Tony Tan says, in his new cookbook, Tony Tan’s Asian Cooking Class, that he hopes it will encourage his readers to be adventurous and experiment with their cooking. It's an attitude he's embraced across his career as a cook, teacher and writer.
The learning started early, surrounded by the vibrant influences of his childhood.
"I grew up in Kuantan, a town on the east coast of Pensinsular Malaysia. Like many towns and cities in Malaysia, Kuantan is a melting pot of cultures," he writes in the introduction to the book. "As the capital of the state of Pahand, it attracted Chinese, Indian and Malay settlers, and they brought with them their cultures and culinary traditions. From my Indian-Tamil neighbours, I learnt how to eat rotis and chapatis. My Malay neighbours taught me how to cook beef rendang and all sorts of kuihs – sweet or savoury snacks."
The recipes in the book roam across Malaysia, China, Singapore, Vietnam, Japan, Indonesia, Thailand and beyond. A common thread in many of them are his own experiences, including his family heritage. Here is a taste of some of classic Malaysian dishes, including Tan family recipes, from the book.
"My sister and brother-in-law used to run a coffee shop, commonly known as a kopitiam, in Malaysia and Singapore. Their eatery in Malaysia was in a sawmill overlooking the Kuantan River. Locals would flock there for their beef brisket and curry laksa. I have inherited this delicious brisket recipe from them."
"This recipe is the Penang version of the Malacca and Singapore babi chin. It is remarkably simple to make, but the flavours are absolutely outstanding. Partnered with a refreshing, tangy salad, it is the perfect dish on a hot summer’s day. Once you’ve tried it with pork, give it a go with duck or chicken, which are fine substitutes."
"I grew up eating this soupy lentil curry. In Malaysia, it’s frequently served with roti canai, the flatbread from India that’s popular throughout Southeast Asia. The dhal is mild in spiciness (amp up the heat if you like), but rich in flavour."
"Light and delicious, this crêpe with coconut filling, called kuih dadar, is popular throughout Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. The secret lies in the batter, which is redolent of pandan juice, thus making the crêpe rather special in both looks and its luscious tropical flavour."
"This sweet dish, consisting of a layer of steamed glutinous rice topped with a layer of coconut-milk custard, is very popular with Straits Chinese families. Served in dainty wedges, pulut serikaya (also called kuih sarlat in parts of Malaysia and Singapore, and gading galoh in Malacca) is traditionally eaten during breakfast and mid-morning coffee breaks, although I like to serve it as a small dessert."
Edited extract from Tony Tan’s Asian Cooking Class by Tony Tan, photography by Mark Roper (Murdoch Books, $59.99).
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