Martabak has been a dish that has haunted me for decades. The first time I had the dish was in Chicago, decades ago; it has been a flavour that I have never forgotten. Over the years, I have had the opportunity to have it again very occasionally while I travelled to Asia. Most recently, while I was in Georgetown, Malaysia, I had to have this dish again. I got to enjoy it at the fabled Hameediyah Restaurant. More on this here. Martabak is an ancient dish, one that has travelle

This chicken dish is a simple stir-fry dish where the pepper is dominant—the spicy, almost tongue-numbing pepper and the touch of sweet play beautifully with the chicken. The cashew nuts add a luxury feel to the otherwise common dish. This is a simple dish, but one that will disappear from the table quickly. You can serve it as a side with rice or Malay parathas, or wrap it in lettuce leaves for a fresher touch. Malaysia: Recipes from a Family Kitchen is an excellent cookbook

I love a good laksa. I had my first laksa about 30 years ago, but in Singapore. I was travelling for work, and my team took me out to laksa for dinner. I have had a love affair with the dish ever since. I went back home to Chicago and bought Sri Owen’s cookbook, just for the laksa recipe. It was a dish that I loved so much that I decided to learn how to cook it. I would grind the pastes, gently fry them, and make the soup. My family, at that time, knew when laksa was being ma