Food

Culinary Heritage: Recipes That Have Been Passed Down Through Your Culture.

Food is a central aspect of every culture, yet it remains one of the most underrepresented areas in the culinary world today. Here are a few recipes that celebrate diverse cuisines and will awaken your palate.

My Mother’s Lazy Nasi Lemak  

I was born in Malaysia and came here to the UK when I was 6 years old. Growing up, I had always wondered what my life would be like if I had stayed there. For the longest time, I barely knew much about Malaysian culture except for what my parents told me. But despite all of this, I have learned over time that one thing is definite: a large part of Malaysian culture is the food!

From Nasi Lemak, Rendang, Roti Canai, to Ayam Percik, I would say Malaysian food is unique, being an incredible melting pot and amalgamation of Chinese, Thai, and Indian influences. The culture of social eating is a big thing in Malaysia, whether it be Hari Raya (Eid), Chinese New Year, Diwali, or just a normal day. There will always be an abundance of sprawling street food hubs, family-run gerais (stalls) open as early as 6 am, and night markets across Malaysia. I would say our food culture could be perfectly captured by a common phrase: ‘Jom makan,’ meaning ‘Let’s go eat,’ a phrase I often hear as everyone ushers each other to the delicious spread of food on the table.

Nasi Lemak, the national dish of Malaysia, is a dish I grew up having a lot. It consists of coconut rice, sambal (a spicy paste/sauce), anchovies, cucumber, and eggs, all usually packed and folded nicely in banana leaves. It’s often eaten with another classic Malaysian dish, rendang, which can include fried chicken, sambal prawn, or Malaysian chicken curry. Everyone has their classic go-to nasi lemak order; my family loves to make it with prawns. Here is my mother’s Nasi Lemak recipe, nicknamed her ‘lazy nasi lemak,’ made for those tired nights when we want something easy to cook but are still craving Malaysian food for dinner.  

Ingredients:  

  • 1 tbsp Sambal paste (typically found at any Asian supermarket)  
  • 4 Pandan Leaves 
  • 4 Cloves  
  • 1 can of Coconut milk  
  • 3 cups of rice  
  • Fresh ginger  
  • Salt  
  • Brown sugar  
  • 2 Onions  
  • Prawns  
  • Eggs  
  • Cucumber  
  • 3 Garlic cloves  

For the Coconut Rice:  

  1. In a rice cooker wash the rice, and add the coconut milk  
  2. Add a few slices of ginger, 2 cloves, 2 Pandan leaves and a pinch of salt and stir.  
  3. Add enough water to fill the water up to the line for 3 cups of rice in the rice cooker.  
  4. Stir occasionally to make sure the bottom doesn’t burn. 

For the Sambal Prawns:  

  1. Cut the onions and garlic into small pieces.  
  2. In a wok, fry the onions, garlic, 2 pandan leaves, 2 cloves and sambal paste.  
  3. Then add the prawns and fry until cooked  
  4. Add brown sugar and salt accordingly to taste – it should be slightly sweet and very spicy.  

Prior to serving, boil or fry some eggs (according to preference), and cut up some cucumber. Plate the rice, sambal prawns, eggs and sliced cucumber and enjoy!

Words by Puteri Megat Harris 

Abuela’s Special Rice (Arroz con Gandules)

Growing up, this dish was a special treat in our family. We would eat it at big family events and line up four or five tables so we could all sit together, passing food around. I never knew what this dish was called until I was an adult because everyone just called it special rice. In the past few months, I have found myself craving it, so I went on a mission to find gandules. It turns out they go by several names, but it’s easiest to find them as either gungo beans or pigeon peas. It was amazing to smell my house filled with the aroma of this special dish. Not only is it delicious, but it also freezes well, so it’s great for bulk cooking. 

Ingredients:

  • A splash of cooking oil (your choice, I always use olive oil) 
  • 2 tomatoes 
  • 2 garlic cloves 
  • 1 bell pepper 
  • 2 Chicken or Vegetable stock cubes  
  • 2 tbsp of tomato paste 
  • 1-2 tsp of Italian herb seasoning  
  • A pinch of black pepper and salt 
  • 2-3 bay leaves 
  • A dash of hot sauce (optional) 
  • 2 cups of risotto rice (if you can find parboil rice that’s preferable) 
  • 1 can of gandules (aka gungo beans or pigeon peas) 
  1. Heat up a large pot on medium heat with the oil, when it begins to lightly smoke. 
  2. Diced the tomato, garlic and pepper, then add to the pan and cook until soft but not browned. 
  3. Add in the tomato paste and stock cubes with a little hot water. Stir to combine. 
  4. Add the Italian herbs, black pepper, and bay leaves, with a bit more water, and any remaining stock you have.  
  5. Bring this to a boil, then add in your rice, mixing so that it is thoroughly combined.  
  6. Cover the rice, periodically stirring so that it doesn’t burn. Once your rice is cooked serve and enjoy. 

Words by Olivia Nilsen 

The Prinjolata of Karnival 

As a Maltese kid who was obsessed with anything Karnival, the Prinjolata was something I looked forward to every single February. Among the various date-filled tarts and almond biscuits, the Prinjolata reigns supreme in my mind. While it looks a little like Monte Blanc if it were covered in trail mix, it’s a sweet treat that’s a staple of most Maltese childhoods, and easy enough to make with little experience in baking.  

Ingredients:

  • For sponge:  
    • 20g unsalted Butter  
    • 3 large Eggs  
    • 95g of Sugar  
    • 95g of All-purpose Flour  
    • 2 tsp Vanilla extract  
    • A pinch of salt  
  • For filling:  
    • 2 Egg Whites  
    • 150g of softened butter  
    • 300g powdered Sugar  
    • 1 tsp of Vanilla extract  
    • A pinch of Salt  
    • 50g mixed nuts, roughly chopped  
  • For topping:  
    • 1 packet of shop-bought icing mix, white  
    • 50g mixed nuts  
    • Approx. 20 Glacé Cherries, cut into halves  
    • 50g Dark Chocolate  

For the Sponge:  

  1. Preheat oven to 180 C and butter and line a tray with parchment paper and set aside.  
  2. Whisk the sugar and eggs in the bowl until mixture is very thick and pale – 6 to 8 minutes.  
  3. Sift and fold in the ⅔ of the flour in gently.  
  4. In a separate small bowl, combine butter and vanilla, and add to the egg mix as you fold in the final third part of flour.  
  5. Pour onto the prepared pan and smooth out. 
  6. Bake until cake is springy to the touch and golden brown – around 15 minutes.  
  7. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.  

For the Buttercream filling:  

  1. Combine egg whites, sugar and salt in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water.  
  2. Whisk until mixture is warm to the touch and sugar has dissolved – the mixture should feel completely smooth.  
  3. Take off the heat and whisk until fluffy, glossy, and completely cool – about 10 minutes.  
  4. Add the butter a few tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each portion. Once all butter has been added, whisk in vanilla.  
  5. Continue whisking until all air bubbles are eliminated.  
  6. Add the chopped nuts and mix gently.  

Assembling the cake:  

  1. Crumble the cooled cake into a large bowl and combine with the candied cherries and buttercream until sticky.  
  2. Form a dome on a plate with the mixture.  
  3. Cover with cling film and let it set for a few hours.  
  4. Make the icing according to packaging, cover the Prinjolata, and decorate with halved cherries and mixed nuts.  
  5. Store in a cool place and slice to serve. 

Words by Elouise Clarke 

Featured image courtesy of Caroline Attwood via Unsplash. No changes have been made to this image. Image licence found here.