Ranie Saidi (aka The Malay Cook) learnt how to cook at his grandmother’s side in Malaysia. When she passed away and he moved to London for university, he started recreating her recipes from memory – what he calls “a private ritual of mourning” – eventually hosting supper clubs, writing recipes and selling a range of sauces. Now, he’s released his first cookbook, The Malay Cook.
“This book keeps my grandmother’s recipes alive, shared as she intended, while also letting me share my own voice through cooking,” he writes. “It’s a reminder to cherish and pass on the dishes that hold our memories and love, combining her recipes with mine so both our stories live on.”
The Malay Cook is a vibrant selection of recipes that celebrates Malay cooking, which is partially built on Malaysia’s position at the crossroads of cuisine, between China, India, the Arab world and Europe. It’s a cuisine that’s all about the balance between sweet, sour and savoury. There are dishes like ayam kenduri kahwin (matrimonial cooking), which Saidi’s grandmother cooked when she was catering weddings, plus classic Malaysian tomato rice, ayam goreng (Malay fried chicken) and this recipe for mee raja, or king’s noodles.
“Despite the name, this dish wasn’t made for royalty,” Saidi writes. “Its charm, however, lies in its versatility – you can pair it with any kind of egg or rice noodles, as long as the dry curried sambal is spot on. I love how it celebrates the Malay love for sambal while using the East Asian influence of noodles, something the Malay community has happily adopted into everyday cooking. The sambal carries all the warmth, spice and aroma that makes it comforting, while the noodles soak it all up beautifully.”
Ranie Saidi’s mee raja
Serves 2–3
Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 35 minutes
Ingredients
60ml vegetable oil
1 banana shallot, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
500g minced chicken
1 chicken stock cube
½ tbsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp salt
400g dried egg noodles
1 large egg
Sambal
50g can anchovy fillets in olive oil
2 banana shallots, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2.5cm piece of fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 lemongrass stalk, finely chopped
2 tbsp curry powder (mild or hot, depending on your preference)
1 tbsp paprika
2 Medjool dates, pitted and finely chopped
To serve (optional)
3 soft-boiled eggs, peeled and halved
1 cucumber, cut into thin ribbons or matchsticks
Method
To prepare the sambal, tip the anchovy fillets along with their oil into a wok and fry them over a medium-high heat along with the shallots, garlic, ginger and lemongrass. Splash in some water if it starts to splatter. Fry for 5 minutes or until golden and fragrant. Stir in the curry powder, paprika and chopped dates, then add 160ml water. Reduce the heat and let everything simmer for 10–15 minutes or until the liquid has evaporated. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
In the same pan, over a high heat, add the oil and fry the shallot and garlic for 2–3 minutes or until fragrant. Add the minced chicken and stir for a few minutes, until it begins to release its moisture. Season with the chicken stock cube, black pepper and salt.
Push the chicken mince to the edges of the pan, creating a clear space in the centre. Place the noodles in the centre of the pan. Add 100ml water, cover with the lid and cook the noodles for 1–2 minutes.
Remove the lid and toss the noodles with the chicken mince until well combined. Make a well in the middle and crack in the egg. Allow it to cook undisturbed for 30 seconds, then mix thoroughly with the noodles and chicken. Remove from the heat.
Scoop the noodles into a bowl and serve with sambal on the side. Enjoy on its own or with boiled eggs and cucumber ribbons.
The Malay Cook by Ranie Saidi, published by Ryland Peters & Small (£25) Photography by Mowie Kay © Ryland Peters & Small.
