Piece by Erin Goodall, FoodGoblin North Correspondent
Whole crispy squid!
Malaysia: an often forgotten destination for many British when planning a trip to the East. For many, Thailand, Bali and Hong Kong trump the list, at least amongst my friends. For me though it is a unique and romantic country, a wild one, delicious at times and one in which its rich history still shows evident in its day to day culture.
Historically, Malaysia formed part of the British Empire, establishing a vital trade route between the East and West. Born from this is one of its unique characteristics: an immense diversity of peoples and cultures. Today it is a real melting pot and nowhere can this better be displayed than in its food.
Yes, Malaysia is a magical country and one which we at FoodGoblin were lucky enough to explore this summer. Whilst Lucy headed to Malaysian Borneo to eat all things Sarawak (previous post here), I headed to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia's famous capital city.
The purpose of my visit was to attend its first ever Big Kitchen Festival. This was headed up and organized by Chef Norman Musa, Malaysian born, British based Chef, who was kind enough to invite me to experience the smells and sights of this exciting inaugural food festival. Naturally, I chomped at the opportunity.
Historically, Malaysia formed part of the British Empire, establishing a vital trade route between the East and West. Born from this is one of its unique characteristics: an immense diversity of peoples and cultures. Today it is a real melting pot and nowhere can this better be displayed than in its food.
Yes, Malaysia is a magical country and one which we at FoodGoblin were lucky enough to explore this summer. Whilst Lucy headed to Malaysian Borneo to eat all things Sarawak (previous post here), I headed to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia's famous capital city.
The purpose of my visit was to attend its first ever Big Kitchen Festival. This was headed up and organized by Chef Norman Musa, Malaysian born, British based Chef, who was kind enough to invite me to experience the smells and sights of this exciting inaugural food festival. Naturally, I chomped at the opportunity.
This year’s festival took place from 29th-31st May and entry is totally free. It was set in the historic main square faced by the old Moorish designed post office and the old courts of justice, two majestic relics of unique architecture left from British rule. The festival is big; with a big stage area fronting it and hosting a variety of bands and acts entertaining the crowds. Off to the left, marquees hosted cookery master classes and demonstrations and straight ahead were reams of stalls selling arrays of street food. The set up here was really clever; each area was affiliated with a province of Malaysia to show off all the regional variances.
From slow cooked dry curries to the more familiar creamy curries of the north packing heat and sweetness in equal measure, I ate them all. I spent most of my time here and the food was utterly mouthwatering. Of particular note was the dry beef Rendang curry, from Rendang (naturally), and the deep fried squid. Oh my goodness, this was like no calamari I’ve had at home. A whole fresh squid, tentacles and all, dunked in breadcrumbs and fried until just cooked and golden. No pathetic portions here, much to my delight. Most dishes were between £1-2….did someone say 'bargain'?
From slow cooked dry curries to the more familiar creamy curries of the north packing heat and sweetness in equal measure, I ate them all. I spent most of my time here and the food was utterly mouthwatering. Of particular note was the dry beef Rendang curry, from Rendang (naturally), and the deep fried squid. Oh my goodness, this was like no calamari I’ve had at home. A whole fresh squid, tentacles and all, dunked in breadcrumbs and fried until just cooked and golden. No pathetic portions here, much to my delight. Most dishes were between £1-2….did someone say 'bargain'?
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In addition to the arrays of fresh, delicious nosh available there was a jam packed itinerary of great activities each day. Here are some of my highlights from the festival:
Masterclasses with world famous chefs Throughout the day chefs from all over the world delivered master classes in how to prepare exciting Malay dishes. All ingredients and cookware are supplied by the festival organisers, so to take part you just need a dollop of enthusiasm. The chefs take you through the recipes step by step and show you how to make restaurant worthy dishes in 1 hour. I felt lucky to have the opportunity to cook with some of the best chefs in the business and all of this for free! A truly wonderful experience to share knowledge and make a few new friends along the way.
Rice and dried shrimps, wrapped in banana leaves and barbecued!
Cooking demonstrations – Adjacent to the Masterclasses tent is the demonstration tent. Here up to a hundred or so people can watch the chefs in action. The pros stand at the front doing what they do best and TVs adorn the room so that if you are at the back of the tent you can easily still see and hear all the action. This was like being an audience member on Saturday Kitchen but more up close and personal.
Not only were their demos of recipes, but also the occasional educational lecture! I attended a fascinating talk about the health benefits of ginger by doctors from the local university here too. Did you know there are tens of varieties of the plant which can cure ailments such as digestion problems, cramps and much more? Ginger tea has now become a staple of my daily routine, much to the benefit of my health, with thanks to this activity!
Not only were their demos of recipes, but also the occasional educational lecture! I attended a fascinating talk about the health benefits of ginger by doctors from the local university here too. Did you know there are tens of varieties of the plant which can cure ailments such as digestion problems, cramps and much more? Ginger tea has now become a staple of my daily routine, much to the benefit of my health, with thanks to this activity!
Dainty little petit fours, as pretty as a picture
Restaurant tents – When wanting a little more refinery than the food stalls can offer, head to any of the large restaurant tents. Inside you will receive wonderful service and a huge buffet or set menu lunch. All was reasonably priced and boasted chefs from all the major hotels, including the Ritz Carlton; an ideal spot to get out of the heat and sample some expertly cooked food.
Afternoon tea with the Queen! – This was certainly one of my highlights. The actual Queen came on the first day to officially open the festival and give her royal seal of approval! A tent was set up with long tables and hundreds squeezed in to grab a glimpse of royalty. Then, in a flurry of paparazzi lights, she entered and gave a speech whilst we all enjoyed a wonderful afternoon tea with macaroons and cucumber sandwiches – oh how refined. I was lucky enough to meet her Royal Highness as she walked past the tables to greet everyone. The perfect end to a wonderful first day of the festival.
Competitions! – on the final day Norman asked Helen Oon and I to take part in the Big Kitchen Cook Off, a contest somewhat similar to Master Chef. I hauled my arse out of bed on the final day at 5am and headed down to the main tents to meet our fellow competitors. We were taken to a local market where we were tasked with choosing ingredients under a set budget in 30 minutes and to cook a dish. There was a cash prize of up to 100,000 Ringgits – about £2k – so competition was heated!
I scuttled through this bustling market, loud with bright colours and ingredients, half of which were utterly alien to me. It really was a learning experience. With Helen's Malaysian cookery knowledge we stuffed our bags with fresh ingredients and whipped up a storm in the kitchen. With participants from all over the world and with varying levels of skill, each team turned out vastly different meals. I had great fun doing this and although we didn't win with our tamarind and coconut aubergines, it was a great experience and I didn't begrudge the early wake up.
I scuttled through this bustling market, loud with bright colours and ingredients, half of which were utterly alien to me. It really was a learning experience. With Helen's Malaysian cookery knowledge we stuffed our bags with fresh ingredients and whipped up a storm in the kitchen. With participants from all over the world and with varying levels of skill, each team turned out vastly different meals. I had great fun doing this and although we didn't win with our tamarind and coconut aubergines, it was a great experience and I didn't begrudge the early wake up.
Enjoying the live music – A stage sits to the right of the entrance where live performers sing throughout the day, providing a lively background to the festivities. This was a great space to come down in the evening and enjoy the lively tunes, lit gently by large floating multi-coloured balls which decorated the dark background of the evening sky.
Chestnuts roasting over charcoal…a little touch of home, even so far from it.
There was so much to do, see, smell at KL Big Kitchen….and, of course, the food was exceptionally good. Set against the backdrop of the vibrant and energetic city of KL, this was a trip and a food festival to remember.
Whilst this visit barely scratched the surface of this country's culinary offerings (even with the armies of chefs and food stalls conveniently present in the festival grounds!) I can't wait to return to KL Big Kitchen and Malaysia to learn more. Indeed, 2016 is set to be bigger than ever…in my book, the perfect way to begin a holiday here. The very definition of a food lover's destination. Please visit and, take my advice….bring your appetite.
Whilst this visit barely scratched the surface of this country's culinary offerings (even with the armies of chefs and food stalls conveniently present in the festival grounds!) I can't wait to return to KL Big Kitchen and Malaysia to learn more. Indeed, 2016 is set to be bigger than ever…in my book, the perfect way to begin a holiday here. The very definition of a food lover's destination. Please visit and, take my advice….bring your appetite.
How to get here and where to stay? See our previous post here.
Piece by Erin Goodall, FoodGoblin North Correspondent
