

–          Malaysia’s ethnic diversity (Malay, Chinese, Indian, Eurasion etc.) means that depending on your racial heritage, there is almost certainly going to be some differences in what is considered indispensable or widely used or never used.

–          The influence of Thai cuisine (north of Malaysia) seems to have made an impact judging from some of the items listed by one of my friends; this was not that common back in my day (I left Malaysia in 1984).

–          Malaysians do eat out a lot since it’s so affordable to do so.  What we eat at home is distinctly different to the street food that Malaysian cuisine is known for.   Eg. The average Malaysian housewife doesn’t make popiah or char kway teow or satay or laksa for dinner – it’s cheaper  and easier (and probably tastier) just to get those at their local eatery.

–          We do use a lot of modern conveniences in our cooking eg. commercial curry powders, blenders, food processors; some Westerners view Asian cuisine through exotic, soft-focused filters and imagine women in sarongs and flowers in their hair, grinding their own spices with mortar and pestle and cooking with charcoal or wood fire.

That may have happened once upon a time or in certain rural kampungs (villages) but it certainly wasn’t reality even back when I was a kid (and I was born in a small-ish town back in 1967 ie. a loooong time ago).

So here we go (highlighted items are what I personally think are the important ones) –

I shall update this list as more items come to mind.  Having lived overseas the best part of my life, here are some pointers re: shopping for these –

–          I don’t think I’ve ever come across a ‘Malaysian’ grocery store.  In its absence, I try to aim for its closest neighbours ie. South-East Asian stores -. Vietnamese, Indonesian, Laotian etc.  for the widest range.

–          Indian stores are your best bet for the spices – eg. cardamoms, asafoetida etc.

–          Chinese grocery stores are fine for stuff like Thick or Thin Soy, rice, hoisin sauce etc.

–          If you can’t find Malaysian-made ingredients, again, aim for those coming in from other South-East Asian countries.  Eg. Indonesia is great for palm sugar; Thailand for durian etc.

–          For the Chinese ingredients, where possible, I go for Hong Kong, Singaporean or Taiwanese products

–          Brands I trust quality-wise – Anything from Malaysia, Ayam, Cheong Chan, Lee Kum Kee, RasaKu, Kara, Chang’s, Pun Chun

Finally, here are some pics of some of the ingredients I use in my kitchen – apologies for the overlaps but before you complain about the crappy quality and lack of editing, please read my About page for my take on this.

The post Malaysian Pantry Ingredients first appeared on Jackie M..