Embark on a gastronomical journey with Malaysia’s authentic heritage food promotion at the Impiana KLCC Hotel. Starting 7 February to end August 2023, the exotic culinary flavours of all thirteen states in Malaysia will debut 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 objective of this exciting promotion is to showcase Malaysia’s authentic culinary heritage with the expert guidance of Datin Kalsom Taib and Datin Hamidah Abdul Hamid, author of the award-winning cookbook Johor Palate: Tanjung Puteri Recipes and Malaysia’s Culinary Heritage: The Best of Authentic Traditional Recipes, as well as two celebrated home chefs, Ungku Balkis Ungku Abdul Hamid and Ungku Marhamah Shereen Ungku Abdul Hamid, who together with Datin Kalsom recently launched Recipes Are for Sharing, which is named Winner in the ‘Best Easy Recipes Book’ category.
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 eleven 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 benefit from the food heritage of non-indigenous people, such as the Javanese, Bugis and Southern Chinese, particularly the Hakka and Foochow.
The Malaysia’s Culinary Heritage promotion of all states will be held in the following months:
February – Johor (7 – 17 February)
March – Malacca & Negeri Sembilan (6 – 17 March) April – Fasting month – Bazaar Ramadan Jalan Pinang May – Selangor & Perak (1 – 12 May)
June – Penang, Kedah & Perlis (29 May – 9 June)
July – Kelantan, Terengganu & Pahang (26 June – 7 July) August – Sabah & Sarawak (24 July – 5 August)
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, Johor Palate, Recipes Are For Sharing recipe books and others will be available at Tonka Bean Café for purchase during this period at a 20% discount.
