Easy,
quick, and made with pantry-friendly ingredients, this spicy and delicious
chicken curry is a must-try. These days, for an easy chicken curry or instant
chicken curry, store-bought curry paste, or even dry spice blends, can do the
job (CHICKEN CURRY WITH COCONUT MILK).
Still, nothing beats this homemade chicken curry, made with aromatic spices, curry leaves, and store-bought chili powder.
Healthy,
spicy superfood. Petai Sambal with prawns, or stink beans cooked in a Malay
spicy gravy, is a classic Malaysian seafood recipe. Petai is an acquired taste,
not for the faint-hearted due to its strong smell, but beloved by Malaysians (SARDINE SAMBAL/SAMBAL SARDIN).
Packed with health benefits, it contains a list of nutrients. Petai can also be eaten raw as a salad or ulam, dipped in sambal belacan, and paired with fresh vegetables like cucumber and salad leaves.
Stir-fried
in a spicy, umami belacan paste, these winged beans stay crunchy and full of
taste. This dish is a classic Malay-style stir-fried vegetable (KERABU BENDI/OKRA SALAD). It is known as Kacang
Botol Goreng Belacan. The key ingredient is shrimp paste (belacan), a staple in
Malaysian sambals, spicy gravies, and sauces.
Winged beans, also called four-angled beans or kacang botol in Malaysia, are nutritious and affordable. They can be replaced with French beans or long beans. Kangkung Belacan (water spinach stir-fry) is cooked the same way but softer for easier chewing.
Looking
for a simple, comforting dessert? This easy homemade rice pudding recipe uses
pantry staples like rice, sugar, and milk, or coconut milk. It’s similar to
Indian kheer in the north and payasam in the south, loved for its creamy
texture and gentle sweetness (EASY BREAD PUDDING).
This recipe is flexible, affordable, and
quick to make. With rice and some milk, you’re already halfway there.
This rice pudding can be served warm or chilled and is ideal for anyone who loves familiar, homey desserts. Whether you call it rice pudding, kheer, or payasam (PAYASAM RECIPE), the comfort is universal.
When
it comes to bread pudding, it's all about waste not, want not. This Malaysian-style
bread pudding recipe is a go-to when needing to use up near-expiry bread
slices, crusts included. No waste, no fuss (FRUITY BREAD PUDDING). And when you add the beautiful
aroma of pandan leaves (screwpine), you get that unmistakable local
Malaysian taste.
This is a healthier version of bread pudding. Instead of condensed milk, which is often too sweet, plain carton milk is used with a light touch of sugar. You can even swap in coconut milk for a creamier, more indulgent texture.
The bananas used for these crispy banana chips are green bananas, known as Valakkai in Tamil, which gives the recipe its name in Tamil as Valakkai Chips or Valakkai Poriyal (though “poriyal” usually refers to stir-fries).
Tender
and juicy chicken, served with ginger sauce. The fresh aroma of ginger, the
bright burst of spring onions, and the nutty scent of sesame oil make this a
delicious, wholesome, and simple Chinese meal (CHINESE EGG FRIED RICE).
Truly, Chinese cooking doesn’t get easier. Steaming is straightforward, and the no-cook Chinese Ginger Dip delivers a beloved spicy kick. The succulent steamed chicken (EASY CHICKEN SALAD) is eaten by dipping into the Chinese sauce.
Best
in the sense that it’s not only known as turmeric rice but also as golden rice.
Fluffy grains, earthy, peppery, and buttery, with a satisfying crunch from nuts
and natural sweetness from raisins. Though some stove-top prep is required,
this recipe is mostly cooked in the rice cooker for ease and consistency.
Turmeric powder, a powerful antioxidant with numerous health benefits. A staple of Indian cooking and has now found its place in Western kitchens. Basmati rice is also known for its health benefits compared to plain white rice, with light, separate grains and a fragrant aroma.
Forever
a classic - fragrant, nutritious, and wholesome. This Indian-style vegetarian
white bee hoon (rice vermicelli) is a family favorite. The aroma of curry
leaves, the gentle heat of dried red chilies, and the crunch of cabbage come
together in soft or al-dente fried bee hoon.
Simple, affordable, and homemade (INDIAN CREAMED SPINACH), this stir-fried bee hoon is enjoyed for breakfast, tea-time, or even as a light dinner.
Mutton curries with black pepper are popular across regions, each with unique local names. In Kerala, it’s called Meat Pepper Curry or Irachi Milagu Curry. In Tamil Nadu, simply South Indian Mutton Curry. It is Milagu Mutton in Sri Lanka, whereas, in Bangladesh, known as Kala Bhuna, and in Durban, South Africa, as Durban Mutton Curry.
Ever
classic, ever beloved, spicy sardine made with canned sardines is simply
irresistible. No dried chilli paste is needed, so you don’t have to pound or
blend even if using fresh chillies. For tanginess, there’s no need for tomatoes.
The sauce in the canned sardines works as it is.
The twist for this recipe is home-grown lemongrass, turmeric leaf, and bird’s eye chillies, which add fragrance, spiciness, and the health benefits of cooking with herbs. Known as sambal sardine for Malay cooking, or sarden sambal for Indonesian food, it’s called sarden balado when made with balado sauce (SPICY EGGS/TELUR BALADO).
Rich in vitamins, antioxidants, and wholesome plant-based goodness, it’s a budget-friendly dish that doesn’t compromise on benefits. Nothing beats home-cooked meals for wellness.
Tofu
Sambal, or Sambal Tofu, is a side vegetarian dish for a rice meal. Not only for
vegetarians but also suitable for non-vegetarians. Suited for a meatless meal
or plant-based cooking (VEGETARIAN NASI LEMAK), this simple recipe requires nothing more than pantry
staples. These are the common ingredients stocked up at home.
There are a couple of ways to cook tofu
sambal. Essentially, it’s the sambal or chili paste that creates the dish. The
paste turns into a chili gravy or thick chili sauce.
The YouTube Shorts video attached below shows how to cook a simple tofu sambal.
This recipe blends the best of various pickled eggplant traditions: Italian pickled eggplant, Lebanese pickled eggplant, Makdous, and Indian-style pickled brinjal, creating a versatile, home-style pickle.
The ultimate vegetarian spaghetti reflecting Asian
tastes. This Malaysian-style spaghetti is spicy, buttery, and scented with
fresh coriander leaves, also known as vegetable spaghetti (VEGETARIAN FRIED RICE).
The fresh spaghetti sauce is made from scratch in a Malaysian kitchen using dried chili paste, ginger, shallots, and tomatoes, not store-bought spaghetti sauce. Tofu and green peas are added, making this vegetarian spaghetti recipe stand out from other spaghetti dishes.
Uses of Mango Chutney
On Toast and Sandwiches
Spread it on plain toast, sourdough, or sandwiches. It pairs well with butter or cream cheese.
Fragrant
lemongrass and turmeric leaf in a thick, spicy and tangy sauce blend with soy sauce,
giving salty, sweet, and caramelized notes to tender lamb. The highlight is the
use of Southeast Asian herbs - Lemongrass and turmeric leaf, together with tomato for a fresh burst of tanginess, enhancing the taste
of this dish, also known as soy sauce lamb recipe (LAMB SOUP RECIPE).
Mutton can be used as well, but whether lamb or mutton, pressure cooking makes the meat soft and tender. Aromatics like ginger paste, garlic paste, and turmeric give the lamb a fragrant, slightly spicy profile while enhancing its natural taste.
Easy
but super delicious dessert. Tender, naturally sweet pumpkin with barley cooked
to the right texture. Sweetened with rock sugar and scented with pandan leaves
(screwpine leaves).
This Malaysian dessert is a popular Chinese dessert, often found at dessert stalls in coffee shops or sold by van vendors alongside other desserts. You can also use Gula Melaka (palm sugar) or go sugarless for a healthier option.
What type of cooked chicken can be repurposed for this salad? Literally anything, from fried chicken, curried chicken, roast chicken, or steamed chicken as in this recipe. No leftovers? No problem. The easiest method is steaming a piece of chicken with some salt or pan-grilling chicken, which also works for making a healthy chicken salad.
Boiled
eggs (TURMERIC EGG/TELUR KUNYIT) coated in a spicy Indonesian chili paste are Telur Balado, or simply
“spicy eggs.” The Balado Sauce is the heart of Indonesian food, packed with
fiery flavors and the fragrance of bay leaves, known as daun salam in both
Indonesian and Bahasa Malaysia.
For extra aroma, ingredients like daun
limau purut (kaffir lime leaves) can also be added.
Balado sauce is sold ready-made in stores, but nothing beats homemade Balado sauce. Even as a no-cook sauce, it pairs well as a dipping sauce. Just squeeze some lime juice atop before serving with dishes like ikan bakar (grilled fish), mee goreng (fried noodles), or other classic Indonesian dishes (SALTED FISH SAMBAL).
Canned sardines are among the pantry and kitchen saviors for emergency meals or anytime cooking. They are commonly included in weekly or mon...
