“D
urians are not allowed in hotels.” Not many
countries would have signage like this, but
then again, Malaysia is like no country in
Asia, if not the world. Home to one of the
most controversial of fruits (you either love or
hate durians), Malaysia is also home to a population of 32 million,
made up of Malays, Chinese, Indians, Peranakans, Kristang and
various indigenous groups in Sabah and Sarawak. The result is
a fascinating mix of food, both exciting and mind-boggling.
Take the Kristangs for instance, descendants of Portuguese and
Dutch traders who married local women in Malacca in the 16th
and 17th centuries. They speak creole Portuguese and live mainly
in Malacca, and their cooking is influenced by Indian, Malay and
Chinese food with Portuguese and Dutch input (especially cakes
and desserts). Little known outside Malaysia and Singapore,
Kristang cooking is characterised by fiery sambals, aromatic curries
and light greens. Aromatic herbs, spices and vinegar feature in
dishes such as devil curry made with pork ribs, fish with vinegar,
and feng, a Christmas dish made with a pig’s spare parts.
Then there’s Peranakan cooking, commonly known as Nyonya,
which has a distinct blend of Chinese and Malay flavours that came
about when Chinese seafarers, mainly from the Fujian province,
married local women in Malacca in the 15th century. Known for its
refined cooking and exquisite chinaware, Nyonya food in Malacca
and Singapore is different to Penang in that it has an obvious Thai
influence. What is most obvious with Nyonya cooking is the love
for all things piquant and spicy. So a home-style dish like pork
braised with soy sauce – tau yu bak – which traces its roots back to
China, is eaten with sambal belacan, the ubiquitous condiment
made with chillies and fermented shrimp paste. Even char kway
teow, the popular street-food dish of fried rice noodles with prawns,
is almost always served with a variation of sambal belacan.
If you love Malaysian street food, Penang is the place to go.
Asam laksa, that much-loved tangy rice-noodle soup, is made
with tamarind and flaked fish, and topped with refreshing herbs
and crunchy greens. Traditionally, it’s served with a dollop of
hae ko, a pungent condiment made from concentrated shrimp
essence that’s not dissimilar to Vegemite in consistency. If you love
fish soup with punchy flavours, this dish is definitely one for you.
Although we’re familiar with many Malaysian foods in
Australia, it’s fair to say Malaysian salads are less well known.
The Malays call salads kerabu, a name apparently derived from
glittering earrings, which makes sense as these salads shine with a
dizzying array of ingredients from the land and sea. The common
thread is the sambal belacan dressing that usually includes toasted
coconut, sugar and lime juice. These delectable salads are barely
featured in Malaysian restaurants in Australia – perhaps it’s to
do with consumer awareness. I like to think their moment in
the sun isn’t far off.
Finally there’s Malay food, best known for rendang, satay and
nasi lemak. Rich and vibrant, it’s shaped by the Javanese and
Sumatran migrants who settled in the peninsula centuries ago. It is
also infused with Thai, Chinese and Indian flavours, hence, curry
leaves and andaliman, a member of the Sichuan-pepper family, are
used not only to create new flavour profiles, but also to preserve
long-forgotten dishes, as in the case of pipis with Batak sauce.
These recipes are some of my favourites and are authentic,
though it pays to adjust the spices to suit your palate. Malaysian
food is flexible, so if you sense you need more of an ingredient,
take the liberty – it’s all part of the fun of cooking.PREVIOUS PAGE
Char kway teowLarge
bowl, small bowl and small
flower plate from The DEA
Store. Wallpaper (used
throughout) from Annandale
Wallpapers. All other props
stylist’s own.LaksaBowl,
square plate and tumbler
from The DEA Store. “Eden”
fabric (used throughout) by
Jim Thompson from Milgate.
All other props stylist’s own.
Stockists p168.110 GOURMET TRAVELLER