Malaysia ( Asia) 3 May 2024

Malaysia is located in the continent of Asia. It has Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Brunei to the north, the Philippines to the northeast, the Pacific Ocean to the east, Indonesia and Singapore to the south, and the Indian Ocean to the west.

The capital is Kuala Lumpur.

The official language is Malay.

The climate is four seasons with the monsoon season in the northeast from November or December to March, first intermonsoonal period from March to April or May, the southwest monsoon from May or June to September or early October, and the second intermonsoonal period from October to November.

The staple foods are eggs, coconut milk, rice, peanuts, cabbage, chicken, bean sprouts, fresh shrimp, pork lard, flat rice noodles, cuttlefish and so much more (https://www.tripzilla.com/malaysian-food/125115).

https://www.britannica.com/place/Malaysia

GORDON RAMSAY’S MALAYSIAN CHICKEN CURRY (https://www.food.com/recipe/gordon-ramsays-malaysian-chicken-curry-254495):

Curry Paste:

• 5 garlic cloves, peeled
• 4-5 long red chilies, trimmed
• 2 lemon grass, stalks trimmed, outer leaves removed and sliced
• 5 cm piece fresh ginger root, peeled and chopped
• 4 shallots, peeled and chopped
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 TBSP oil

1. To make the curry paste, put the garlic, chilies, lemon grass, ginger, and shallots in a food processor to form a paste. (or you can use a pestle and mortar).

For Curry:

• 1-1/2 lbs. (800g) chicken thighs, cut into bite sizes pieces.
• 1 TBSP oil
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 onions, peeled and thinly sliced
• 4 kaffir lime leaves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 star anise
• 1-1/2 C (400ml) light coconut milk
• ½ C (100ml) chicken stock
• 1 tsp palm sugar (or soft brown sugar)
• 2 TBSP light soy sauce
• 2 TBSP fish sauce
• ¾ C (400g) green beans, trimmed
• Salt & pepper
• Coriander leaves, roughly torn

• Heat the oil in a large heavy-based pan.
• Tip in the curry paste with 1 tsp ground turmeric and stir over a medium heat for a few minutes.
• Add the onions and cook, stirring for 5 minutes.
• Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and add to the pan, stirring to coat in the paste.
• Add the lime leaves, cinnamon stick, star anise, coconut milk, stock, sugar, soy, and fish sauces and bring to the boil.
• Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook gently for half an hour to an hour until the chicken is tender.
• Skim off any excess oil on the surface of the curry.
• Taste and add salt and pepper if you think it needs it.
• Add the beans and cover for another few minutes until the beans are tender.
• To serve, scatter the coriander leaves over the curry and serve with rice and roti.

The curry on this is amazing!! Would highly recommend!!

ROTI CANAI (Authentic Malaysian Recipe) (https://www.food.com/recipe/roti-canai-authentic-malaysian-recipe-270723):

• 2 C all-purpose flour
• 1 TBSP salt
• 1 C water
• 1 C cooking oil

1. Mix the salt in the water.
2. Put the flour in a mixing bowl.
3. Add the salted water gradually.
4. Mix the flour into a dough.
5. Knead until smooth. Make sure the texture of the dough is not too sticky and gooey.
6. Oil your hands with cooking oil and then make the dough into palm sized balls.
7. In a bowl, pour some oil so that the dough doesn’t stick to the bowl.
8. Put in the balls, coating it with oil as you put one on top of each other.
9. After it is all in a bowl, totally immerse it in oil. Leave overnight.
10. Oil your kneading space.
11. Take out one dough ball, flatten it out into the palms until the size of a dinner plate.
12. Flip it like a pizza.
13. Flip the dough a couple of times and spread it out until paper thin.
14. Take one edge and fold it to the middle. Do these another three times, so that it will turn into a square.
15. Grease a flat pan or skillet with cooking oil and cook until golden brown.

This was the first time I have made this, and you can tell. Still the flavor was great!! Might have to do this one again!!

NASI LEMAK (Malaysian Coconut Milk Rice) (https://www.seriouseats.com/nasi-lemak-malaysian-coconut-rice-recipe-7197924):

• 2-1/2 C jasmine rice
• 7oz. coconut milk, preferably from a carton variety
• 2 pandan leaves, cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces
• One 1-inch knob fresh peeled ginger, julienned
• 1-1/2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, plus more to taste; for table salt use half as much by volume or the same weight

1. Set up a tiered steamer, filling the bottom section with about 3-inches of water.
2. Bring to a boil over high heat.
3. Line the steamer tier with cheesecloth.
4. Meanwhile, place the rice in a strainer and rinse the grains under running water until the water is almost clear.
5. Drain rice, then transfer to a 10-inch nonstick skillet and add the coconut milk, 7oz. water, pandan leaves, ginger, and salt.
6. Cook on medium heat, stirring continuously, until it thickens like rice pudding, 8-10 minutes.
7. Transfer the rice mixture to the cheesecloth-lined steamer tier and spread it is a roughly even layer.
8. Set the steamer tier over bottom section of the boiling water, cover and steam over medium heat until the grains are fully cooked, about 45 minutes; start checking rice doneness after 35 minutes or steaming.
9. Once the rice reaches your preferred texture, turn off the heat and leave it to continue steaming, covered, until the steaming stops.
10. The rice should be just cooked, with separate grains and a rich flavor of coconut.

I love rice, and this had a slight coconut flavor. I have never steamed this way before, but highly recommend it!!!

MALAYSIAN SHAVED ICE (Ice Kacang/ABC) (https://rasamalaysia.com/ice-kacang-abc-malaysian-shaved-ice/):

• 2 C ice cubes or crushed ice

Syrup:

• ¼ C dark brown sugar
• 1/3 C water
• 3 drops red coloring (optional)

Toppings:

• 2 TBSP condensed milk or evaporated milk
• 2 TBSP canned red beans
• 2 TBSP canned sweet corn (cream-style)
• 2 TBSP grass jelly pieces
• Attap chee (pal nuts, optional)

1. Add all the ingredients for the syrup in a small saucepan.
2. Heat it up over medium heat.
3. As soon as the sugar melts and the syrup starts to bubble, turn off the heat.
4. Set aside and let cool.
5. Prepare the shaved ice by using a blender. Make sure the ice is completely shaved.
6. Transfer the shaved ice to a bowl and add 2 TBSP syrup, followed by all the ingredients for the toppings.
7. Serve immediately.

First time I have used cream style corn, but it did add an extra level of flavor!!

Here is how the overall meal turned out!! I did end up adding the rice with the chicken after I tasted the flavor of the chicken curry first. Another great choice!!