Malay cuisine is an unchartered epicurean adventure waiting to be uncovered, writes Andora Fredericks
WHILE we may have heard of turtle soup, giant metre-long blue carp, roasted lark and saddles of venison served at lavish Royal European banquets, have you ever wondered what’s served in the Royal Palaces of Malaysia?
Classic Malay cuisine is amazingly diverse and territorial in nature. Many dishes are unique to a state and tend to be a jealously guarded secret. It’s a family heirloom that’s passed down generations and rarely shared unless you’re invited into the circle. The taste and dominant flavours change drastically from state to state although some of the ingredients like coconut milk, ulam, belacan, chilli, onion, garlic and lemongrass are used in almost all the dishes.
Negri Sembilan, which has a strong Minangkabau heritage is known for its use of tempoyak, a condiment made from fermented durian and is always served with pucuk ulam or fresh herbs and raw vegetables. Gulai Lemak Cili Padi is also a signature dish in this State. In Pahang, a lot of chilli is used and the state is famous for Sambal Hitam made with bird’s eye chilli and crushed anchovies. Northern states like Kelantan and parts of Kedah and Terengganu have a strong Thai influence and here you can see more of Nasi Kerabu, a fragrant herbed rice salad with unique twists in each state. Nasi Dagang, a type of glutinous rice served with fish curry and preserved vegetables on the side is also popular in these states and south Thailand.
Thanks to their pristine streams, Pahang and Perak are famous for freshwater fish. This translates into its food with Gulai Tempoyak Ikan Patin, and also the extensive use of siput sedut, a type of freshwater snail. The Johor Malays are said to have a strong Bugis and Javanese heritage and this is epitomised in Nasi Biryani Gam and Nasi Ambeng.
Meanwhile, Penang and Malacca have a strong influence from Chinese merchants who settled there centuries ago, and the food has a strong amalgamation of both Chinese and Malay cultures translated into delicious Nyonya food that we’re so fond of today. There’s more use of chilli and assam keping for a fiery and sour taste that explodes in the mouth.
“I don’t think our food has evolved much. It has always been delicious but the traditional recipes have been guarded by the cooks and chefs over the years, to preserve the heritage. The classic dishes are highly representative of how things have always been,” begins Datuk Chef Wan during our recent meeting at the launch of Very Best of Classic and Royal Malaysian Cuisine at Mosaic, Mandarin Oriental KL, where he has been commissioned to create a lavish buffet spread of Classic and Royal Dishes in a one-week promotion.
During the launch, the iconic gourmand gave us a glimpse into a mouth-watering menu stretching past centuries that have received his signature touch. Having cooked for royalty and commoners alike, Chef Wan is perhaps the foremost proponent of Malaysian food across the world, spreading a slice of the country’s cuisine to other parts of the world.
SENSE OF PRIDE
Although street food in Malaysia is all the rage, classic Malay dishes, says Wan, are underrated and mostly undiscovered. Each state, he adds, is a treasure pot of unique flavours, ingredients and tastes. Similarly, the Royal Kitchens, which naturally have the resources to hire the best chefs and obtain the best ingredients, also boast amazing dishes which are unique to that area and some that have become signature dishes.
“We tend to take some of our dishes for granted,” says Wan, sighing. “While some of these dishes enjoy global recognition, there are many that are cooked at home or during festivities in the kampung so most are left undiscovered.”
Looking earnest, he adds: “Although Malaysian food has become more popular in recent years, Malay food has a strong heritage and is very unique as it’s special to us. It may seem like a hodgepodge of outside influences such as from Java, Turkey, Middle East, and India, but it’s still uniquely ours. We should never stop appreciating and promoting our own food.”
On the difference between classic Malay dishes and Royal Cuisine, Chef Wan explains that while many classic dishes are also enjoyed in palaces, the main thing that sets them apart are the signature dishes unique to the palace or the territory. These signature dishes usually epitomise the unique style of cooking within that state. Each state, he says, has its own style of cooking and preferred local ingredients and flavour.
SPREAD FIT FOR A KING
Royal cuisine is an interesting area for gourmands to discover in Malaysia as it offers a glimpse into the country’s historical past and nuances of a lavish epicurean past. For example, although rendang is synonymous to Malaysia, not many have heard of the Rendang Udang Galah (Giant Prawns cooked in rendang gravy) from Perak or Nasi Telor, from Terengganu — a rice dish served with kerutup beef or ayam golek.
Nasi Pulut Kuning with Daging Putri Manis from Selangor, which is a royal glutinous rice served with a sweetish beef curry, is probably better known as it’s usually served during weddings and coronations. Kuzi Kambing from Johor, which requires hours of preparation, is also a popular dish served at weddings and grand banquets. The mouth-watering meat dish is made with lamb cooked for hours in a spicy marinade and has tell-tale signs of middle eastern influence with the addition of almonds, raisins and tomatoes.
If you’re lucky enough to be invited to dine at the Royal Palace of Kelantan, you may be able to enjoy the fragrant Nasi Ulam Di Raja, which is a rice salad made with finely chopped aromatic local herbs and eaten with Royal Ayam Percik, a spiced grilled chicken given a signature twist by Palace chefs. End the meal with Bahulu Di Raja and Lompat Tikam, dessert fit for the King!
Lompat Tikam is popular in the East Coast states. Made with rice flour scented with the juice of screw pine leaves, it’s normally enjoyed with palm sugar syrup. A rather surprising discovery on the royal list is Urap Nangka, Tempeh Dan Nenas — a fresh salad made from young jackfruit, tempeh (fermented soya bean cake) and pineapple, which sounds simple yet exotic at the same time. Pahang’s Gulai Lemak Siput Sedut is snails cooked in a gravy of coconut milk and wet herbs and spices, and enjoyed at leisure, with the cooked gastropod sucked out along with the delicious gravy.
Eyes sparkling, Wan says: “Sajian Istana or Royal Cuisine isn’t just delicious and lavish, it’s a hidden gem that’s yet to be discovered by many. I consider myself one of the lucky few to have had a taste of so many wonderful offerings from different parts of Malaysia. I’d like to urge more Malaysians to rediscover our own food heritage. Food has the power to unite us.”