MALAYSIAN MELTING POT
Diverse recipes from Tony Tan tell a centuriesold tale of cultural fusion in his homeland.
“Durians 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.