They say a Malaysian meal isn’t just about the food; it’s about the laughter, the sharing, and the family it nourishes. Asia Kitchen’s ongoing Malaysian Food Festival proves this in every bite, with chef Rajesh Khanna Subramaniam taking us on a whirlwind, flavour-packed tour of Malaysia, all while regaling us with spice secrets and a few cheeky anecdotes along the way.
We kicked things off with Sup Kambing Terangkat, a rich, aromatic mutton soup slow-cooked with spices, comfort food at its finest as it was reminiscent of Tamil Nadu’s very own mutton broth simmered to a thick soup. The chef, in full interrogative mode, asked us, “When you had the soup, did you feel the meat or just the spices?” When we responded with ‘spices’, he added, “Indian mutton comes from young goats. Malaysian mutton…not so much”. Turns out, in soup, age really does matter, at least when it comes to goats!
The Jumbo Chicken Satay strutted in next, which were tender skewers of marinated chicken grilled to perfection. We slathered the juicy chicken with creamy peanut gravy, and it was pure heaven as it had a hint of earthiness and a gentle touch of heat from the spices. It came with rice cakes, cucumber, and red onions and yes, it was gone in the blink of an eye.
Next up was Yong Chao Fried Rice, fragrant wok-tossed magic with char chicken, mushrooms, and long beans, each bite practically gave us a high-five. We added Mixed Vegetables for good measure, which was a rainbow of stir-fried goodness that screams ‘healthy’ while secretly tasty enough to make your mouth do a happy jig.
Then arrived the popular Malaysian dish, Mee Goreng, which is basically stir-fried (on high heat) noodles with tofu, greens, and a kick of bold spices. One bite, and we realised noodles aren’t just food but drama on a plate.
Finally, the chef unveiled the showstopper- Hainanese Chicken Chop. The crispy fried chicken was smothered in a sweet-sour tomato glaze, giving it a unique tang, which was not very overpowering. One bite and we were already scheming second helpings before our plates were even empty.
No meal is complete without a sweet ending, and Goreng Pisang delivered in style. The golden banana fritters drizzled with caramel sauce and paired with creamy coconut ice cream was basically a license to ignore all calorie counting, and we absolutely did not mind it.
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