FROM today, the exotic culinary flavours of all 13 states in Malaysia will be served for lunch and dinner at the Tonka Bean Café & Deli on weekdays.
Malaysia is well known as a food paradise, with each state having distinctive dishes.
Some of these were influenced by the culinary traditions of countries near and far, while others were influenced by migrants who eventually made Malaysia their home.
The aim of the promotion is to showcase Malaysia’s authentic culinary heritage with the expert guidance of Datin Kalsom Taib and Datin Hamidah Abdul Hamid, who is the author of the award-winning cookbook Johor Palate: Tanjung Puteri Recipes and Malaysia’s Culinary Heritage: The Best of Authentic Traditional Recipes.
The promotion also features two celebrated home chefs, Ungku Balkis Ungku Abdul Hamid and Ungku Marhamah Shereen Ungku Abdul Hamid, who together with Kalsom recently launched Recipes Are for Sharing, which is named Winner in the ‘Best Easy Recipes Book’ category.
The promotion will be on until the end of August this year.
Starting with the state of Johor, it boasts a combination of cuisines from not only the Middle East but also from China, India and Europe.
The food of Melaka – a blend of Malay, Chinese, Indian, Peranakan and Eurasian – reflects the state’s colourful and diverse history. The culinary style of Negeri Sembilan is influenced by the Minangkabau highlands of Sumatra.
The cuisines of Kelantan and Terengganu have their origins in neighbouring Thailand, as do the cuisines of Kedah and Perlis, while the cuisine of Selangor reflects Acehnese and Javanese influences.
Penang, a well-known food haven, offers a diverse array of food stemming from its Jawi Peranakan and Chinese Peranakan/Baba-Nyonya heritage. Perak has a repertoire of dishes from a wide array of cultures and communities – Malay, Chinese, Indian and Orang Asli.
Pahang has a rich culinary history. Each of its 11 districts has a distinctive cooking style and taste preferences. Rompin dishes, for example, resemble Johorean cuisine, while the cuisine in Kuantan is more reminiscent of dishes from Terengganu.
The food in Sabah and Sarawak is different from that in Peninsular Malaysia. Both Sarawak and Sabah are blessed with rich natural resources, ranging from wild edible vegetables, fruit, fragrant shoots and herbs to a treasure trove of fresh seafood.
These states also enjoy the food heritage of non-indigenous people, such as the Javanese, Bugis and Southern Chinese, particularly the Hakka and Foochow.
The Malaysia Culinary Heritage promotion of all states will be held in the following months:
- February – Johor (February 7–17 )
- March – Malacca & Negeri Sembilan (March 6–17)
- April – Fasting month – Bazaar Ramadan Jalan Pinang
- May – Selangor & Perak (May 1–12)
- June – Penang, Kedah & Perlis (May 29 – June 9)
- July – Kelantan, Terengganu & Pahang (June 26 – July 7)
- August – Sabah & Sarawak (July 24 – August 5)
- August – In conjunction with the 64th Merdeka Celebration, a selection of dishes from all the region will be served to reflect Malaysia’s multicultural traditions.
Although of different ethnicities, religions, beliefs and cultures, Malaysians are united in their love for the country’s varied cuisines.
Malaysia’s Culinary Heritage Promotion is sponsored by FGV Holdings Berhad and Delima Oil Products Sdn Bhd.
Malaysia’s Culinary Heritage, Johor Palate, Recipes Are For Sharing recipe books and others will be available at Tonka Bean Café during this period at a 20% discount.
For more information, visit https://kualalumpurhotels.impiana.com.my/ for reservations, call 03-2147 1111 or WhatsApp 012-2351213. – The Vibes, February 7, 2023
