Teamwork is important in a kitchen, says Malaysian chef

I was born in Malaysia. I didn’t pursue culinary when I was in college, but I was a part-time waiter at a hotel. 

During my time there, my interest in cooking spiked. I joined the hotel as a part-time cook, and gradually, I gained experience in western cuisine. Slowly, I also started learning other cuisines including Malay and Chinese. That’s how my journey in the culinary world started.

I also went on to get a diploma in the subject, which helped me a lot in my journey. I knew that I always wanted to pursue cooking. Traditional Malaysian food, which is known for its richness of spices, is what I specialise in. I try to add a twist by creating a fusion based on the authentic dishes. I try to infuse an orangish or lemon flavour in my dishes.

I joined Le Meridien (Kuala Lumpur) in 2006 and have also travelled across countries like Japan, Vietnam and India to promote Malaysian cuisine. In my 30-year long career, I have met a lot of people; their different level of knowledge amuses me. I learnt to be patient and honest with myself and my work. Another crucial thing that I learnt is teamwork. It is important that we work as a team, as one man can’t run the kitchen.

What is interesting about this cuisine is that the dishes and the style of cooking is different in each region of the country. I present to you a Malaysian lunch staple ‘Labu Masak Lemak’, pumpkin cooked in creamy coconut gravy.

Recipe: Labu Masak Lemak

Ingredients

- Pumpkin, 700gm

- Onion blended, 100gm

- Garlic blend, 30gm

- Coconut cream, 120ml 

- Water, 30ml 

Method

- Clean the pumpkin and peel the skin and cut it to wedges and boil it.

- Heat oil on a pan. Stir fry the onion and garlic blend until it turns golden brown.

- Add coconut cream to the blend. Let it boil and add 1 cup of water.

- Add the pumpkin wedges to the mixture, and sprinkle the required amount of salt and sugar.

- Serve with fried piece of onion on top.

Chef Ramu, Le Meridien, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Chef Ramu has curated the menu for the Malaysian Food Festival at Sheraton Grand Hotel, Whitefield. It is on till March 24.