— See Malaysia Gourmet with Justine Schofield on Monday nights at 7.30pm from Monday 29 January, on SBS Food. from 7.30pm on the 29th. —
Stream free On Demand
Malaysia Gourmet with Justine Schofield
series • cooking
G
series • cooking
G
“Laksa is everyone's favourite. Especially in Malaysia, especially in Sarawak, it's considered one of the iconic dishes. So, if you talk about laksa, it reminds you of Sarawak for sure. It's a comfort food for all of us here,” says Sarawak chef Christopher Wan, as he shows Justine Schofield how he makes this Malaysian classic (get his recipe ).
In her new TV series Malaysia Gourmet, Schofield is on an enviably delicious expedition – exploring Malaysia via its markets, streets, gardens, forests, cultural centres and of course, food.
Justine Schofield cooks sambal squid at the Terrapuri Heritage Village in the Setiu Wetlands in Terengganu, Malaysia. Credit: Malaysia Gourmet
And while laksa, that wonderfully spicy noodle soup, is a dish many of us instantly associate with Malaysia, the truth is the food of this south-east Asian nation is so vibrant and varied that it would be impossible to pick just one dish to represent it. So it’s not surprising that when Schofield gets in the kitchen with local chefs sharing their favourites, there’s a deliciously wide range of dishes on offer: classics such as char kuey teow, nasi lemak, laksa and beef rendang, the deliciously sweet onde onde, a fresh fish salad, a modern prawn barley risotto.
Christopher Wan's Sarawak laksa. Credit: Malaysia Gourmet
“With its unique mix of Malay, Chinese, Indian, and indigenous cultures, Malaysia's food scene is an explosion of flavours and aromas,” Schofield says.
Among those helping her discover the nuances of the country’s food is Penang chef and cookbook author Pearly Kee, who takes Schofield on a tour of the city’s Chowrasta market, a bustling institution that’s been operating since 1890. Cue many questions about the ingredients they see and what the locals cook with them, and of course, eating some of the food on offer. That includes one stall that Kee says is a must-visit, Uncle Lim’s Poh Piah shop. Poh Piah, or popiah, are thin crepe-like wraps, made from a fermented wheat dough and cooked on a hot flat pan. Schofield tries a sweet peanut version at the market and then heads to Kee’s cooking school kitchen for a lesson in making a savoury version.
Penang cooking teacher Pearly Kee with Justine Schofield. Credit: Malaysia Gourmet
For those of us who can’t jet off to Malaysia for our own “learn the local favourite” cooking lessons, joining Schofield in the kitchen is a good plan B. She’s always eager to learn, explains what she’s seeing and cheerily asks for a verdict on her kitchen skills (“Not too bad, but let me show you,” says Kee, who’s happy to explain all the secrets of how to make prawn, tofu and green bean popiah). The Kee shares uses pre-made popiah wraps, which makes these delicious bundles a speedier meal.
In Kuala Lumpur, chef Afiq Matkhir shares his take on one of Malaysia's most-loved dishes, nasi lemak. "It's a staple... we eat it at breakfast, lunch or even dinner," he explains, as he guides Schofield through the steps to make this spicy noodle dish. It's a dish that uses many ingredients and steps (the rice, for example, must be rinsed three times, he explains), but the time spent making it well is worth it.
Chef Afiq Matkhir with Justine Schofield, with the chef's nasi lemak. Credit: Malaysia Gourmet
Justine Schofield and Tarina Ts, with beef rendang, at the Tropical Spice Garden in Penang. Credit: Malaysia Gourmet
Along with a lesson with a local cook, each episode in the series also sees Schofield exploring local traditions, sights and experiences: a pre-dawn hike up a forested mountain to catch the first rays of the sun in Sabah; a visit to the Semenggoh orangutan rehabilitation centre, near Kuching in the state of Sarawak, where orphaned or rescued primates are cared for; a stop at cultural centres such as Terengganu Cultural Village, where local artisans practice traditional music, crafts and cooking. Many of her experiences inspired the dishes she cooks up herself: after the sunrise hike, she makes ; oyster mushrooms that she finds during a visit to the Bijan Borneo Cultural Centre in Sabah inspire her to cook mushroom and chicken lobak – little parcels made with bean curd wraps that are a popular street food and also often served at celebrations; after eating at a hawker market, she recreates one of the dishes she tried, manicai scrambled eggs; in the Setiu wetlands on the east coast, a visit onto a traditional fishing boat sees her turn some of the day’s catch into sambal squid.
Breakfast noodles. Credit: Malaysia Gourmet
“The food is just incredible, the people are an absolute delight,” Schofield says as her journey comes to an end. “These trips are just never long enough!” But she packs a LOT into the trip, and going along for the ride is a great chance for us to get in the kitchen (up a mountain, on a boat…) with the locals.
