I love Malaysian food. I mean, what is there not to love? Simple, honest food with spice. Lucky for us Sydneysiders there are quite a few Malaysian foodie events happening over the next couple of weeks.
The Grace Hotel in Sydney is currently holding a Flavours of Malaysia Festival where award winning Malaysian chefs have been flown in to share the exotic flavours of Malaysia. An amazing buffet of Malaysian delights awaits those wishing to head to the Grace for lunch or dinner. They are also holding Malaysian Cooking Master Classes with Wanitha Tanasigam. It is this reason Josh and I find ourselves at the Grace on a rainy old Sunday in Sydney.
I instantly formed a crush on Wanitha, she is larger than life and a self proclaimed love goddess (and I think she is right). With Wanitha’s bright and bubbly personality and gorgeous heart, you wouldn’t know it was rainy and miserable outside, she radiates happiness. Her love of food and people marry beautifully with her cooking classes and presentations.
The master class starts with Wanitha demonstrating dishes that we would later be cooking in a group. She encourages people to give her a hand and get hands on during the demonstration. There are seven dishes all up.
Preparing Otak Otak
Otak Otak: A Malaysian hawker dish that was perfected by the Malays that live in Johor (which is located on the border of Singapore). It is a paste made with white fish, nuts and spices which is then cooked in banana leaves. The fish that we used was barramundi. Wanitha warns us to avoid bassa from Vietnam as it is farmed but not in the most hygienic conditions. Aussie farmed fish is the best, sustainable and a high quality product.
Nasi Minyak simmering & getting ready for the clay pot
Nasi Minyak: Festive rice cooked in a clay pot. Easy, no fuss recipe that requires you to be patient during the cooking process and let the rice do all the work.
Ayam Masak Merah
Ayam Masak Merah: Chicken cooked in a red sauce, lots of spices, herbs and coconut milk.
Sambal Udang: Chilli prawns, lots of chilli, lemongrass and coconut milk.
Acar Awak: Mixed vegetable pickle. Even though it was delicious freshly made, it is best left in a jar in the fridge to “pickle” for a few days.
Fried Kangkung or Long Beans with Dried Prawns: Quick easy stir-fry, and you can always substitute normal beans if snake aren’t available.
Preparing Ondeh Ondeh
Oozing palm sugar centre
Ondeh Ondeh: Tiny tasty balls filled with palm sugar then rolled in freshly grated coconut. I fell in love with these at first bite, quite easy and a scrumptious sweet.
After the cooking presentation we were separated in to two groups to re-create the dishes. With team leaders and time keepers chosen decisions are made on what two people are to re-create what dish. As there more dishes than couples, Josh and I decide to tackle two dishes, the chilli prawns and the fried kangkung.
Josh getting some tips from Wanitha
Josh took charge of the prawns, the only thing I did was put some palm sugar on them while he was organising his mise en place. I was very impressed, Josh isn’t known for cooking and I was a proud mum by his efforts and final result.
My plated Kangkung
The fried kangkung was extremely easy to make, some simple preparation before being quickly stir-fried.
Both teams then took the finished dishes through to the dining room and laid out our banquet. What a banquet there was! Each team made exactly the same dishes but it was very interesting to see how differently they came out. The Grace Hotel also provided some dishes for us to try that are part of the Malaysian buffet being held. There was so much food, too much for it all to be eaten. Plastic takeaway containers were provided for us to take home the leftovers.
Our finished banquet
Some of the dishes served from the Grace Hotel
Even though I am a little familiar with Malay cuisine, there was still much for me to learn. One thing I discovered is I love fresh tamarind, I had never tried it before, it reminds me a little of a light quince paste.
Some tips from Wanitha
If grinding lemongrass to be added to a paste, make sure you remove the gnarly outer sheaves.
No need for a thermometer in the kitchen, test if your oil is hot enough by placing the handle of your wooden spoon in. If the oil bubbles it is ready.
If you aren’t using your seasoned wok regularly, before putting it away heat up some freshly grated coconut in it. The oil from the coconut will protect your wok and you also end up with some tasty toasted desiccated coconut.
Turmeric is the oldest spice known to man. Don’t use too much or your food will become bitter.
Oyster sauce has cornflour in it. Make sure you add it at the very end of your cooking to avoid it burning.
Two of my favourite Wanitha sayings.
1. “In the kitchen we never have accidents, just lovely opportunities”.
2. In reference to if the oil is hot enough to cook with, “Feel the love? Then book the room”. In other words, is it hot enough? Then toss in your ingredients.
The Flavours of Malaysia Festival is running through to the 9th October. Lunch buffet, Tuesday – Friday 12pm – 2pm $38. Lunch buffet Sunday 12pm – 2pm $48. Dinner buffet Friday and Saturday 6pm – 9pm $48.
If you wish to participate in Wanitha’s class the next and last one is being held on the 2nd October, I understand there are still a couple of spots open. Class runs from 11.30am – 4pm and costs $110.
Unable to get to the Grace Hotel? There are a couple of other great Malaysian food festivities happening over the next couple of weeks;
Malaysia Kitchen BBQ Madness in conjunction with Crave Sydney International Food Festival. Saturday 1st October, 9am – 2pm, Church Street Mall, Parramatta.
The Malaysian twist on the great Aussie BBQ will see Church Street Mall covered in fresh lawn, trimmed with hedges, tropical trees, colourful flowers, lanterns and kites. The event will unite the mouth watering flavours of Malaysia with the great Aussie BBQ for a not to be missed feast. There will also be cooking demonstrations by celebrity chefs Florence Tan (flying in from KL especially for the event) & Adam Liaw,(MasterChef 2010 Winner).
Malaysia Festival, Sunday 9th October, Tumbalong Park, Darling Harbour.
Malaysia Kitchen will have an array of Malaysian dishes on offer from more than 15 Sydney restaurants, indulge yourself in authentic Malaysian food and live entertainment. Meet Masterchef contestant and Malaysia Kitchen ambassador, Alvin Quah.
For further information on Wanitha www.wanitha.com
With so many great events happening over the next few weeks, there is no reason not to get your Malaysian on!
Sara xxx
Sara & Josh were guests and invited to Wanitha’s Malaysian Master class by 360 Digital Influence Sydney and Malaysia Kitchen with much thanks.
[...] See the original post here: Belly Rumbles – Flavours of Malaysia Festival & Master Class with … [...]
Mmm… I can almost smell all the aroma! The pictures makes me hungry!
eatmarvin recently posted..Ichiban Boshi Sydney
A most excellent and delicious way to “feel the love” during this strange bout of Sydney spring weather!
mademoiselle délicieuse recently posted..Malaysia Kitchen BBQ Madness with Florence Tan
Isn’t that the best way to spend a rainy Sunday?
I spent last sunday in a cooking class and I loved it! 
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella recently posted..Huxtable, Collingwood, Melbourne
Tumbalong Park…
Within a stone’s throw of the Chinese Garden Friendship, Tumbalong Park is a circle of green, perhaps not exactly a circle as a stage and dressing rooms occupy part of the circle.It is a place where people can walk, or sit in the grass, or watch perfo…
How cool is that! I would have loved to attend this class! The food sounds delicious and the lovely instructor looks very much like the amazing cooks of Bahia, a state in Brazil where the food is spicy and delicious.
Renata recently posted..CROISSANTS, Passo a Passo – Desafio Daring Bakers – Setembro / 2011
What an amazing way to spend a rainy day, or any day actually. I can only imagine the flavours and fragrances!
The Malaysia Festival on the 9th sounds great – we might head down to check it out plus it’s right next to the new kids’ playground where they can be entertained while we eat!
Martyna@WholesomeCook recently posted..{Day 1} 5 ingredient strawberry, yoghurt and jelly layered trio
Wow that looks like you and Josh had such a fun day indoors!
wow looks like so much fun! lucky you guys got to make ondeh ondeh
sugarpuffi.com recently posted..Crave SIFF: Sugar Hit 2011 – Sydney Harbour Marriott and Tony Bilson’s Number One Wine Bar & Bistro
[...] even sausage sensations. I was still salivating for Malaysian delights after Josh and my master class with Wanitha the previous weekend, so there was only one place I was heading, Malaysia Kitchen’s BBQ [...]
Hi EatMarvin, was a aroma filled cooking class.
Hi MD, Wanitha made sure we were all feeling the love
Hi Lorraine, it really is a great way to spend a wet Sunday
Hi Renata, Wanitha was amazing and made the class just so much fun
Hi Martyna, I will be down at the festival on the 9th, hope to bump in to you
Hi Vivian, we had a wonderful day
Hi Sugarpuffi, the ondeh ondeh was delicious
Sara recently posted..Malaysia Kitchen’s BBQ Madness
Sounds a fun way to spend a rainy Sunday, coking and enjoying great food, and I loved the tip for testing if the oil is hot enough.
Hi Rosemarie, it was a fun way to spend the day
[...] stage with her and they seemed to be having a lot of fun together! Sara was telling me she attended a class a few days earlier with Wanitha and she introduced herself as the goddess of [...]