Cooking Malaysian in the San Fran Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area-based (or -bound) readers eager to learn how to cook some of the Malaysian foods we've written about on this blog should check out classes offered by Malaysian cooking instructor Linda Tay Esposito.
Linda and I began corresponding by email several months ago, and I had the pleasure of meeting her in person at last weekend's Asian Culinary Forum symposium 'Asian Food Beyond Borders'. I was heartened to hear from Linda that she doesn't 'dumb down' Malaysian food for her students. In other words, if you sign up for a class expect to be working with belacan (expect also, from Linda's experience, to fall in love with the flavor that this stinky ingredient lends to foods) to create authentic Malaysian dishes. Linda says that in the time she's been teaching Malaysian food she's garnered a core of regular students who return again and again not only to cook, but to eat.
Check out Linda's Malaysia/Singapore/Indonesian class menus, which cover an impressive amount of ground (she teaches other Asian cuisines as well). There are whole classes devoted to laksa, Nyonya dishes, peninsular east coast Malay specialties, Ramadan foods, and street foods. Also, have a look at her blog, where she posts Malaysian (and other) recipes.
talking about Belacan.... a fren of mine having bad experience at UK when he is heating up the belacan in the kitchen...
The neighbour call the police as she felt there is smell like corpse..
belacan = corpse..... lolx
Posted by: PenangTuaPui (Penang Fatty) | October 15, 2008 at 06:12 AM
I just found her blog the other day and am really enthused that a Malaysian chef is teaching authentic Malaysian cooking here in the Bay Area. Perhaps she could teach the cooks at the local Malaysian restaurants a thing or two.
Posted by: Nate | October 15, 2008 at 05:06 PM
Penang Fatty - That's a good one. But how unfortunate for your friend.
Hi Nate - she says that most of her repeat students return bec. they can't get decent Msn food in restos ... so they come back, cook, and enjoy a meal.
Posted by: Robyn | October 16, 2008 at 07:10 AM
Penang Fatty - That's a good one. But how unfortunate for your friend.
Hi Nate - she says that most of her repeat students return bec. they can't get decent Msn food in restos ... so they come back, cook, and enjoy a meal.
Posted by: Robyn | October 16, 2008 at 07:10 AM
Well, I guessed they have to use crystalized belacan powder as from Maggi's. At least it won't cause an emergency as what PTP stated. LOL!
Anyway, it's great to hear about Malaysian cuisine being promoted in US.
http://crizfood.blogspot.com/
Posted by: Criz Lai | October 19, 2008 at 08:06 PM