Tony Tan says, in his new cookbook, Tony Tan’s Asian Cooking Class, that he hopes it will encourage his readers to be adventurous and experiment with their cooking. It's an attitude he's embraced across his career as a cook, teacher and writer.
The learning started early, surrounded by the vibrant influences of his childhood.
"I grew up in Kuantan, a town on the east coast of Pensinsular Malaysia. Like many towns and cities in Malaysia, Kuantan is a melting pot of cultures," he writes in the introduction to . "As the capital of the state of Pahand, it attracted Chinese, Indian and Malay settlers, and they brought with them their cultures and culinary traditions. From my Indian-Tamil neighbours, I learnt how to eat rotis and chapatis. My Malay neighbours taught me how to cook beef rendang and all sorts of kuihs – sweet or savoury snacks."
Credit: Murdoch Books
The recipes in the book roam across Malaysia, China, Singapore, Vietnam, Japan, Indonesia, Thailand and beyond. A common thread in many of them are his own experiences, including his family heritage. Here is a taste of some of classic Malaysian dishes, including Tan family recipes, from the book.
Tony Tan's family beef brisket. Credit: Mark Roper / Murdoch Books
Penang Nyonya braised pork (hong bak) Credit: Mark Roper / Murdoch Books
Tony Tan's dhal. Credit: Mark Roper / Murdoch Books
Pandan crepes with coconut filling. Credit: Mark Roper / Murdoch Books
Glutinous rice with coconut custard. Credit: Mark Roper / Murdoch Books
Edited extract from by Tony Tan, photography by Mark Roper (Murdoch Books, $59.99).
MORE RECIPES FROM TONY TAN
Chicken bao
