Flavors of Malaysia

Book excerpt: A land of colourful temples, bustling markets, golden beaches, and glorious sunsets, Malaysia's exquisite natural beauty is surpassed only by its luscious cuisine. This book celebrates the best of the Malaysian table: sizzling satays, flavourful stir-fries, fragrant rice and noodle dishes, aromatic curries, and Malaysia's signature hot and spicy condiments, the delectable sambals. For centuries Malaysia was a major centre of the spice trade in Southeast Asia. As seafarers, traders, and immigrant work-ers from many countries intermarried with locals, new culinary traditions emerged. Over time, Malay, Chinese, Indian, Thai, Indonesian and Arab, as well as Dutch, Portuguese, and British influences blended beautifully to create the melange of cultures and intensely vibrant flavours that is Malaysian cuisine today. Susheela Raghavan serves up treasured recipes, touching fam-ily stories, and fascinating notes about the origins of Malaysian food in this lovingly compiled collection. Features: Over 150 authentic, easy-to-follow recipes; 16-page colour photo insert; Detailed introduction to Malaysian history and its culinary origins; Guide to Malaysian ingredients and cooking techniques.