Experience the vibrant essence of Malaysian cuisine in these heart-warming recipes… with our classic MK twist, of course.
Sticky chicken meatballs
SERVES 4 • TOTAL TIME 45 MIN
Ingredients:
800g chicken sausage, casing removed (beef sausages work, too)
2 Tbsp oil
FOR THE STICKY SAUCE
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, grated
1cm fresh ginger, grated
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup oyster sauce
¼ cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp fish sauce
3 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp honey
FOR SERVING
300g egg noodles
400g green veg of choice (we used sugar snap peas)
2 spring onions, sliced
Sesame seeds and micro herbs (optional)
Method:
1. Roll sausage meat into small balls.
2. Heat oil in a pan and fry meatballs in 2-3 batches, until browned all over and cooked through, about 10 minutes.
3. Add a splash of water to the pan if meatballs are browned but not cooked through, and cover with a lid to steam slightly.
4. Combine sauce ingredients in a pot and heat for 2 minutes.
5. Pour boiling water over noodles and set aside for 2-3 minutes to cook. Drain.
6. Blanch veg in boiling water for 1-2 minutes. Remove and refresh in ice water.
7. Toss meatballs and noodles in sauce. Top with vegetables and spring onion.
8. Garnish with sesame seeds and micro herbs, if you like.
Beef rendang
SERVES 4 • TOTAL TIME 2 HR 45 MIN
Ingredients
FOR THE CURRY PASTE
5cm fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
4 stalks lemongrass, roughly chopped
2 red onions, roughly chopped
5 cloves garlic, sliced
6 red chillies, sliced open and seeded
3cm fresh turmeric, peeled and grated, or 1 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp ground cumin
½ cup desiccated coconut
Vegetable oil, for frying
1kg beef shin, neck or goulash, cut into chunks
3 star anise
6 cardamom pods, bruised
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 stick cinnamon
1 can (400g) coconut milk
2 cups water
1 Tbsp tamarind paste
2 limes, juiced
FOR SERVING
Steamed white rice
Sliced red onion
1 mini cucumber, sliced into spears
Handful fresh coriander
Handful fresh coconut shavings, toasted
1 red chilli, seeded and sliced
Method:
1. Grind the curry paste ingredients using a pestle and mortar until smooth, or purée in a blender with a splash of water.
2. Toast desiccated coconut in a dry pan for 1-2 minutes or until golden. Set aside.
3. Heat a generous glug of oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
4. Fry curry paste until fragrant, stirring often.
5. Season meat and add to pot, frying until browned all over.
6. Add whole spices and coconut, and stir-fry for a minute.
7. Add coconut milk and enough water to cover meat. Cover and simmer until meat is tender, about 1½– 2 hours. (Add more water if it’s a little dry.)
8. Stir in remaining coconut milk, tamarind paste and lime juice to taste, and stir to combine.
9. Serve curry on rice, topped with red onion, cucumber, coriander, coconut and chilli.
Chef’s tip:
No tamarind? No problem! Simply mix together 2 tsp each of vinegar and brown sugar.
Korma curry
SERVES 6 • TOTAL TIME 1 HR 20 MIN
Ingredients:
1 jar (125ml) korma curry paste
2 Tbsp tomato paste
3 cloves garlic, grated
3cm fresh ginger, grated
1 Tbsp ground turmeric
Glug of canola oil
1kg chopped roasting vegetables (we used butternut, baby marrows, bell peppers and red onion)
Salt and milled black pepper
1 sprig curry leaves
1 can (400g) chopped tomatoes
2 cups vegetable stock
1 cup double cream yoghurt
FOR THE SAMBAL
1 mini cucumber, finely chopped
Handful cherry tomatoes, quartered
Handful coriander, chopped
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp sugar
FOR SERVING
Cooked fluffy rice
Naan bread
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Combine curry paste, tomato paste, garlic, ginger, turmeric and oil in a bowl.
3. Spread chopped roasting vegetables in a deep baking tray. Drizzle with oil and season well.
4. Pour curry paste mixture over vegetables and toss to coat evenly. Roast for about 20-25 minutes.
5. Add chopped tomatoes and vegetable stock. Roast for 15-20 minutes more until vegetables are cooked but still holding their shape.
6. Remove from oven and stir in yoghurt.
7. Add a glug of oil to a pan. When hot, toss in curry leaves and fry for a few seconds until fragrant. Remove and drain on kitchen paper.
8. Mix sambal ingredients together and season.
9. Serve with sambal, cooked rice and naan bread.
Chef’s tip:
You can also add green beans, carrots and brinjal to your curry, if you like.
Naan Recipe:
Divide 1kg store-bought bread dough into 8-10 balls and roll each out into a flat oval. Fry in a hot dry pan until golden on both sides. Melt 4 Tbsp butter and 2 tsp garlic paste together, brush over warm naan and serve.
The perfect fluffy rice
SERVES 2-4 • TOTAL TIME 1 HR 20 MIN excluding soaking
Ingredients:
2 cups Jasmine rice
1 can (400ml) coconut milk
1½ cups water
1 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
2 kaffir lime leaves, crushed in hand
1 stick lemongrass
FOR SERVING
Toasted coriander seeds
Fresh coriander
Coconut flakes
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Place rice in a fine mesh sieve and rinse until water runs clear.
3. Add rice to a bowl, cover with water and set aside to soak for 30 minutes, then rinse thoroughly.
4. Spoon rice into a deep baking tray and level using a spoon.
5. Boil coconut milk, water, sugar, salt, lime leaves and lemongrass in a pan. Stir to dissolve sugar.
6. Pour evenly over rice. Cover with foil to bake for 40 minutes.
7. If liquid has not been absorbed, cover and bake for 10 minutes.
8. Remove from oven and set aside to rest for about 20 minutes.
9. Spoon rice into a serving bowl and use a fork to fluff. To serve, garnish with toasted coriander seeds, fresh coriander and coconut flakes.
Sweet and spicy pork spring rolls (Poh Piah) with sticky sauce
MAKES 16 • TOTAL TIME 1 Hour
Ingredients:
FOR THE FILLING
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 spring onions, sliced
1 red chilli, seeded and chopped
2 tsp garlic and ginger paste
1 carrot, peeled and grated
500g pork bangers, meat removed from casings
3 Tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp honey or brown sugar
1 Tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
FOR THE PASTRY
8 sheets phyllo pastry
1 Tbsp cornflour
2 Tbsp water
Vegetable oil, for frying
FOR THE DIPPING SAUCE
1 cup peanut butter
3 Tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp red curry paste
1 tsp sesame or olive oil
½ lemon, juiced
1 tsp chilli flakes
Method:
1. Heat oil in a pan and fry spring onions, chilli, garlic and ginger paste and carrots.
2. Add pork to pan and fry until golden-brown, stirring to evenly break up mince.
3. Add soy sauce, honey or brown sugar, and coriander. Fry for about 5-8 minutes, then set aside to cool.
4. Cut phyllo pastry sheets into squares.
5. Lay 2 squares on top of each other and turn clockwise so you have a diamond shape. Place a tablespoon of filling on the
bottom (the point closest to you).
6. Roll pastry upwards halfway, fold in the sides and complete the roll.
7. Mix cornflour and water together to make a paste. Seal spring roll with a brush of the paste.
8. Repeat with remaining filling and pastry.
9. Heat oil in a deep pot.
10. Fry spring rolls until golden, about 1-2 minutes. Drain on kitchen towel.
11. For the dipping sauce, add ingredients in a bowl and combine.
12. Serve spring rolls hot with dipping sauce on the side. Garnish with chilli flakes, if you like.
Roasted spatchcock coconut chicken
SERVES 4 • TOTAL TIME 1 HR 20 MIN
Ingredients:
1 (800g – 1kg) spatchcock chicken
Salt and milled black pepper
Knob soft butter
1 Tbsp ground turmeric
2 tsp ground coriander
2 star anise
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp black mustard seeds
5cm fresh turmeric, finely grated
4 kaffir lime leaves, optional
1 can (400ml) coconut milk
1 lemon, zested and juiced
12 baby potatoes
3 red onions, quartered
1 packet (200g) fine green beans
FOR SERVING
Fluffy rice
Handful coriander, torn
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Place chicken in a deep roasting pan, season well and rub skin with butter.
3. Combine spices, seeds, lime leaves (if using), coconut milk and lemon juice and zest.
4. Pour mixture around chicken and roast for 20 minutes. Remove from heat.
5. Baste chicken with sauce and nestle potatoes and onions around it. Roast for a further 40-45 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and golden.
6. Add green beans and bake for a further 5 minutes.
7. Top with coriander and serve with rice.
Chef’s tip: To spatchcock a chicken, remove the backbone with kitchen scissors, then turn over and press flat. You can also ask your butcher to do it for you.
WORDS: Sjaan Van Der Ploeg
PHOTOGRAPHS: Fresh Living Magazine
