Malaysian cuisine, a diverse and dynamic culinary tradition, mirrors the country’s rich cultural and ethnic tapestry. If there’s one thing that can be said about Malaysian cuisine, it’s that it’s a delightful whirlwind of flavours. It encompasses a wide range of flavours, ingredients, and cooking styles, offering a delightful gastronomic journey that binds together the different communities residing in Malaysia.
However, today’s Malaysian cuisine is not merely about traditional cooking methods or age-old recipes. It’s also about revolution and adaptation, about merging tradition with modernity, and about exploring new techniques to further enhance the culinary delights.
Understanding Smart Cooking Techniques
Before we dive in, let’s first understand what we mean by ‘smart cooking techniques’. We’re talking about sous vide, air frying, pressure cooking, and more. Essentially, these methods allow for precise temperature control, healthier cooking, and enhanced flavours. They’re not just a fad, but a revolution in the culinary world.
Chicken Chop of JB with Sous Vide Cooking
This popular Chinese local food, with its breaded and fried chicken served with a sweet and savoury sauce, has been taken to new levels. With sous vide, the chicken is vacuum-sealed and then slow-cooked in a water bath at a precise temperature. This smart technique ensures your Chicken Chop of JB stays tender inside while achieving a crispy outside. Imagine biting into that!
Chefs have elevated this dish to new levels by incorporating sous vide cooking. A vacuum-sealed bag is used in the sous vide cooking technique to cook food at a particular temperature for a certain amount of time. The smart cooking technique guarantees that the chicken stays moist and soft on the inside while offering a pleasing crunch on the exterior, enhancing the whole dining experience.
To make chicken chop with sous vide, simply season your chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then vacuum-seal them in a bag. Cook the chicken in a water bath. Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the bag and sear it in a hot pan until golden brown.
Served with a choice of sauces, such as black pepper or mushroom, and accompanied by sides like fries and coleslaw, it offers a healthier and equally delicious alternative to the traditional fried version.
Laksa Lemak Prepared in an Air Fryer
Known for its flavourful and fragrant broth, laksa lemak is a thick and creamy noodle soup mixed with coconut milk, curry spices, and fish. Although the recipe calls for cooking the food in a pot on the stove, an air fryer may also be used to make it. This produces a laksa lemak that is still tasty but has been given a healthy touch.
To ensure that the soup is boiled to perfection, smart kitchen gadgets provide users with exact control over cooking temperatures and timeframes. The centre of the recipe is a rich and creamy broth made by combining herbs, spices, and coconut milk smoothly. Laksa lemak delivers a pleasant culinary experience with a contemporary touch, topped with fresh ingredients like prawns, tofu puffs, and bean sprouts.
To make laksa lemak in an air fryer, simply heat your air fryer, in a large bowl, combine your coconut milk, curry paste, and seafood, add your noodles and cook in the air fryer until the noodles are cooked through.
Nasi Lemak Cooked in a Pressure Cooker
Famous for its flavourful coconut rice, fiery sambal, and a range of side dishes, Nasi Lemak is a staple of Malaysian cuisine. While the recipe recommends cooking the meal in a pot on the stove, a pressure cooker may also be used to make it. As a consequence, the nasi lemak is properly cooked and fluffy.
Simply put your rice, coconut milk, and spices in the pressure cooker to make nasi lemak. It guarantees airy grains flavoured with the scent of coconut milk. Fresh chillies, spices, and other ingredients are combined to make the sambal, which is then carefully balanced for a delicious heat. The Nasi Lemak is a feast of tastes that best represents Malaysian cuisine, served with a range of side dishes such as fried anchovies, peanuts, cucumber, and hard-boiled eggs.
Char Siew (Chinese BBQ Pork) via Sous Vide
In Malaysian-Chinese cooking, char siew, or Chinese BBQ pork, is a popular meal. Traditionally, the pork is marinated in a blend of honey, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, and several spices before being roasted over an open flame. However, smart cooking techniques have taken this dish to a whole new level by introducing the sous vide method.
Sous vide involves vacuum-sealing the marinated pork and cooking it in a precisely controlled water bath at a low temperature for an extended period. This technique ensures that the pork is evenly cooked, tender, and bursting with flavour. After the sous vide process, a quick sear on the grill or stovetop gives the pork a delightful charred exterior. The result is a melt-in-your-mouth Char Siew that retains all the original flavours and juices.
Steamed Fish using Advanced Steam Cooking
In Chinese food, steamed fish is a mainstay that has recently undergone a smart culinary transformation. Innovative steam cooking techniques preserve the fish’s original aromas and textures while guaranteeing consistent and accurate cooking.
The delicacy of the fish’s flavour is preserved and the moisture is sealed in by smart cooking methods. The steamed fish is a delicious and healthful dish that highlights the greatest tastes of Malaysia with the addition of fragrant herbs, spices, and a light soy-based sauce.
Satay (Skewered Grilled Meat) with a Smoker
Moving on, we have Satay, skewered, marinated, and grilled meat, usually served with a spicy peanut sauce. It’s common street food in Malaysia, but have you tried smoking it? Yes, a smoker can impart a beautiful, deep, woody flavour to the meat, making your stay experience even more phenomenal.
Roti Canai (Flatbread) Cooked in a Pizza Oven
Roti Canai, another iconic dish, is a breakfast staple in Malaysia. But who knew it could also be made in a pizza oven? This unconventional technique gives the flatbread a fantastic, crispy texture and an enhanced flavour, reminiscent of stone-baked bread.
Beef Rendang Slow-cooked in a Crock-Pot
Finally, we have the classic Beef Rendang. This slow-cooked coconut curry is full of robust flavours, but when you cook it in a Crock-Pot, it allows the ingredients to meld together and creates an even richer taste profile.
It’s so exciting to see how our favourite dishes, including our iconic Chinese local food like Chicken Chop JB, are being reimagined with smart cooking techniques, isn’t it? There’s a sense of preserving our rich culinary heritage, yet at the same time, enhancing it with new possibilities.