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MALAYSIANS MAKING A DIFFERENCE
ORIGINS OF NASI LEMAK
volume 2
“
I believe Malaysia is a
success largely due to
the culmination of selfless
contributions of countless
individuals that make this
nation great
”
I am excited to present our second issue of The Big Life entitled
“Uniting Malaysia through our love for food”. We are elated by the
over whelming positive response to our last publication.
Thank you ver y much for your kind suppor t and feedbacks.
I decided to call this issue “Uniting Malaysia through our love for food”
because I have a vested desire to see our nation succeed and hold a
deep abiding love of my bir th countr y. What I love about Malaysia is
our respectful mix of multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-faith society.
I believe Malaysia is a success largely due to the culmination of
selfless contributions of countless individuals that make this nation
great. It is befitting that this issue honours some of our dedicated and
noble citizens who have contributed positively to our nation’s growth.
They include the creative Chef Rohani Jelani, the innovative team
from Alphabet Press, the unstoppable revolutionist, Tan Sri Dr Tony
Fernandes; entrepreneur Vivy Yusof and champion activist Datin Puduka
Marina Mahathir.
My passion for great cuisines began, ironically, with an injured foot
when I was eight. I remember being lonely and miserable; all cooped
up indoors. To cheer me up, my grandma would attentively prepare
one delicious meal after another for me to appraise. Recipes were
from traditional as well as ancestral instructions handed down from her
mother. With ever y af firmative and enthusiastic appraisal, it would
boost her yearning to cook an even better dish for me to sample. She
cultivated in me a palate sensitivity to appreciate and distinguish the
fine herbs and aromatic plants in her cooking. She patiently taught me
the impor tance of attention to details in the composition of a meal.
It stayed in my mind as the greatest bonding session, as well as the
closest thing to culinar y heaven for me. Needless to say this is how this
passionate food lover was born.
My most frequently asked question was what inspired me to star t my
chain of supermarkets. During my student days in Melbourne in the
late 1990’s, this cosmopolitan city had the biggest supermarkets and
the best thing was, it was open 24 hours. My favourite past time was
to walk down ever y aisle and review all the captivating items on the
shelves. I was totally mesmerised by the huge selections and thoroughly
spoiled for choice. That was the defining moment where my fascination
with supermarkets began.
I hope you enjoy this issue of “Uniting Malaysia through our love for
food” as much I have in compiling it.
BIG Love,
& The BIG Group family
GROUP CHIEF EATING OFFICER,
Benjamin Yong
N
amed one of the top ten most inspiring, as well as most
influential women in Malaysia, this Mother Teresa of the
Underdogs needs no introduction. In fact, Marina is
Malaysia’s most recognised face; even more well-known among
the younger generations than her prominent dad, the ex-Prime
Minister, Tun Dato’ Seri Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad. Though,
it was a big shoe to fill, she has come a long way and out of
her father’s shadow.
There is not much this human rights activist hasn’t done;
Champion advocate for HIV/AIDS and gender equality,
columnist,
bestselling
author,
tireless
fundraiser,
revered
member of Sister In Islam Board,
and deser vingly named United
Nations’ Person of The Year in
2010. To top it off, she was
recently conferred the Chevalier
de la Legion d’Honneur (Knight
in the Legion of Honour) by the
French Government.
There is even a Facebook page
designed solely for Marina
entitled, “Marina Mahathir To
Be Our First Malaysian Female
Prime Minister”. A profile picture
of her encapsulates the quote
“You should never sacrifice three
things: Your Family, Your Heart
or Your Dignity”. Knowing how
committed she is to her numerous
noble causes and how time
constrained her life is, this manifesto is surely a hard rule to
abide by.
As much as many of us wish to see Marina as PM, we can
put this Prime Ministership notion out of our minds as in one of
her ‘Ranting blog’ entitled, “Boogieing on My Own”, Marina
establishes that entering politics is something she has never
considered for she views ‘politics today is pretty much a
discredited occupation’. On the same blog, she conceded that
her only regret (from a writer’s point of view), is that in all the
years that her father was in office, she had never ever gone
on the campaign trail with him during elections. If she did,
this bird-eye-front-row reporting could have possibly rewritten our
political histor y.
In her recently launched book, entitled Dancing On Thin Ice,
this ‘guiding principle of our countr y’ admitted she often felt like
Alice in Wonderland. If Marina is Alice, I wonder who the other
anthropomorphic creatures such as Mad Hatter, Cheshire Cat,
Gr yphon and Mock turtle could be. More interestingly, who is
the White Rabbit with the pocket watch that lured Marina down
the mystic hole? She has surely unbolted her Pandora box for
wide speculation and imagination into her subconscious psyche.
As Lewis Carroll, author of the
book warns, ‘it has undoubtedly
made
us
Curiouser
and
Curiouser’. Interestingly, ‘Alice in
Wonderland’ is considered to be
one of the best examples of literar y
nonsense genre; so Marina may
have chosen her characterisation
ver y well. She is certainly not the
only one lost in the gobbledygook
world of Malaysian politics.
Marina is one of the few remaining
audacious voice of integrity and
morality left in this countr y. She
de-stigmatised the myths and
misconception of HIV/AIDS and
gave voice to the lesbian, gay,
bisexual and transgender (LGBT).
She is an inspirational figure for
both men and women of Asia;
a decent human being with a
profoundly ingenious mind and a compassionate heart. Critics
and adversaries beware, she possesses the mighty courage of a
ferocious Tiger.
Nelson Mandela once said to Marina some twenty years ago,
“What you’re doing is so important. You must keep at it.” Though,
Mandela was referring to Marina’s HIV/AIDS work at the time,
his encouragement praise echoed that of the nation as well.
The Big Group salutes the gracious and eloquent Marina as
an esteemed mentor and respected ombudsman of equality, fair
play and justice; and our nation is better for it.
Tan Sri anThony fernandeS
In 2001, AirAsia, our Symbol of Pride, was born when an astutely plucky young Tony Fernandes
audaciously mor tgaged his home and used his personal savings to acquire a failing government-linked
commercial airline company that was heavily indebted to the tune of RM40 million for one ringgit;
and transformed it into a highly successful budget-no-frills airline.
I
nterestin gly, h er lov e of bl ogging was what ki c k - st a r t e d
he r meteoric rise to supe rstardo m. He r l oyal fa ns h a ve
stuck with h er f rom he r university days al l the wa y t o he r
cur ren t almo st cult-l ike status. H er succe ss ha s a lot t o
d o w ith h er great se nse o f hum our that transpire d w e ll i n
he r decade of rel entle ss re por ting. He r Instagra m s how s
followers of n earl y three quar te rs of a m il lio n.
Fa shi on Valet i s the brainc hil d of a husband and w ife t e a m ,
who beli eved i n th e future o f e -c omm e rce and wa n t ed t o ge t
into it. Hence, in 2010 V ivy and husband Fad z a b ec a m e
p ioneers of th e f irst onl ine Hig h- End-labe l site in Ma la y si a .
It is h ard to believe that the y spearhe ade d this g e nt le gi a n t
with a staf f of th ree ; with all
the ir savin gs an d borrowe d
mon ies to tallin g a m e asl y sum
of RM 10 0,00 0. FashionVale t
ha s sin ce surpassed its RM 10
million reven ue m ark and no w
employs o ver 1 00 staf f . From
the ir w ebsi te page, one can
see t hat this su ccess sto r y is
culmin ation of attentivene ss to
clie nt ’s n eeds an d a discipline
work ethics of hard work and
d ilig en ce.
Wi th
com merci al
suc cess
a nd great reality te le visio n
ex posure,
th is ‘M ogul of
the E-C ommerce’ has easil y
a ttain ed in vestor funding from
local con glomerates as we ll
a s fr om Japan . FashionVal et
ha s a lso secured a m ultim ill ion
d olla r in vestmen t le d by Elixir
Ca pi tal, an Ameri c an f ir m .
T he VIP la u nc h of t he d UCk/ Bow e rh au s col l a b or a tio n sca r f
s aw t w o h u nd re d of t he e lit i s t g u es t s lini ng up ho urs b efo re
t he ev e nt t o sn a rl t he m u c h c ov e t e d li m i t ed ed ition sca r v es.
D e sp i t e li m i t i ng s ale s of on ly one c olou r per custo mer; ev er y
p u rc ha se r b u y ing a ll of t he t h re e s c ar v e s on o f fer a t $ M40 0
e a ch . Wh e n t h e a ct u a l sa le s op e ne d t o t he p ub l ic two d a ys
la t e r, hord e s line d u p from 4 a m for t h e six hour wa it to
p u rc ha se t h e much so ug ht-a fter
s ilk w ra p s. S uch is the p ub ic
ou t p ou ri n g of l ov e a nd sup p o r t
t o Viv y ’s m a gnetisms.
R i gh t fron t t he sta r t, the succ ess
of
Fa sh i onVa l et
ha s
b een
p he n om en a l.
Fa shio nVa l et
n ow s t oc ks o v er 5 00 fa shio n
d e si g ne rs and b r a nd s; a nd
d e live rs t o mo re tha n 1 5
c ou nt ri e s
i nc l ud ing
Euro p e,
Am e ric a, Asia , Mid d l e Ea st
a nd Au s t ralia .
T his o nl ine
E n t re p re n e u r’s
str a teg y
of
p rov id i ng
fa st
d el iver y
of
t h e la t es t fa shio n trend s to
e v e r yon e ’s
d o or step
ha s
c a t a pu lt e d
Fa shio nVa l et
to
b e c ome
S outhea st
A sia ’s
p re m i e r online d estina tion. S he
follow s he r i nstincts o f sto cking
it e m s t ha t s he wo ul d wa nt to
b u y a n d p roud l y wea r her sel f.
B e sid e s Asia n top b r a nd s o f
fa s hi on a p pa re l, sh oe s a n d a cc e ss orie s, Fa shio nVa l et of fer s
a w id e se le ct ion of re a d y- t o- w ea r g a r ments, fr om Musl im
a t t i re t o li ng e ri e a nd sw i m w e a r.
Pictures of her younger
days attest that fashion
naturally permeated
through her veins
Th is Doyen ne of E- tail has c er tainly re defi ne d how
Ma l aysians sh op. She has introduce d to us t he e a s e of
b uying top labels f rom our keyboards. Pictu re s of he r
younger days attest that fashion natural l y p e r me a t e d
thr ou gh her vein s. Vivy is both m ode l and sty li s t f or h e r
b ran d. Sh e has such an aura o f e f f or tle ss sop hi s t i ca t ion
a nd elegance th at anything that V ivy we ars on soc i a l
media auto maticall y resul ts in im me diate se ll o u t .He r
en tre pren eurial drive and passion for innov atio n ha s s ee n
he r en co uragin g and suppor ting loc al up- a nd - c om ing
d esigners w ith nu me rous col l aborations. He r m os t re ce n t
a nd h igh ly success ful par tnership is with Bow erh a u s, a
“
“
loc al ha nd m a d e je w e lle r y st ore . V i vy ’s ex p erience a nd
c om me rc i a l s av v i ne s s com p ou n de d by t h e essenc e o f her
c ha ri sm a t i c p e rson a lit y, in t ellig en ce an d ma g netic a p p ea l
c a u se d t his v e nt u re t o ha v e u n b e li e v a b le sa l es nev er seen
b e fore in M a lay s i a .
T he B ig Grou p a c kn ow led g e s V ivy Yu s of a s a Visiona r y in
c rea t i n g t h e mo st s u cc e ss fu l e - com m e rce sto re tha t fil ls a
m u c h ne e d e d nic he in t he M ala y sia n m a rk et a nd cha ng es
t he w a y de s i gn e r fa s hion i s re t a i le d . In t h e p ro cess, Viv y ha s
b e com e a w or t h y m e nt or t ha t i ns p ire s a who le g ener a tio n
a nd b ey on d. Th e La d y w it h t he Mi d a s to uch is trul y a n
e x e mp la r y c a nd i d a t e of Ma la y si a Bole h.
The aLPhaBeT PreSS
The Alphabet Press is symphonious with letterpress printing. It is a technique of relief printing using
a printing press, a process by which many copies are produced by repeated direct impression of an
inked, raised surface against sheets or a continuous roll of paper.
L
etterpress printing was an invention by Johannes Gutenberg
in the mid-15th centur y and remained in wide use until the
second half of the 20th centur y, when it was replaced by
of fset printing. Letterpress started to become largely out-ofdate in the 1980s because of the rise of computers and new
self-publishing print and publish methods. Around this time,
many printing establishments went out of business and sold
their equipment after computers outper formed the letterpress’s
abilities more efficiently.
Alphabet Press is instrumental in salvaging, reviving and
upholding this dying craft of
letterpress printing. It came
about because four best friends
and colleagues Cliff Leong,
Zeejay Wong, Helios Loo and
Fidella Ch’ng were passionate in
reviving the lost art of letterpress
printing in Malaysia.
“
It is cer tainly
a profession
more inclined on
benevolence rather
than rewards
WORDS BY DAME BETTY LEE (OSJ)
With an outlay of RM30,000
they purchased a Heidelberg
Platen that was known not only as the last letterpress workhorse
in the UK, but was also the finest letterpress ever made.
Letterpress has a distinct goal of showing the impression of
type and differentiate it as letterpress.
To operate a Heidelberg Platen, one needs passion for the
craft and meticulous attention to detail. The Alphabet Press
team certainly has all these attributes.
The team professed that
ancient machiner y is not
of operation is too high,
day. As the machines are
Reviving this art has to be a labour of love for The Alphabet
Press, as it is a craft that is not economically viable and
involves a high degree of craftsmanship. To bring out the
best characteristics of letterpress, printers must understand
the capabilities and advantages of what can be a ver y
unforgiving medium. Part of the skill of operating a traditional
letterpress printer is to get the machine pressures just right so
that the type just kisses the paper,
transferring the minimum amount
of ink to create the crispest print
with no indentation. This is ver y
important when the print exits
the machine and is stacked.
Having too much wet ink and an
indentation would increase the
risk of set-of f.
“
These
ar tisans
describe
themselves
as
thinkers,
designers and makers.
They
were formerly from the digital
world with steady professions as
web designers, photographers
and videographers. They enjoy
making beautiful stationaries and
have ‘a mission to celebrate and
promote the love of letterpress’.
mechanics are in shor t supply to do the repairs whenever
there is a problem. It is cer tainly a profession more inclined
on benevolence rather than rewards.
the Heidelberg Platen, being an
at all cost-effective and the cost
as it can only print 200 pieces a
no longer in production, specialist
Instead of engraved, thermographed,
or
of fset-printed
invitations, the preser vation of
letterpress by Alphabet Press
gives the option to artists and
designers, the beauty and texture
of upscale printed letterpress
invitations, stationer y, fine ar t
and greeting cards.
To
show
how
much
they
treasured this art of letterpress
printing, Alphabet Press now runs hands-on workshops giving
people the oppor tunity to learn this ancient ar t. It is an
atelier assigned only to the dedicated as it requires copious
amount of patience to teach and learn the craft. For instance,
letterpress equipment prints only one colour at a time, printing
multiple colours requires a separate press run in register with
the preceding colour.
The Big Group hear tily applauded The Alphabet Press for the
preser vation of letterpress printing and taking us back to an
era of quality and fine craftsmanship. Truly, a team of masters
who are protectors and advocates; possessing the unwavering
dedication to keep this centur y-old craft alive.
rohani JeLani
Nowadays, with packaged and ready-prepared food as well as time constraints due to job commitments, most
of us have lost the ar t of cooking authentic food the way our ancestors do. Thankfully, Chef Rohani Jelani is
still as relevant today as when she first started educating Malaysians on the ar t of cooking since the eighties.
In fact, this skilled Home Economist was the first of this genre of cooker y exper ts in Malaysia that taught
generations of Asian families how to cook and enter tain.
R
ohani Jelani is not only our nation’s best known, but
is also the best loved celebrity food writer who enjoys
a commercially successful gastronomic career. With
the advent of Facebook and YouTube, Rohani is now world
renowned and boasts a great international following.
Among the many other hats this Lady of the Kitchen wears
are food stylist, recipe consultant, revered cook, soughtafter legendar y cooker y teacher (famed for grooming many
established as well as up-and-coming chefs) and resort owner.
Rohani’s lifelong career is part of this countr y’s food histor y.
She was instrumental in placing
all our national favourite dishes
at our fingertips. This Matriarch
of Malaysian Cooking has
changed the way Malaysians
dine and eat.
Through her
magazine columns in Her World
in the 1980’s, and later her
cookbooks and cooking classes,
she was influential in teaching
a new generation how to cook
Malaysian
authentic
dishes.
Her sensible and practical
approach to food is the key to
her popularity and it showcases
the pleasurable and creative
possibilities of ser ving genuine
dishes that grandma used to
make in our own home.
She mentioned that while she was working for Her World, she
‘road tested’ a lot of published recipes at her test kitchen, and
was astonished to learnthat a lot of the instructions, components
and proportions were inaccurate. She always ensures her
recipes are precise and meticulous, as she appreciates that
her students and readers invested time and money on her
recipes and she wants them to categorically work. She asser ts
that successful results give them
confidence in her recipes.
On her website, she describes
her
technique
of
cooking
as
interactive
rather
than
demonstrative.
Her endorsed
hands-on method allows one to
feel the texture of the ingredients
and gauge the smell.
She
explains the various types of
herbs to use and demonstrates
the best knife skills to shred each
type of herbs accordingly. In
her class, she teaches not only
the procedure to cook, but the
culture that is associated with the
dishes. Looking through all the
positive reviews on her cooking
website, it is no wonder she was
voted the best cooking teacher
by far. Rohani believes there is
still so much that can be done to inspire people to cook more
at home and live better lives.
This Matriarch of
Malaysian Cooking
has changed the
way Malaysians
dine and eat.
Her Cooking School at Bayan
Indah (operated for 15 years) is
one of the most sought-after culinar y retreat in Asia. It has
attracted students from around the world. The success of
her one-of-a-kind residential culinar y school, which star ted
of f purely from word of mouth (she professed there was no
budget for adver tising) is clearly a testament to her teaching
brilliance.
Listening to an inter view of Rohani on an old Podcast from
The Bigger Picture, on BFM 89.9 she advised that for a
flustered working mum, a well-stocked kitchen (such as dried
“
“
ingredients, herbs and sauces) is the key to executing a good
family meal; as shopping for ingredients after a long day at
work is the biggest hurdle to ser ving a successful dinner.
It is only appropriate that the Big Group honours and
acknowledges this gracious lady Rohani Jelani as a worthy
contender for the title of “Malaysia’s Living Treasure” in the
field of cooker y. Our ver y own Asia’s original domestic
goddess is truly top in the field of gastronomic delight.
1 Bunga kanTan
(Torch ginger fLower)
10 daun kunyiT
(Turmeric Leaf)
These leaves have a subtle tart
flavour without being detestably
bitter or sour and is said to
improve digestion and reduce
bloating.
One of the best condiments in
Assam Laksa, the buds are used
commonly to zest up curries and
seafood stews as well as to mask
pungent & fishy tastes.
TIP: Shred the buds of Bunga
Kantan and mix it in your daily
salad for some extra punch.
Tip: The next time you are cooking
rendang, add in daun kunyit or
wrap it around your fish before
putting on the barbeque pit.
2 Jering muda
3
Jering muda is somewhat
enjoyably bitter in taste and has
a unique smell when it’s cooked.
Young jering can be eaten raw,
while the ripen jering is best
cooked with sambal. Jering muda
is said to be great at battling
cancerous cells, high blood
pressure and as a
detoxing agent.
4 miSai kuching
(caT’S whiSkerS herB)
9 Serai
(LemongraSS)
A herb central to Southeast Asian
cooking, lemongrass has long,
thin leaves and a woody base.
It’s lemony and sweet fragrance
is subtle yet distinctive from other
herbs. Commonly use in cooking
and beverages
TIP: Give grilled foods an
aromatic smokiness by brushing
lemongrass tops over the top of
the grill before cooking the food.
5
8 Lada hiJau
(green PePPercorn)
Lada hijau are the same fruit as black
peppercorns but have not gone through the
drying process. Lada hijau are mostly desired
for their green, vegetal taste. It lends its unique
flavour to Southeast Asian dishes, such as
Indian curries & Thai dishes.
7 LengkuaS
(gaLangaL)
Harder than ginger but its center is usually relatively softer
and juicier than its woody exterior. However similar to ginger,
lengkuas is sharp with a strong pine and citrus scent and is widely
used in Malay and Thai cuisine
TIP: To prepare lengkuas for cooking, use a very sharp knife to cut
it into splinters then grind it with a spice grinder.
6 daun SaLam
(indoneSian Bay Leaf)
A subtly-flavoured leaf that’s commonly
used in the Southeast Asia and not to
be mistaken with the sweet laurel bay
leaf, daun salam may be used fresh
or dried. Often, daun salam is cooked
for a longer time (like in stews and
other simmered dishes) to release their
flavour.
LYCHEE PINGPEI WITH
BLACK SESAME PASTE &
WHITE CHOCOLATE PEARLS
Debbie Teoh
Nyonya celebrity chef Debbie Teoh has an infectious fervour about
the vibrant cuisine, which combines Malaysian, Chinese and other
regional influences into a unique blend of flavours. With more than
10 years experience in the food industry under her belt, Debbie
has established herself as a leading authority on Peranakan food,
having worked alongside Tourism Malaysia, developing recipes
and cookbooks.
once uPon a nyonya diSh...
I started cooking pretty late actually, in my teens! It’s difficult to pick my favourite
Nyonya dish because they’re all so different, but one thing I can keep going back
to is the Nyonya popiah, where the skin and sweet sauce are made from scratch.
ToP TiP for BeginnerS cooking nyonya food?
Always follow the recipe as it is! Don’t try to change ingredients, until you’ve finished
trying the whole recipe. A lot of people don’t follow certain instructions because it
doesn’t make sense on paper, or they’re not used to the ingredients - and end up with
a strange tasting dish! My advice is follow first, experiment later.
nyonya meeTS weST
I work with a few wine societies and clubs to pair Nyonya dishes with wine.
Recipes I use remain with a traditional concept but with subtle tweaks; maybe I’ll
change the plating of the rice, and serve otak-otak with a crunchy baguette or ayam
buah keluak with breadsticks. I try to stay true to the original as much as possible
though.
keePing TradiTion aLive
I get asked this a lot, how do you maintain tradition and keep this beautiful heritage
alive throughout this modern age? Culture will evolve, no doubt.
I do it by conducting workshops to showcase traditional dishes, as well as cooking
classes at Masak-Masak in Ben’s Independent Grocer of course!
i Love ShoPPing aT Ben’S indePendenT grocer BecauSe…
I can always find the ingredients I want, there’s absolutely everything, from local
ingredients like ulam to western. I just enjoy walking around in the supermarket more than clothes shopping - it’s fun when I’m getting inspired and looking for new
ingredients!
Sights, Sounds
Smells of
Malaysia
Artisanal Malaysia
Make all things with love! Next time you’re grocery shopping, opt for
these artisanal food products all hand-crafted and down to earth by our
talented, local makers. Why artisanal? They require more effort and
time spent into producing them, often by hand and not mass-produced.
This also means these makers can explore more interesting flavours and
specialized uses for their products!
All products are available at Ben’s Independent Grocer
R A M E N W I T H C H I C K E N, E G G
AND BAMBOO SHOOTS
S E RV E S 4 . TOTA L P RE PA RATI O N A N D COOK I N G T I M E: 2 5 M I N U T E S .
When I was working in Japan I could get a comforting bowl of inexpensive and filling hot ramen
noodle soup 24 hours a day from ramen shops and even vending machines. These days I make it
at home and keep a packet of dried ramen noodles in the pantry for late-night cravings, adding
whatever is in my fridge. My family loves ramen in deep bowls with plenty of toppings.
4 free-range eggs
800 g fresh ramen noodles
or 300 g dried ramen noodles
12 cups chicken stock (page 034)
400 g organic chicken thigh
illets, sliced
1/2 cup red miso paste
1 cup tinned bamboo shoots, rinsed,
drained and sliced
1/2 cup fresh black (cloud ear or wood
ear) fungus, coarsely chopped
3 cups snow pea shoots
1 spring onion, inely chopped
1 tablespoon chilli oil (optional)
2 nori sheets, cut in half
O N T H E TA B L E
AT H O M E
F O O D I LOV E TO M A K E
1. Cook the eggs in a small saucepan of simmering
water over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or
until hard-boiled (or for 7 minutes for soft-boiled).
Remove the eggs and peel under cold running water.
Cut in half lengthways and set aside.
2. Add 6 cups water to a medium saucepan and bring
to the boil over high heat. Add the ramen noodles
and cook for 3 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold
water. Set aside.
3. Put the stock in a large heavy-based saucepan over
high heat and bring to the boil. Add the chicken
and miso paste and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, or
until the chicken is cooked through and the miso
paste has dissolved.
4. Divide the noodles between four bowls and ladle
the soup over. Add the bamboo shoots, black fungus
and egg halves. Top with snow pea sprouts, spring
onion, chilli oil, if using, and nori. Serve immediately.
- D A N I E L L E P E I TA G R A H A M -
Sonny Son
The award-winning, veteran designer behind Eclipse, is
loved for their flattering, draped dresses with stunning
silhouettes for women of all shapes, sizes and ages.
Surprisingly enough, San studied economics but had his
heart in the arts, and so entered a batik and clothing
design competition: “I based my design on pineapples,
because I realized there’s nothing in the batik industry
that represents the tropics. My design was very optimistic,
and we did a print for a garment - and it won.” Finally,
his advice for budding designers? “You should perfect
your craft. Through the art of perfecting it, you’ll find
your niche and signature.”
Bernard Chandran
Hailed as the “father of Malaysian fashion design”,
couturier Datuk Bernard Chandran has built his
name with a distinctive approach for an exuberant,
architectural style, which has been worn by the likes of
Lady Gaga, Michelle Yeoh and Estelle. Growing up in
Kuala Lumpur and studying in Paris gave Chandran the
edge to create a new silhouette and technique of using
embellishment and fabrics in the traditional Malay
outfit. Determined to spin his own game in his home
country first, upon graduating, he returned to Malaysia
to start his own destiny in fashion, in his words, “to be
the Chanel of Malaysia”.
Born & Bred
Malaysian Brands
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maLaySia’S
random facTS
Think you know ever ything about Malaysia? Here
are some interesting facts you probably didn’t
know about our beloved countr y.
malaysians have the highest
number of facebook friends
Malaysians are the friendliest people in the world…at least on
Facebook! According to a sur vey conducted by international firm
TNS, Malaysians have an average of 233 friends – the most in
the world! This is followed by 231 in Brazil and 217 in Nor way.
what is malaysia’s oldest name?
Way before Malaysia got its name, Greco-Roman geographer
Ptolemy named our lovely countr y Aurea Chersonesus, which
means ‘peninsula of gold’. The name was found in Ptolemy’s book
Geographia, written about A.D. 150.
malaysia’s total highway length
is longer than the earth’s
circumference
We’re not joking. In total, Malaysia has 65,877 km (and
counting!) of highway. The Earth’s circumference? Only
40,075km! No wonder we have tolls ever ywhere.
the general elections coincided
with the world cup five times
We don’t know if it’s a coincidence, but the first five General
Elections after the formation of Barisan Nasional in 1973 fall on
a World Cup year: 1974 (Germany), 1978 (Argentina), 1982
(Spain), 1986 (Mexico) and 1990 (Italy). The coincidence ended
the ver y next General Elections, when Malaysia went to the polls
a year later than the 1994 World Cup.
“
I could say I’m having this
pomegranate martini because it’s
Monday but the tr uth is..
I just wanted it.
“
WORDS BY BALDESH SINGH
Adventur e may hurt you
but monotony will kill you
WORDS BY AISYAH YUSOF
“
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