Ili Sulaiman
“My mum is half-Chinese, half-British. My dad is half-Sri Lankan, half-Malay. I grew up loving food of different cuisines even though I grew up in Malaysia. Having been exposed to cooking since I was 7 years old, nothing gets me going like food. Malaysian food is packed full of scrumptious flavours -the kick of spices, the freshness of herbs, sweet vegetables, tropical fruit and a bounty of fresh seafood and meat. Recently, I’ve gone off gluten and diary, but I continue to stay true to cooking Malaysian food. And people tell me, my food tastes great. Watch me in the kitchen, save my recipes –join me on AFN, as I make Malaysian food that I love, and I’m sure you will love it too.”
Ili Sulaiman is a Malaysian chef. She has several shows of her own, including Home Cooked: Malaysia; Family Feast with Ili, and authored the hot-selling cookbook, For the Love of Food. Follow her on all socials @ilisulaiman.
Coconut Jelly
Cold jelly on a hot day. That’s good, but what’s better? Well, cold coconut strips in smooth sweet cubes, on a hot day. And more? It takes just 20 min, and serves six. But we say, have the whole plate to yourself, some things are best indulged alone.
Coconut Jelly
Cold jelly on a hot day. That’s good, but what’s better? Well, cold coconut strips in smooth sweet cubes, on a hot day. And more? It takes just 20 min, and serves six. But we say, have the whole plate to yourself, some things are best indulged alone.
Lotus Root Soup
A light Chinese soup eaten anytime and especially at Chinese New Year. Sip slowly the fat-infused chicken soup naturally sweetened with lotus root and big soft peanuts for a nutty, silky finish in between swirling herbal garlic and ginger bits.
Steamed Brown Cake
Creamy coconut milk and soft rich gula melaka makes this fluffy cake a loved Chinese dessert in Malaysia and Singapore. It’s thoroughly mixed into rice flour(a great gluten-free alternative), and steamed until you get a soothing sweet aroma. Eat warm.
Peanut Soup with Glutinous Riceballs
Golden brown peanuts first roasted then crumbed and tossed into rich butter. Then, they are portioned gently into chewy rice flour balls and bubbled in a brown sugared soup. When still warm, eat this traditional Chinese festive dessert comfortably, popping it whole or delightfully stretching it into two.
Salt Baked Chicken
A signature Hakka dish, the salt baked chicken is a salty, savoury, lightly spiced chicken that is tender, moist, and pairs addictively well with rice. After spending a night in the fridge to become firm, the chicken is wrapped in baking paper, encased in a thick shell of coarse salt, and left to soak in its juices. Perfect to have it with rice and soup at your Chinese New Year dinner.
Vegetarian Briyani
Looking to whip up something truly Malaysian? Why not try our Vegetarian Briyani recipe! This recipe is perfect for any festive season as the colors are vibrant - yellow color basmati rice from the saffron water, red from the tomatoes, white from the coconut milk, and lastly, green color from the garnishings. You can always replace the jackfruit in this recipe with potatoes, carrots, broccoli, or anything that you have in your fridge! It is always up to you! For those who are not a fan of spice, remember to add some sugar to balance off the spiciness!
Curried Sausage Rolls with Spicy Mango Chutney
Bite slowly into a flaky moist curried-spiced puff pastry stuffed with a plump sausage. Smell the intense flavours of garlic, garam masala and sharp ginger as they seep out with each bite. Add another layer of rich flavour when you dip it into a thick coat of sour-sweet mango chutney, or mango sauce.
Sugee Cake
Soaking through the cake is a buttery rich and nutty taste, beautifully mixed with a creamy swirl of eggs and vanilla. The sugee cake, a type of wheat flour cake is baked to a deliciously almond-y aroma, and is perfect for those who wish to tuck into an unusual bake this Christmas season.
Stuffed Tofu Pok
You might love it when drenched in hot coconut laksa. But here, tofu puffs are deep-fried and potato stuffed, and you might love it too. A plate of tofu puffs are first emptied of tofu, then stuffed with a creamy, savoury mixture of mashed potato, rich eggs and soft tofu. Try it, it’s a mix cooked in culinary heaven.
