Christmas A La Malaysia

Malaysian Trade Commission (MATRADE) celebrated Hawker Melbourne yesterday, a Malaysian hawker style market incorporating Christmas and celebrating Malaysian food, flavours, spices and culture. 

Hosted by Malaysian chef Jackie M, the event showcased the full, bold and authentic flavours of Malaysia and saw classic Australian Christmas dishes transformed with a Malaysian twist. During two demonstrations, Jackie M showed guests how to incorporate Malaysian flavours and spices into Christmas dishes and every day meals. 

With delicious Malaysian food available, guests were taken on a journey through Malaysia, tasting bold, authentic flavours and learning  how the flavours and spices of Malaysia tie in Western dishes. 

Malaysian cuisine offers a rich melting pot of flavours, ranking amongst the most delicious and tastiest in Asia. With a palate underpinned by a wide diversity of influences including Chinese, Indian and Portuguese, not to mention the many spices characteristic of South East Asian food, Malaysian cuisine is rightly emerging as a favourite of food-lovers everywhere. 

Here are our top five flavours of Malaysia that work perfectly to up the ante on your traditional Christmas feast… 

Bring life to your seafood. 

We all know that seafood is a staple addition at most Australian homes during the festive season. This year, wow your guests with a decadent prawn Laksa. Laksa is one of Malaysia’s best known and most popular dishes, with its rich coconut curry base. The veritable minestrone of South Asia, Laksas can feature anything from tofu puffs, fish shrimps through to chicken pieces and of course, noodles and lots of delicious Asian vegetables. It’s typically served with a generous spoonful of chilli paste or sambal, and garnished with coriander, or kaffir lime leaf. Laksa is the perfect way to start your Christmas meal with a bang and is the ultimate go-to dish that provides fresh, spicy flavours. 

‘Ham’ up your glazed ham. 

Tired of the same old glazing on your Christmas ham? Why not incorporate delicious Malaysian flavours and give your guests something to talk about. For a unique taste that is sure to impress, add palm sugar and tamarind peel or a Malaysian curry paste for a chilli taste that will be sure to fire up your Christmas lunch. Serve slices of the ham with sweet pineapple pieces and roti to tone down and balance out the chilli factor. 

Tantalise with your Turkey. 

Roast turkey is the veritable star of any Christmas banquet. This year, the proof is in the stuffing, and we encourage you to utilise the vast flavours of Malaysian cuisine when stuffing and basting your bird. Spice up your stuffing with a wide range of spices like cardamom, cloves, turmeric and chilli, or coat your bird in some nyonya curry paste or chilli sambal that are sure to make your turkey flavoursome and exciting this festive season. 

Turn it up a couple of notches in the trifle stakes. 

You can’t go past a classic Aussie dessert at Christmas. A summer trifle is a light sweet treat that is guaranteed to end your festive banquet on a high. Take your guests on a culinary journey, and give it an exotic makeover this year by adding in some traditional Malaysian flavours including some mango, coconut cream and pandan for a truly refreshing indulgence. 

To help you discover the delicious Malaysian products available and to find a store near you, visit www.matrade.gov.my

Crust's 'La Dolce Pizza’ range

Crust Gourmet Pizza Bar is putting a fresh new twist on classic flavours, unveiling four new Italian inspired pizzas.

The new menu additions were inspired by flavours from Italy, and were crafted to bring the classic Italian Pizzeria vibe to Crust stores around the country.

The ‘La Dolce Pizza’ range comprises of Porcini, Chilli Gambero and Quattro Salumi pizzas with the fourth flavour being kept a secret. The secret pizza can be unlocked by customers in store or via Crust's website,

Crust are also giving away a classic Vespa to one lucky customer who purchases any Crust pizzas during the promotional period.*

Customers will be given a special ‘key’ with a unique password when they purchase any Crust pizza; they then need to visit the Crust website and enter their unique password to be eligible to win the classic Vespa.

We loved sampling the Chilli Gamberi (which we ordered from the Melbourne CBD store) - a fiery pizza which boasts a combination of Marinated Tiger Prawns, blanched Silverbeet Spinach and roasted Roma Tomatoes on a Tomato Base, garnished with Chilli Flakes and fresh chopped Red Chilli, dressed with Chilli infused EVOO and  a Lemon Wedge.

For more information about Crust Gourmet Pizza Bar or to order online visit www.crust.com.au.

*The competition is being run across all Crust stores from November 2 to December 23. The winner of the classic Vespa will be drawn on December 23.

LongLeaf Tea Vodka

LongLeaf Tea Vodka is a combination of the depth of flavours from founder, Ram Krish's Sri Lankan heritage growing up in tea plantations and the purity of nature in Australia, the place he now calls home.

LongLeaf was born out of a desire to create a unique and premium spirit that is 100% natural and 100% organic. Recently named 'Best Tea Vodka in the World' at last year's San Fransisco World Spirits Competition, LongLeaf Tea has been going from strength to strength, subsequently winning 2 other international awards including one premier competition in London.

We thoroughly enjoyed this aromatic, supremely refreshing fusion of the finest, hand-picked Ceylon tea, skillfully blended with artisanal, organic vodka made with the purest rain water from Australia’s Hunter Valley. 

Find out more about LongLeaf Tea Vodka here.

Recipe: Chee Cheong Fun

Malaysia Kitchen has recently launched its cooking series on Seven Two on Saturdays at 3pm (Read more here). To whet your appetities, here is a recipe for the Chee Cheong Fun from Episode 2...

By: Jackie M 

Ingredients: 

125 g rice flour 

2 ½ Tbsp tapioca flour 

500ml water 

1 Tbsp oil 

2 Tbsp oil, extra for mould 

Toppings 

¼ cup sesame seeds, toasted 

1 cup oil 

1 brown onion, peeled and sliced thinly Chilli sauce (Sriracha), optional 

Topping Sauce Option 1 

⅓ cup prawn paste aka Petis Udang 

½ cup water 

*Kicap manis (sweet soya sauce) 

Topping Sauce Option 2 

1 cup hoisin sauce 

1 cup water 

⅓ cup sugar 

Method: 

Combine all the rice flour roll ingredients and mix well, batter will be very thin. 

Brush a square metal cake pan with oil, pour a very thin layer (2 mm) of batter and steam on high heat for 1 - 3 minutes OR use an oiled non-metallic baking dish and microwave on high for about a minute and a half (75 to 90 seconds depending on strength of your microwave). 

Allow to cool slightly then use a spatula or scraper to lift up the edge of the rice flour sheet. Roll up then put aside and repeat process until all the batter is used up. Toast sesame seeds in a dry pan over medium heat, cool. 

Heat the oil in a wok and fry the onion until light brown. Remove onion from oil and transfer onto paper towel to crisp up. Store the onion crisps for future use, reserve oil for topping the rolls. 

For topping sauce 1, combine prawn paste and water in a saucepan. Simmer on low heat, stirring constantly, until well mixed. 

For topping sauce 2, combine hoisin sauce, water and sugar in a saucepan. Simmer on low heat until sugar is completely dissolved. 

To assemble, cut the rice flour rolls into 3 cm widths. Drizzle with either sauce option. Drizzle with onion oil and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds, serve with chilli sauce if you like it spicy.