00:04It's an early Monday morning at the Lazat cooking headquarters in Bangsar and a delicious aroma
00:10is already wafting through the air. A small group of tourists, many from the United States,
00:16are learning how to make Mi Mama. For nearly two decades, this school has welcomed locals
00:22and tourists eager to learn how to cook beloved local dishes. The school is the branch house of
00:28the charismatic entrepreneur-turned-chef Raja Merdiana, simply known as Anna, who started
00:34Lazat cooking here after a brief stint in Thailand.
00:37During that time, my interest in cooking grew, you know, and living abroad, I got a bit, you
00:48know, almost disappointed that not many people know about Malaysian food because I was thinking
00:55that Malaysian food is the best, at least in this part of the world, you know, because
00:59of the diversity, the difference, you know, Chinese food, Malay food, Indian food, peranakan.
01:08Some of the classes at Lazat Cooking start with a trip to the local market where students
01:13purchase fresh ingredients from local vendors. Each class typically features a demonstration
01:19of a starter or side dish, an entree and a dessert. Dishes span Malay, Chinese, Indian
01:25and peranakan delights. Anna uses only the freshest ingredients in her dishes. Her secret
01:31to making everything taste so good? Don't forget to infuse your food with love.
01:36Cooking is something like a relationship with your ingredients, you know. It's like your relationship
01:43with your loved ones, right? So if you respect your ingredients, you treat them well, you
01:49massage them rather than tumbuk kasar-kasar, like that. Of course, it will not give you
01:55the best result. Another point that I always share with my clients, I say, if you're not
02:01very happy today, please don't go into the kitchen.
02:06Classes are popular with locals and tourists alike and are open to anyone eager to learn more
02:12about Malaysia's cuisine. For the full story on Lazat Cooking and more, visit FMT and follow
02:19our socials.
Comments