Malay Makan

Testing, testing 1,2,3...(violent shaking of mike) Okay, this thing works. So how, did all of you enjoy your lunch at Ah Ma's? Are all of you ready for more mouth exercises?Hee hee. Oh nothing. Just a private joke. Presently, we are travelling towards Geylang Serai to have a bite. Then, we would be heading to Little India to have dinner. Yep. So go on now. But first, an introduction. ..

The Malay cuisine found in Singapore is a blend of traditional dishes from Peninsular Malaysia, our neighbour, and also Sumatra and Java. Rice is the staple food, complementing and balancing the spicy flavours typical of this region.

One of the restrictions of Malay cooking is that pork cannot be used, as Malays are Muslims. Islam is a religion that forbids the consumption of pork.

Coconut is a key factor in the Malay cuisine. The grated flesh of the coconut is squeezed to obtain coconut milk. This rich milk is used in a mind-blowing array of dishes, gravies, cakes, drinks and desserts. The freshly grated coconut is also sprinkled on many cakes and pastries, enhancing the flavour.

Another very important ingredient is a aromatic and pungent dried shrimp paste called belacan. It is often combined with pounded chillies to make the universally liked and popular sambal belacan . Fragrant herbs like kaffir lime leaf and lemon grass, shallots, rhizomes such as ginger and galangal, and garlic and various other dried spices are skillfully blended into the dishes, obtaining a unique flavour.

Satay is one of the best-known Malay dishes. Small chunks of skewered meat—mutton, beef or chicken, are barbecued over charcoal and served with a thick peanut sauce rich with coconut milk and cucumbers and pressed rice. Other famous dishes are Mee Soto, Nasi Padang, Beef Rendang and Mee Siam. Try them!

Tea-time spread

Mee Rebus (boiled noodles with a thick gravy)---- S$3

Satay with Peanut Sauce (grilled chicken strips on skewers)---- S$0.50 per stick

Nasi Lemak (steamed coconut rice) ---- S$2

Garam Assam (tangy seafood) ---- S$5

Mee Goreng (fried spicy noodles) ----S$3

Lontong (pressed rice cakes in gravy) ----S$4

Rendang Ayam (roast chicken in coconut milk) ----S$8