JOM issue 10 by JOM Magazine

JOYS OF MALAYSIANS DOWN UNDER

POH

Australia’s Darling of Malaysian Cuisine

CHANGE IS SWEET

EMILY LOO LET IT SNOW!

MALAYSIAN FOOD IN AUSTRALIA + OUR AWESOME CELEBRITY RECIPES!

ISSN 2201 - 3016

9 772201 301002

ISSUE 10 JUN/JUL 2014

Editor Joyce Ng Sub Editor Josh Yu Digital Editor Stephanie Sta Maria Proof Editors Lianne Letitia Zilm, Zaw Shane Accounts & Marketing Christina Soh Public Relations Clarice Chan Finance & Legal Eddie Lee, Josh Yu Circulation Simon Gan Graphic Designer Summer Chen Editorial Contributors Michaela Swampillai, Stephanie Sta Maria, Roy Savage, Erick Ng, Jonathan Lian, Annie Hariharan, Kathy Ryan, Christina Yeo, Julian Lee Photographic Contributors Josh Yu, Michaela Swampillai, Eric Chiang, Joyce Ng, Kathy Ryan Website Designer Effective Advisory www.effectiveadvisory.com Special Thanks Poh Ling Yeow, Emily Loo, Jackie M, Alvin Quah & Caitlin Management for the kind sharing of your recipes & Matthew Phipps, Harper Collins Publishers Australia, MasterChef Australia for your kind cooperation with the interviews and images JOM would also love to thank everyone who has helped or supported and given us encouragement over the past year.

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ON THE COVER Poh Ling Yeow Image supplied by Harper Collins Publishers Australia

General inquiries contact@jommagazine.com.au Work experience/ internships JOM is recruiting and is looking to facilitate work experience or internship programs. Please email Joyce Ng at joyce@jommagazine.com.au for more information. Submissions JOM welcomes article, story, comic, joke and photo submissions. Please email your submissions to editor@jommagazine.com.au or for more information. JOM Magazine is published by JOM Media in Melbourne Printed by Forest Printing & Trading (www.forestprint.com.au) JOM is a bi-monthly magazine.Views expressed by authors are not necessarily those of the publisher. Copyright is reserved. Find us online Facebook www.facebook.com/jommagazineaus Twitter Jommagazine Youtube JOMmagTV Channel www.jommagazine.com.au

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Editor’s Note

F.O.O.D Full of Oddly Deliciousness (okay this is just for fun) It probably goes without saying – with Poh on the cover and the above title - that the theme of this edition is something that many Malaysians are passionate about – food. Malaysians LOVE food. In fact, one of the most common themes in feedback about our magazine is that we don’t talk enough about food. So, in order to try to satisfy the food lovers and to celebrate our 10th edition (woohooo!!), we present to you our special food-themed edition! I am so glad that after a few ‘knocks on the door’ over the past year, Poh and her agent have finally agreed to take some time out for our interview. She has definitely been the icon of Malaysia in the Australian food and beverage industry in recent years, and possibly, the door opener for many Australians to our beautiful (and super yummy) food. We also have many other wonderful stories about people including Emily Loo, one of the three Malaysian contestants in the current season of MasterChef Australia, curry puff maestro Anthony Nathan and aspiring pâtissière Pam, as well as a story about MiHub café as the authentic Malay food destination. Our feature story for this edition focuses on the Malaysian food industry here in Australia, and the role that MaTrade has been playing to stimulate and promote the healthy growth of Malaysian food products and restaurants in Australia. We have also asked Malaysians what dish best represents Malaysia; funnily (or rather not surprisingly?), most people have nominated ‘Nasi Lemak’. To me, rojak best represents Malaysia – each culture preserves its uniqueness just like the ingredients in the rojak dish, which all have their own distinct taste and character; yet they are covered with the same sauce. Once again I thank you all – writers, contributors, interviewees, advertisers, working team members and everyone who has helped or encouraged us in making this 10th edition milestone a reality for us. Yours Sincerely, Joyce Ng Editor

(Right) An arrangement of the number 10 using a rojak dish from Mamak.

Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) Consulate General of Malaysia (Trade Section) Level 7, 432 St Kilda Road Melbourne, VIC 3004 T: 03 9832 8600 F: 03 9832 8610 E: melbourne@matrade.gov.my W: www.matrade.gov.my

PAGE

CONTENTS

08 Upcoming Events 10 JOMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Picks 11 Your Say @ JOM Board 12 News Corner Malaysian News Recap Our News in Roo Roo Land 20 Inside Malaysia and Beyond Malaysian Food and the Australian Palate 24 Community and Culture MiHub Cafe 26 Malaysian Tales Poh Emily Loo Anzac Day Special (2 of 2): A Diary of Danger 39 Down to Business 2014 Tax Planning Strategies Property: What happens if you pay too much? Anthony Nathan: Curry Puff Business Change is Sweet: Making Macarons 48 Styling Life Let is Snow! Recipe: Dark Hokkien Noodles Recipe: Sarawak Laksa Recipe: Green Snapper with Papaw Salad Recipe: Kaya Bread Pudding 58 Talk, Think, Laugh Food. Diversity. Unity Kurang Manis: Too Much Soya

June

8th - 27th

Melbourne Wine Appreciation Workshop Times vary, Level 7, 258 Lt Bourke St www.winekaki.com Ever fancied yourself a sommelier? Give yourself a kickstart with this workshop. Learn to taste and smell wine like an expert. If nothing else, it makes for a great first date with that person you’ve been eyeing. Bookings available.

14th -15th

FIFA World Cup 2014 at IMAX Melbourne 8am – 10.15am, IMAX Melbourne Museum http://www.imaxmelbourne.com.au/movie/fifa_world_ cup_2014_select_group_matches Get your game face on and experience the following matches on the giant IMAX screen:- Saturday June 14th at 8am - Australia vs Chile - Sunday June 15th at 8am - England vs Italy Broadcasts commence approximately 30 minutes before scheduled kickoff.

16th - 23rd

Mystique – Magic and Illusion Spectacular 2-3.30pm, 8-9.30pm, Crown Entertainment Complex http://premier.ticketek.com.au/shows/show. aspx?sh=MYSTIQUE14 Illusionist and Australia’s Got Talent finalist Michael Boyd is in town! Together with a top-notch crew and dazzling assistants, this show extravaganza promises not to disappoint, but to keep you on the edge of your seat, breathless and spellbound.

9th July 27 Aug

wine

Refugee Week All day, Melbourne Town Hall Amidst parliamentary debates regarding the plight of refugees at detention centres, Refugee Week is an initiative to raise awareness and appreciate the contributions this community has made towards society

July 4th

UPCOMING EVENTS

Luna1878 Winter Night Market 5pm-10pm every Wednesday, Queen Victoria Market Ward off the dark of winter! Join the fun at Queen Victoria market, where local talent display the exotic, magical, whimsical and romance of this truly unique city that is Melbourne.

Upcoming Events

Refugee week

Luna

10th

Breakfast with Julian Burnside 7.30am – 9.00am, CQ Melbourne – Citiclub Hotel www.trybooking.com/86354 Join top-tier Australian barrister Julian Burnside AO QC for breakfast and a Q&A session as he shares the highs and lows of his legal carrier. Julian Burnside is a human rights and refugee advocate, author, and recent Officer of the Order of Australia. Bookings apply. All proceeds will be donated to the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre.

13th

Air Force Band – Flight 3pm – 4pm, Iwaki Auditorium, 120-130 Southbank Boulevard www.airforce.gov.au/band Chase the winter blues away with excellent music at this concert, dedicated to celebrating 100 years of military aviation in Australia. The repertoire includes pieces related to military aviation from renowned composers like Debussy and Grieg.

19th

Japanese Cuisine – Cooking Lesson 2-5pm, Kensington Neighbourhood House http://www.kensingtonneighbourhoodhouse.com/ Kon’nichiwa! Spend this Saturday afternoon honing your skills as a Japanese cook, and learn the art of combining seasonal ingredients with Japanese culinary staples. Subete no saikō (all the best)!

23rd

When Science Meets the Bedroom 6-7.30pm, Melbourne Town Hall contact jeffrey.taylor@melbourne.vic.gov.au for more details Nerdy and sexy come together in this forum; expect discussions on microbicides, female condoms, contraceptives, vaccines and more. A stellar panel from America, Canada, the Netherlands, Africa and Australia converge at this Melbourne Conversations event.

26th - 27th

Open House Melbourne 10am – 4pm openhousemelbourne.org For one weekend in 2014, Open House Melbourne unlocks some of the city’s significant buildings for you to explore - and all for free. If you love your city and its architecture, history and design, you’ll love Open House Melbourne.

August 8th

A Midwinter Christmas 6.30pm – 9.30pm, Chapter House, Flinders Lane www.polyphonicvoices.com Pretend it’s Christmas in August! Sip mulled wine and enjoy little Christmas treats as the Melbourne’s very own Polyphonic Voices provide amazing Christmas cheer through carols. Spaces are limited, bookings essential.

Upcoming Events

JOM

PICKS

(Stuff we recommend)

The Super Cool Winter Warmers

Red Hill A glimpse of Melbourne in the dark

Address: SO:ME Space, South Melbourne Market Opening hours: Wed, Fri, Sat, Sun from 8am till 4pm www.thesupercool.com

www.redhillspa.com.au www.redhillepicurean.com.au

Cosy up this winter to these warm and beautifully made blankets by trendy retailer ‘The Super Cool’. They offer a unique retail experience including quirky wedding magazines, cookbooks and colourful homeware items. Inspired by a trip to Argentina, the lovely people at The Super Cool have built a mobile emporium of unique everyday objects that suit budgeters and the rich alike.

Visit Red Hill for a relaxing daytrip or a weekend escape. Only an hour’s drive from Melbourne CBD, this winter destination is paved with rolling hills and vineyards, tucked away in the hinterland of Mornington Peninsula. Unwind at the Red Hill Spa with facials, massages and body treatments to pamper and rejuvenate yourself, then check out the ‘Epicurean’ to savour the local produce of their gourmet menu; perfect for lunch. Don’t forget to visit the beautiful and scenic vineyards located all around the hinterlands.

Night Photography Course A glimpse of Melbourne in the dark

The Light in Winter Festival Celebrating tradition every night in June

Address: Starts at Federation Square Next session: 5th July 2014 Phone: 1300 21 11 21 www.photoh.com.au

When: June 1st to 22nd from 5.30pm till late Where: Federation Square www.fedsquare.com/events/the-light-in-winter/program

Not quite the city that never sleeps, but Melbourne’s lights are sure to capture your attention. Find out the best places to snap the city’s best views and how best to do so in a 3-hour all-inclusive tour featuring nightscapes, low-light portraiture, light painting, and useful tips for $99pp. The tour is done in a small group, hosted by a professional with experience in the photography industry. All you need is a digital camera and a pair of good walking shoes, and you’re on your way to capturing the beautiful sights of Melbourne.

10 |

WRITES MICHAELA SWAMPILLAI

JOM’s Picks

Experience art, music and performances at Federation Square every night this month. Now in its eighth year, the annual winter light show brings together local and international artists to showcase performances and exhibitions as part of the Solstice Celebration- the longest night of the year. Catch the world premiere of ‘Radiant Lines’, an interactive light installation by UK architect Asif Khan, as well as illuminated sculptures by Indonesia’s ‘Papermoon Puppet Theatre’.

Malaysian News Recap ( Apr- Jun) COMPILED BY JOSH YU & JOYCE NG

Photo courtesy of Malaysiakini

Obama’s Visit in Malaysia Obama Barrack landed on Malaysian soil on April 26, making himself the first US President to visit Malaysia since Lyndon Johnson in 1966.

Photo by Joyce Ng, taken in Melbourne

“Tiger of Jelutong” Passed Away It was an emotional morning when Karpal Singh passed away on April 17 near Kampar, Perak. His car collided with a lorry on North-South Highway, when the truck switched lanes without indication. He was on his way to the north for a court case, along with his son, the driver, his helper and an Indonesian maid. He and his helper Michael Cornelius Jayakrishnan, 39, died on the spot whilst others were taken in hospital with injuries. Karpal, aged 73, was one of the most prominent Malaysian lawyers and also a politician with an illustrious career spanning for over 40 years. He took up numerous highprofile cases, including defending drug trafficking charges against foreign nationals, and sodomy accusations against former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim. He was the third National Chairman of the Democratic Action Party (DAP) from 2004 to March 2014 and was the Member of Parliament for Bukit Gelugor and Jelutong. His outspoken manner had caused him to be suspended from Parliament, charged for sedition and detained under Malaysia’s security laws. Even before this, his reputation had earned him the nickname “Tiger of Jelutong”. He leaves behind his beloved wife Gurmit Kaur, five children and 10 grandchildren. About 15,000 attended Singh’s funeral on April 20 at his house in Penang, among them Karpal’s family and friends, politicians from various parties and the members of the public whose lives had been touched by Karpal. Source: Malaysiakini

12 |

News Corner

Obama wants Kuala Lumpur to sign a free trade deal with 10 other nations - a Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement which is worth RM1.2 billion. His visit has been faced with protests against the deal. Among other highlights of the visit was Obama’s remark on discrimination being a hurdle for Malaysia’s future. “Malaysia won’t succeed if non-Muslims don’t have opportunities,” he said at the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) at Malaya University’s Town Hall. Whilst Obama refused to meet Anwar Ibrahim, the Malaysian Opposition leader who is currently in prison, the former activist in Chicago met with Malaysian civil society Bersih at a private session including the former chairperson Ambiga Sreenevesan. Mr Obama arrived in Malaysia from South Korea and Japan and finished his Asian tour in the Philippines on April 29. Source: Malaysiakini, BBC, Free Malaysia Today KLIA2 opened, AirAsia farewell to LCCT KLIA2 commenced operation on May 2 when Malindo Air Flight OD1027 touched down at 12.05am that morning. The terminal for low-cost carriers, with a capacity to serve up to 45 million passengers every year, was built to replace Kuala Lumpur’s Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT). Having taken 7 years to contruct, KLIA2 will be used by low cost carriers including Air Asia, AirAsia X, Indonesia AirAsia, Thai AirAsia, AirAsia Zest, Tiger Air, Lion Air and Cebu Pacific Air. The RM4 billion KLIA2 has the space to accommodate 220 retail outlets, featuring more than 90 food and beverage outlets.

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AirAsia, which is KLIA2’s largest tenant, had expressed its reservations about the new terminal’s safety and security prior to reluctantly moving in on May 9. Source: The Malay Mail

after exchanging gunfire with Malaysian security forces. Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman said authorities are looking to introduce travel restrictions and curfews at high-risk spots around the coast of Sabah following the incidents. On Nov 15 last year, a Taiwanese woman Chang An Wei, 58, was kidnapped from the Pom Pom resort while her husband Li Min Hsu, 57, was killed in a raid by gunmen. She was released a month later after payment of an undisclosed ransom. Source: Malay Mail and CNN

Image taken from BadmintonWorld.tv

Badminton: So close yet so far Malaysians from all around the world were once again taken on a heart-thumping journey during the final of the Thomas Cup on May 25. The Malaysian team lost to Japan 2-3 and received a silver medal. Datuk Lee Chong Wei led the team to a winning game but the rest of the team were not able to keep up. Tied at 2-2, captain Daren Liew lost to JapaneseTakuma Ueda in their third and final set. It was the first time for Japan to win a gold medal at the Thomas Cup. Malaysia have not won the Cup since head coach Rashid Sidek led the 1992 squad to a famous 3-2 win over Indonesia. Rashid thinks that the chance for a future gold medal will be even slimmer for Malaysia because Lee Chong Wei will most likely not be playing in the next Thomas Cup in 2016. Source: The Star Continuing worry over abductions in Sabah Three foreigners have been abducted in Sabah in April and May this year, among them two Chinese nationals and a Filipino. The first case happened on April 2 in Semporna, Sabah, where a group of armed men stormed a resort and abducted Gao Huayun, a young female Chinese from Shanghai, and a Filipino staff member at the resort. On May 30 Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced that the two women have been released by their captors with no ransom paid, adding that the success was due to the collaboration between Malaysian and Philipino security forces. Malaysia’s Home Ministry said in April that the authorities were negotiating with the kidnappers who had demanded 500 million pesos (RM36.4 million) in exchange for Gao. Another abduction occurred when armed men abducted Yang Zailin, 34, from a fish farm where he worked on the east coast of Sabah on May 7 at Lahad Datu, Sabah. The kidnappers, who were believed to be from the southern part of the Philippines, fled by boat into international waters

14 |

News Corner

RM60 million Pandas to build China-Malaysia ties Two pandas have been flown to Malaysia from Chengdu, China, arriving at the Zoo Negara (National Zoo) in Hulu Klang on May 21 to mark 40 years of diplomatic relations, and the declaration of 2014 as “China-Malaysia Friendship Year”. Male panda Fu Wa (“Lucky”) and female panda Feng Yi (Phoenix) are on loan to Malaysia for a period of ten years. The eight-year-old pandas are housed in a 1.6 hectare air-conditioned complex at the national zoo. Bernama quoted Natural Resources and Environment Minister G. Palanivel as saying that the government has spent RM60 million for the upkeep of the pandas. Palanivel’s deputy, James Dawos Mamit added that of the RM60 million, RM25 million was spent on the pandas’ enclosure, RM15 million on maintenance and RM20 million on rental fee for the first four years. The move has encountered criticism and backlash from environmentalists, some NGOs and opposition parties. The two pandas were supposed to arrive in Malaysia on April 16 but were delayed for about a month due to the MH370 incident, when the flight carrying 153 Chinese passengers disappeared. The two countries agreed in 2012 that China would send the giant pandas for a 10 year stay, in Beijing’s latest use of “panda diplomacy”. Source: BBC, Channel News Asia and Free Malaysia Today Sultan Perak passes away Sultan of Perak, Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah passed away peacefully on May 28 at the age of 86. The Sultan was known for his contributions to Malaysia’s institutes of

Bringing more good

JOM Magazine

higher learning, and was also the Royal Patron of many student, graduate, professional and charitable clubs and associations. In 1965, the Sultan was elevated to the Bench of the High Court of Malaya as the youngest judge in the Commonwealth at the age of 37. He was appointed as a Federal Court Judge eight years later and in 1979, became Chief Justice of the High Court, an office which he held until his appointment as the Lord President of the Federal Court of Malaysia in 1982. The Sultan was the ninth Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King) from April 26, 1989 until April 25, 1994.

Gerakan’s Mah regained Teluk Intan

Commemorative coins to mark Malaysia-China relations

Gerakan, of the Barisan Nasional (ruling National Front Coalition, BN), won the tightly fought Teluk Intan bi-election on May 31 with a slight majority of 238 votes.

Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) issued a commemorative coin to mark the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Malaysia and China. The statement was made at an event on May 31 at the Great Hall of the People’s Republic of China, where Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak presented the coin to Chinese Premier Li, hoping to strengthen relationships between the two countries for coming years. The coins will be available for sale starting June 27 at the BNM Museum and Art Gallery, and regional offices and branches in Penang, Johor Baharu, Kuala Terengganu, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching. Malaysia and China also signed a joint communique on the same day that touched on areas such as increasing cooperation in trade and people-to-people relationships, as well as calling for maintaining peace, security and stability in the South China Sea. Source: Bernama and Malaysia Insider Where in the world is MH370? Search and rescue operations led by Australia have spanned over 10 weeks without finding any debris from the aircraft MH370, which disappeared on March 8 carrying 239 passengers. The Bluefin-21 drone, a submarine, on May 28 completed its underwater hunt and had found no trace of the plane in a section of the southern Indian Ocean, where acoustic signals, or “pings,” were detected before. It had scoured more than 850 sq km and costed $40,000 a day to operate. Meanwhile China used a specialized ship to map the Indian ocean floor - something that had never been done before – however a defect forced it to cease operations and return on May 31. The search for MH370 and the passengers on board will be suspended for two months while more powerful sonar equipment is brought in, according to the Australia-based Joint Agency Coordination Center. The next phase of searching aims to scour 60,000 square kilometres and will cost about $60 million. Source: SBS and CNN

16 |

Photo courtesy of Malaysiakini

Source: The Star

News Corner

Mah Siew Keong from Gerakan, 53, was against Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud, 27, from the Democratic Action Party (DAP). The victory marks the second victory of Gerakan since 2008. It also means that Gerakan will get a spot in the cabinet, as promised by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak. Mah, former MP for TeIuk Intan and Former Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry in Malaysia, lost to DAP’s candidates in 2008 and 2013. DAP’s Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng attributed a low turnout of voters as one of the causes of defeat. Only 67.4 percent of registered voters cast a ballot, compared to 80.4 percent in 2013. He also noted that the drop in Chinese votes for DAP could be due to the candidate Dyana being a young, Malay female. Nominations for Teluk Intan’s bi-election were opened on May 19 after the passing away of former DAP Teluk Intan MP Seah on May 1. Source: Malaysiakini, The Star and New Straits Times

Our News in Roo Roo Land Khairy Jalamuddin’s visit to Melbourne In late April, Malaysian Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jalamuddin was invited by Malaysian students to attend the MASA Conference in Melbourne, where he gave a keynote speech. Whilst on his visit, the Minister also took time to be briefed about developer S P Setia’s recent development projects, Fulton Lane and The Parque by Setia’s Melbourne-based Chief Executive Choong Kai Wai. Khairy expressed his pleasure that a Malaysian company could compete and be successful in Melbourne, as several Malaysian companies are taking bigger steps into the Australian market. Despite his busy schedule, Khairy also accepted an invitation from the Malaysian cycling team training in Melbourne to share a bicycle ride and breakfast with them. Over breakfast, Khairy briefed the cyclists about developments in Malaysia’s cycling program and what would be expected of them.

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Malaya & Borneo Veterans March with Malaysian Flag For the first time, Malaya and Borneo veterans taking part in the annual Anzac Day Parade in Melbourne this year proudly flew the Malaysian national flag whilst marching down Swanston Street. The veterans had previously applied for approval from the RSL to fly the flag, however had not successfully obtained approval, despite veterans of other conflicts flying other nations’ flags. This year, instead of waiting for approval, the veterans decided to fly the flag anyway, hoping to reach out to Malaysians in the crowd. Association President Owen Marshall noted that despite being rather shy and reserved, he believed that he saw a large number of Malaysians in the crowd who took photos, but mostly kept to themselves.

Red at Fiesta Malaysia This year’s Fiesta Malaysia, organised by the Victorian chapter of the Malaysian Students’ Council of Australia, was highlighted by the attendance of renowned artist ‘Red’ Hong Yi, who has gained fame internationally for her unorthodox methods in creating potraits of various well-known public figures and celebrities. Hong Yi gave a presentation at the event showcasing her methods for creating a number of her pieces including Yao Ming painted with a basketball, Taiwanese singer Jay Chou painted with coffee cup stains, and a portrait of Jackie Chan made of thousands of chopsticks suspended from a frame. For Sabah-born, Shanghai-based Hong Yi, Melbourne is akin to a second home, as she spent several years studying in Melbourne prior to moving to Shanghai. She clearly had a lot of fans here too, with a long line of people queuing to take a photo with the artist after her presentation.

Tough Budget for Students This year’s budget released in May proved to be a tough one for many, including both local and international students, with various measures and cuts expected to increase the cost of higher education in Australia. Of most concern to Malaysian and other international students will be the proposal to deregulate university fee setting and allowing each institution to set its own course fees. This is expected to result in fee rises in many courses that are in high demand. Overall, the budget has not been popular with average Australians, as many sectors of the community from the wealthiest to the poorest will be negatively affected. Some of the most controversial measures include a “deficit tax” aimed to reduce Australia’s deficit by imposing a temporary additional income tax on the wealthiest Australians, and the introduction of a Medicare co-payment arrangement where patients will be required to contribute to the cost of visiting a doctor, where currently bulk billing allows patients free access to doctors. The budget has caused a large drop in approval for Prime Minister Tony Abbott, and caused several protests in cities around Australia, but the government maintains it is necessary for Australia’s economy.

Durian Hospital Scare In early April, patients were evacuated from Mitcham Private Hospital on Doncaster East Road after the smell of durian was mistaken for a possible gas leak. The fire brigade was called to the hospital, however it was a TV cameraman who identified the smell to actually be the fruit beloved by so many Malaysians. The fruit had apparently been a gift to an elderly patient at the hospital. This is not the first time durian has caused an evacuation in Australia. Last year, an entire floor in a Sydney office building was evacuated after the smell of durian seeped into the ventilation system causing a gas leak scare. --

18 |

News Corner

Wagyu Steak – Limited Time Only at China Bar Signature Burwood Love your beef? If so, then you’ll know the only thing better than a juicy steak is a juicy Wagyu steak! For a limited time only, China Bar Signature in Burwood is serving all-you-can-eat Wagyu steak grilled to order by China Bar Signature’s specialty chefs for its Wagyu Beef Nights. What we (JOM) say: We went for a try and were not disappointed. The portions were fair-sized and just the right thickness. Because they are cooked to order, you can also request your preferred degree of cooking whether you like it rare or well done. This special campaign has been extended to August 2014, so get in quick for this once-off chance to experience succulent Wagyu to your heart’s content!

Photo: Staff at Mamak making roti canai on Lonsdale St, Melbourne.

Malaysian Flavour and the Australian Palate It wasn’t too long ago that Australians were still muddling up the culinary geography of Southeast Asia. As they mistakenly pinned the flavours of one country on its neighbours, nasi lemak found itself associated with Indonesia and Thailand was credited for beef rendang. But amidst all that confusion one fact stood clear. The Australian palate has been embroiled in a simmering love affair with Malaysian food. WRITES STEPHANIE STA MARIA PHOTOGRAPHS JOYCE NG

A growing population of Malaysian students and migrants in Australia naturally led to a burgeoning of Malaysian restaurants, all eager to cash in on the cravings for a taste of home. The fusion of flavours from a three-way marriage between Malay, Chinese and Indian cultures intrigued the local Australians. Yet despite their deep enjoyment of the unusual fare, they never quite understood what constituted Malaysian cuisine. Until the arrival of MasterChef Australia.

And if they don’t, there’s always the Malaysia External Trade

“

Malaysian cuisine is on its way to becoming one of the most recognised Asian foods in Australia.

The reality show premiered in Australia in 2009 with Malaysian artist, Poh Ling Yeow, among the contestants. As she cooked her way to the top two spots, she pushed Malaysian cuisine further into the spotlight. The following seasons have seen Adam Liaw, Alvin Quah, Billy Law, Tash Shan and Emily Loo introducing more facets of Malaysian food to Australians. Most Australians now know exactly

where nasi lemak, beef rendang, roti canai and laksa originate and where to find it in their own city.

- MATRADE Development Corporation’s (MATRADE) official list of over 200 Malaysian restaurants across Australia. Of that number, more than 70 are in Victoria. In Melbourne the bulk of these restaurants are predictably located in predominantly Asian suburbs like Glen Waverly, Doncaster, Box Hill and Clayton.

Hardly surprising considering the 2011 Population Census by the Australian Bureau of Statistics found that 39,790 of Australia’s 116,196 Malaysian migrants reside in Victoria with 2,207 in Melbourne. MATRADE’s Trade Commissioner to Australia, Noor Hayati Abu Noh, pointed out that Malaysia and its cuisine are no longer a stranger to Australia thanks to the strong diplomatic and economic ties between both nations. The recent increase in Malaysian restaurants in Victoria from MATRADE’s last tally in 2010 was proof. “What surprised me is that the demand for Malaysian cuisine comes not just from Asians but also from Caucasian Australians,” she said. “I was previously based in Germany where most Europeans were reluctant to sample new cuisine particularly of that from Asia.” “But I saw some Caucasians buying jars of sambal during last month’s Fiesta Malaysia. On top of that, there were Malaysian contestants on

Inside Malaysia and Beyond

Photo: PappaRich’s 11th outlet in Australia located in Broadway, New South Wales.

The Greatest Hits There is much to love about Malaysian food but restaurateurs and chefs say these are the top five favourites in order of popularity. • Roti canai • Satay • Nasi lemak • Laksa • Beef rendang Standing Out A deluge of Malaysian restaurants makes for fierce competition. Those that rarely have an empty seat have kept to the following rules. • A consistently high standard of food quality and service. • Keeping the menu manageable and specialising in a few standout dishes. • Investing in interior design. According to Jackie M, “the days of decorating your restaurant walls with posters scored from your local Tourism Malaysia office are long over”. • Being unafraid of introducing new ideas to Melbourne.

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MasterChef who cooked dishes like fish head curry and Sarawak laksa.” “Malaysian cuisine is on its way to becoming one of the most recognised Asian foods in Australia and I definitely see vast opportunities for Malaysian restaurants to establish a stronger footing here.” The (full) tables have spoken Three restaurants that are milking these opportunities are PappaRich, Mamak and Masak Masak. Papparich opened its first Melbourne outlet in QV Mall in 2012 with a slightly different strategy than just catering to Malaysian students from nearby universities. PappaRich’s marketing and operations manager, Wui Keat Chen, explained that the demand for Malaysian cuisine isn’t new in Melbourne but what is, is the growing appetite for quick service restaurants (QSR). “With the current global economic outlook and a large middle class that prefers dining out, there is a

demand for quality food in a decent environment and at a cheap price,” Chen said. “Think of it as being between a fine dining restaurant and a local takeaway joint. It’s an underserved market and we’re part of that growing community.” Mamak meanwhile first caught the wave in Sydney in 2007 and then in Melbourne five years later. According to its director, Julian Lee, the outlet’s constantly warm seats are an indication of a new crop of “welltravelled Australians”. “The average Australian diner is now very sophisticated and adventurous, being well travelled, and eating out regularly,” he said. “They enjoy Malaysian food as much as Malaysians do and have become very knowledgeable about the cuisine.” Lee also predicted that the “dramatic increase” in the exposure and appetite for Malaysian cuisine over the last five years would likely continue over the next five. It’s this

currently teaching Malaysian cuisine at the Vanilla Zulu Cooking School in Queensland said that her students “love it” and constantly request classes on the more traditional recipes. “When I cook a traditional dish, I follow the recipe very strictly to keep its traditional, authentic taste,” she said. “So even if a recipe denotes spiciness, I don’t alter it to suit Caucasian taste buds. Fortunately, whatever I’ve done so far has gone down well!”

same confidence that spurred Masak Masak to open its doors early last year.

The restaurant has firmly believed that Malaysia’s multiculturalism is what has drawn its Caucasian customers back for a taste of what they have described as a “unique and interesting combination of flavours”.

“It is still largely unknown but has flavours that Australians absolutely love,” Yeow said. “And I’ve been very lucky to participate in Malaysia Kitchen Programme (MKP) over the past few years to promote the food closest to my heart!” MKP is a MATRADE initiative launched in Australia in 2012 and aimed at promoting Malaysian cuisine and restaurants in Australia. Meanwhile Emily Loo who is

“Now the reverse is happening and you see business owners of other nationalities trying to lay claim to the Malaysian brand because it’s so popular,” Jackie said. “If I had a dollar for every time I’ve been asked by cashed-up non-Malaysians to go into partnership to open a Malaysian restaurant, I’d have, well, a few dollars in my pocket. “ “There is so much depth and breadth to Malaysian cuisine that as long as you do something well, you are almost guaranteed success.”

Jackie M (above) photographed by Ken and James Burgin

From the mouths of chefs Unlike many restaurateurs who hail Malaysian food as a superstar on the Australian culinary scene, MasterChef runner-up Yeow views it as a “rising star that is trending”.

themselves as Malaysian-ChineseThai-Indonesian in an effort to cover all bases, as they didn’t see a large enough market for specialist Malaysian restaurants.

Malaysia Pavilion at Fine Food 2014 will be happening at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from 15 to 18 September this year, organised by Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE). The Malaysia Pavilion will be located at stand M2 and N2. Over in Sydney, the hugely popular celebrity chef Jackie M sees evidence of Australia’s love for Malaysian food in the long lines outside the better Malaysian restaurants there. Jackie, also known as the high priestess of Malaysian street food, was among those who witnessed the advent of Malaysian cuisine into Australia and the confusion over its origins. She recalled how Malaysian restaurants resorted to branding

MATRADE’s role is, among others, to connect Malaysian suppliers with potential Australian buyers. For more information about the Malaysia Pavilion at Fine Food 2014, please contact: Noor Hayati Abu Noh Trade Commissioner Email: noor@matrade.gov.my Website: www.matrade.gov.my

MiHub Café:

Helping a community through authentic Malaysian food How far would you drive to find authentic Malaysian food in Melbourne? 30 minutes? 45 minutes? WRITES ANNIE HARIHARAN PHOTOGRAPHS JOYCE NG

Richard Tran and Jin Ni, an Australian-Malaysian couple from the east of Melbourne, were just some of the Malaysians who had driven for an hour towards the west to sample the many authentic Malay-Malaysian foods at the ‘hawker stalls’ at Migrant Hub (MiHub) café, which has gained popularity as a ‘Pasar Malam’ (night market) venue in Melbourne every Friday night. Now MiHub cafe has started their weekend breakfast slot as well for people who prefer to come during the weekends. “This is our second time at MiHub,” says Richard at the weekend breakfast slot. “We are killing two birds with one stone since we were taking our daughter to the Werribee zoo anyway. But the first time we came here, we made the one hour trip just for the food, together with other people we knew from the Malaysians in Melbourne (MIM) Facebook group.”

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So why did they make that effort when there are so many other Malaysian restaurants closer to east of Melbourne? “See, most of the restaurants we know serve ChineseMalaysian food or Nyonya food. Not many sell authentic Malay food. In fact, this is one of the few places we know that sells apam balik.” More than that, there is something unique yet familiar about MiHub’s hawker style concept which looks like a pasar malam in Malaysia. Entrepreneurs sell the usual Malaysian fare (nasi lemak, mee rebus, satay), as well as food that is less common in Melbourne but popular for many Malaysians, such as Ramly Burgers and a myriad of ‘kuihs’ (Malay cakes). The customers who come here and the entrepreneurs have developed close relationships with each other. There is always someone saying, “Apa Khabar” or “Jom la makan.” This is not something you can experience in a restaurant. It was purely by accident that Norasiah Hassan Salleh, whom we call “Mother Nora“, the founder of Migrant Hub, introduced the outdoor hawker concept. Initially, MiHub cafe was an indoor space within the Migrant Hub. She explains that the idea to move the café outdoors sparked when local council representatives requested that a disabled toilet be included indoor as the café was indoor; however the space indoors was not enough to build such a facility.

“So, we moved the cafe outdoors and that’s when I thought we could also open it up for other individuals who were keen to start a food business. Six months ago, we started out with a weekend breakfast slot, opening from 9am3pm. Starting from 3rd March, we also introduced a Friday night market, from 6pm-11pm,” Norasiah says.

stalls with the council, guidance on safety and health requirement and advice on book keeping. Some of the stall owners have found better or permanent jobs and no longer sell their home cooked food here. Others decided that they could do this full time and continue to sell in other night markets or festivals.

One of the best sellers at the MiHUb café is satay by the popular Satay Klab. According to Nurun Puteri, daughter of Haji Abdul Hamid who runs Satay Klab, the Friday sessions are very popular among the local community.

According to Norasiah, educating customers on Malaysian food has been one of the challenges faced by the entrepreneurs. “There are customers who think satay and kebab are very similar, but satay has a sweet sauce and kebab is salty. In fact even rendang has sugar in it, so our food is actually spicy and sweet, not just spicy.”

“We get a lot of people on Friday, especially the before and after pub crowd. Satay in particular, seems popular with them. People also come because they are curious about the stalls, which is like nothing they are used to. The marquees give the place a sense of festivities which you only see in big festivals. But here, we have it weekly,” says Puteri. For the entrepreneurs, this is a good testing ground for them to get a feel of the F&B business in an Australian environment and Norasiah is available to guide them through the process. Recently there have been retrenchments in the airlines industry in Avalon and some Malaysians were affected. While waiting to get a new job, some of them decided to try out selling home cooked Malaysian food and this was a good way to start. They come under the overall MiHub Cafe structure, but Norasiah also provided guidance on how to register their

“We have to be very clear when we describe our food and its taste. Just because it is common to us, does not mean everyone knows it too,” she adds. Some customers repeatedly asked Norasiah if she had plans to open a similar cafe in the eastern suburbs. She laughingly said that due to popular demand, she is seriously considering expanding and is in the process of finding a suitable location. “Who knows, maybe in future, you will find us in Box Hill!” -Norasiah and Migrant Hub were featured in JOM Issue 08. More information about Migrant Hub can be found here: www.facebook.com/pages/MiHUB-Cafe/104673309569277

Community & Culture

Poh

Master of Her Own

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“Strongly embedded in

my memory are also many reluctant trips to smelly wet markets where I’d be allowed to sip sweet, black coffee from a saucer and eat kaya toast while my ‘poh poh’ gossiped with her mahjong mates. 21/01/14 12:38 PM

Ask anyone about famous Malaysians here in Australia, and no one could miss the ever smiling Poh Ling Yeow, commonly known as Poh. She is one of the most recognisable Malaysian, or for that matter, Asian faces in Australia in recent years, and has certainly played an important role in promoting and sharing Malaysian food down under. Although first rising to fame on the first season of MasterChef Australia in 2009, and subsequently running her cooking shows on television, now she is keen to reconnect with food and art in a deeper manner, including publishing her new book in May and running a solo exhibition in July in Adelaide this year. Born in Ampang, she came to Australia when she was nine, and is now married and residing in Adelaide. The multi-talented chef-artist-author shares what’s past and ahead of her. INTERVIEWS JOYCE NG

JOM: Can you share us what you have been up to these days? Poh: Too much! My biggest current project is launching my Jamface brand. At the moment we are just at a local farmer’s market every Sunday but in the process of expanding our products into supermarkets. A good part of the week is spent cooking in a commercial kitchen which has been incredibly fun. The reason why I took a break from TV was to do this, to reconnect with the food industry rather than only being in the media. Although TV is an amazing medium, capable of reaching masses, the artist in me really needed time out to be part of the community and some solitude to get my creative mojo back. Tell us about your new book “Same same but different”. Last year was mainly spent writing my second cookbook which has just hit the shops. It’s called ‘Same Same But Different’, and a book which very much reflects how I cook, how most Aussies cook – very eclectically with the influence of many cultures. Rather than traditional

(Above) Cover of Poh’s new book, “Same Same But Different” released early May this year. It is her second book after “Poh’s Kitchen - My Cooking Adventures” which was among top 10 Australian bestsellers list for six weeks.

Malaysian Tales

chapter headings like ‘protein’ or ‘dessert’, I have headings like “I Heart Carbs” and the recipes are organized into pairs, matched by a common ingredient, process or method. I’ve deliberately done this so if you cook one of the pairs you immediately gain the confidence to tackle the other one. The book is designed to be used by a novice, to someone who’s wanting to indulge in something more ambitious over the weekend. I was very passionate about making a book that cooks would actually use often, not just have it sitting on their coffee tables, so there’s things like a visual index to help you spot all the exotic ingredients used in my recipes. I feel very lucky that my publisher Harper Collins gave me a really long leash on this so I was able to completely own the concept and art direction. What are your thoughts about or vision for Malaysian food here in Australia? Well, I really do feel Malaysian cuisine is becoming one of the rising stars trending on the Australian food scene. It’s still largely unknown but flavours that Australian absolutely love. Aussies have a very open palate and they love to travel so they have a great appreciation for authentic Asian flavours. We are very fortunate to have access to Malaysian ingredients here so the desire to learn how to cook it is also growing. I have also been very lucky to work with Malaysia Kitchen over the past few years and promote the food and dishes closest to my heart! What’s your favourite Malaysian dish? Assam Laksa hands down. It’s the dish I make a beeline for as soon as the plane hits the tarmac. The dark tangy fish broth with all its lively garnishings of fresh pineapple, cucumber, torch ginger flower and mint make me salivate just to think about them! Then of course the hargau or shrimp molasses stirred in at the end to give added depth to the wonderful spicy broth. I usually order it with an ice kachang for cooling the lips because I’m a bit of a chilli wimp but also because it’s so much fun to have dessert DURING a meal =). My other faves are kuih koci, mangosteen and jackfruit!

Who is your inspiration in cooking? My number ones are my Mum and Great Aunty Kim or Koo Poh (grandfather’s sister). I inherited my baking obsession from my Mum. I wasn’t allowed in the kitchen until I was nine and she trained me to be a fiend with detail at an early age and. My Koo Poh taught me different things. She let me help her with menial tasks like plucking herbs or helping to knead and wash the gluten for Buddhist vegetarian dishes. She encouraged me to taste new things and taught me never to waste. She has an amazing talent for creating intriguing flavours with very little. Has Malaysian cooking affected your cooking style? Absolutely. Everything I cook is informed by the memory of flavour, burnt onto my palate from all those formative years being raised in Malaysia. Whether it’s expressed in the dish or not, the basic rules of balance – salty, sour, sweet are fundamentals in Malaysian cuisine and play into everything I make. This upbringing also means I have a great repertoire of processes and ingredients to play with, so I’m very lucky to be able to draw from the East and the West. What made you cook Malaysian Hainanese Chicken Rice during the final round of Masterchef’s first season? Well, I was very determined to put Malaysian food on the map and I always wanted to cook sincerely, which means I never cooked something I wouldn’t serve at home - simply things I like to eat. The number one priority with anything I

Bite-Sized Spice

What’s your early memory about Malaysian food, back in Malaysia? Lots of afternoons with all the woman folk in the family squatting around an outdoor kitchen making complicated dumplings and gossiping. Hawkers ringing their bicycle bells as they approach your home, the whole family scrambling for change to buy a midnight char kwai teow, cooked a la minute or a coconut and red bean icy pole. Strongly embedded in my memory are also many reluctant trips to smelly wet markets where I’d be allowed to sip sweet, black coffee from a saucer and eat kaya toast while my poh poh gossiped with her mahjong mates. And of course no roadside crab or durian would be quite the authentic experience without the accompanying funk of nearby open drains!

Oodles of Noodles

Check out Poh’s Dark Hokkien Noodles recipe on page 52!

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make is always, does it express warmth and is it delicious? Cleverness is always last. Cleverness is about ego not flavour. I also couldn’t think of a dish that celebrated a chicken more, right? What did your parents or family say when you first entered Masterchef Australia? Well, I’m kind of the mental youngest child and I’d pursued enough unusual careers by then for my parents to go “OK, whatever!”.

What role does art have in your life? Have you been working on more art related projects recently? It sounds ridiculously cliché, I know, but art is everything to me. It’s the one thing where I just retreat into a space that is entirely my own and I make things in complete solitude. If I don’t have this avenue to facilitate my ideas and time to contemplate life, everything becomes meaningless. Since Masterchef I’ve still made sure I exhibited every year. Right now, I’m painting for a solo exhibition in my home town of Adelaide which will open on the 14th July. In the next few years I’d like to find more of a balance between the two because food is definitely in the foreground at the moment.

“if you love what

you do, you’re always raising the bar for yourself and if you deliver good work, opportunities will always come. What are your plans in the next five to ten years? I never plan more than a year in advance. I think if you love what you do, you’re always raising the bar for yourself and if you deliver good work, opportunities will always come. What makes a great chef or a fantastic home cook in your opinion? Someone who’s observant and patient!

In your experience, who is a better cook – man or woman? Women make the best cooks because they are nurturers and intuitive with flavour and ingredients. Men make better chefs because running a restaurant is more about putting systems into place. If you didn’t become a chef, what you think you would be doing? I can honestly say I feel like the most blessed person on the planet because I cook and make art for a living. There’s a bit of an acting bug that niggles away at me from time to time but I get to indulge in that a little too, so the answer is nothing!

What is a must-have in your kitchen? Butter, eggs, flour because I live to bake, salt because it gives life to flavour, and my favourite implement would have to be a whisk! What’s your motto in life? Love what you do and give everything a red hot go. Also, work your arse off, there’s no free lunch EVER - if it’s free, be suspicious! --

Malaysian Tales

Emily Loo MasterChef ’s Spice Queen In the past few years, a number of Malaysians have graced our TV screens on MasterChef Australia, including Emily Loo from Sabah in this year’s season. Despite being recently eliminated from the top 24, it was just the beginning of her journey of discovery to pursue her true dream. WRITES JOYCE NG PHOTOGRAPHS SUPPLIED BY MASTERCHEF AUSTRALIA

Malaysian Tales

It is Episode 13 of the sixth season of MasterChef Australia and Emily Loo is flustered during the final stage of elimination that day. There are only 10 minutes to make a dish. The previous challenges, on the same day, had been 30 minutes, down to 20 minutes, and now 10 minutes. It is tough. Emily quickly grabs some bananas, thinking of making banana fritters. But there are no eggs. So she grabs sweetened condensed milk and breadcrumbs. A clever idea. Banana fritters in 10 minutes, not a problem. However the voices of the judges are clouding her mind. Emily lost the previous challenges that day, including with a crab/apricot jam/honey combo. Now being in the final elimination stage, her mind is racing and she has no time to calm and regain confidence herself. Being sleep deprived and not be able to think straight, she places the sliced banana straight into the hot oil without any coating at all. She shakes her head a few times, trying to adjust herself; trying to think. But it is too late, and the failed fritters send her home. “I have never done banana fritters this way before. I don’t know what I was doing,” she laments. “The greatest challenge was losing confidence,“ she tells us, adding that keeping calm is very important for a chef. But she has no regrets about entering the show. In fact the MasterChef show was a wake up call for her. “I learned to stay true to myself,” says Emily about what MasterChef has taught her. The Lady Chef-To-Be Emily grew up a typical Asian child with strict parents who had set ideas of what she should be. Despite dreaming of being a chef and learn to become one in France since she was 17, Emily followed her parents’ wishes and studied a Bachelor of Medical Engineering before working as an engineering then a sales coordinator in Queensland. She eventually took her first step toward her dream when she entered Masterchef Australia, at the age of 31 early this year. “It’s time to do something about my dream, which is quitting my job and becoming a chef,“ she recalls thinking as she filled in the MasterChef contestant’s form. “I decided to join MasterChef because it is one of the best ways to connect with Australian renowned chefs.” After keeping her dream hidden for almost 15 years, and getting married three years ago, Emily realised her passion continued to burn and that she would never change.

“Stay true to yourself,

because TV cameras can show a lot of things – who is fake, who is not. Be humble.

She remembers watching the first season of MasterChef Australia, and being intrigued by seeing so many people out there, like herself, shared the same food dream even though from different backgrounds. “Although I was doing engineering, my mind was elsewhere. I kept thinking that maybe one day, I can be a chef,” she recalls, adding that Poh was one of the person who has inspired her to chase after her dream. “I guess that’s in my blood. I just love cooking.” Until today, however, she tells us that her parents do not know she already has both feet in the food and beverage industry. “It’s not the right time yet to tell them,” says Emily, youngest of three in ther family, adding that her parents worked really hard to raise her and to support her education; yet now she works long hours with low pay. “No one would want to hurt their parents’ feelings, I guess, especially in Asian culture.”

Malaysian Tales

Emily came from a rural countryside town called Kampung Penampang in Sabah, born to a Chinese born Father. an engineer, and a Sabahan born Mother, a teacher. Recalling her time growing there, she remembers living surrounded by the indigenous people. “I always played with the indigenous people, the Kadazans,” she reminisces. She was often amused by the scenes of Kadazan mothers chasing after chickens to slaughter them just for a dinner. “They are all organic, very organic. We pretty much grow most of the vegetables ourselves, including pineapples and corn. We don’t have to go to the market because we have our own produce.”

Joining MasterChef is all about staying true to who you are, and to find what you really want to do in the future especially in your food dream.

“My memory about Sabahan food – organic, fresh and full of laughter,” she recalls of the times when food was shared among the Kadazan neighbours at the table, memories which shaped her early impressions of what good food meant. Though her family was poor, Emily remembers that her parents often had to barter for kitchen ingredients and utensils. As a kid born in a Chinese family, her first involvement in cooking was during the eve of Chinese New Year when

Malaysian Tales

“

women would gather and make man tou (Chinese buns) and dumplings. She was intrigued by the determination of those women to get up in the middle of the night to make the food, and had learnt techniques by observing those women in the kitchen. A person in particular that inspired her to become a chef was one of those women, her great aunt, who took care of her most of the time during the day when she was a kid. It was her great aunt, a Catholic nun, who saved to buy her a cookbook and an oven. “She opened my eyes to the culinary world.” She tells us that her great aunt was a versatile cook and she was able to bake and cook various food.

Partly due to her father being Chinese born and both parents not being able to speak English fluently, she didn’t speak English at home and many English teachers during her schooling years were incompetent in the language. She only started mastering English when she came to Australia and took a half year course in English. That is why in the MasterChef show, it was not difficult to notice her distinct accent. When asked if having an Asian face with not-so-great English was a barrier or a challenge at the show, she says:

“I don’t want to give myself a limitation. If you never try, you will never know.” “The biggest step, the biggest achievement I have done so far is to challenge my limitation and get out of my box.” The Future Ahead Despite some contestants going back to their previous jobs after being eliminated from MasterChef Australia, Emily says that she is now even more determined to pursue a career as a chef. “Once you have made up your mind, you just don’t want to look back anymore,” she says. After the show, Emily quit her full time, high-paid job and took up an apprenticeship at Black Bird Bar and Grill, whilst also teaching Malaysian traditional cooking classes at Vanilla Zulu Cooking School in Brisbane. She is a strong believer in keeping to traditional cooking in traditional recipes. When it has got to be spicy, she will not alter the recipe to suit the ‘local taste’, as a form of respect for the traditional and authenticity. Her approach however has gained popularity at the school and she has been requested to constantly teach traditional Malaysian cuisine. However, despite all her progress she notices her shortcomings.

restaurant with Asian fusion cooking in Australia. This is why she is now at Black Bird Bar and Grill, mastering western techniques to become a versatile chef. “What I want to achieve in cooking, is to become a very good chef. I am looking forward to opening a restaurant, specialising in Asian fusion food,” adding that Kylie Kwong is among her idols, as she is a lady, Asian fusion chef. “I am also looking forward to become consultant chef to China and Southeast Asia for Australian products.” We asked Emily if she has any advice for Malaysians who would want to take up the MasterChef challenge in future, she offers the following advice: “Stay true to yourself, because TV cameras can show a lot of things – who is fake, who is not. Be humble.” “Joining MasterChef is all about staying true to who you are, and to find what you really want to do in the future especially in your food dream. ” “Show our Malaysian spirit, which is we are very friendly, food lovers, and we really want to share good food that can make everyone happy.” -P/S: Check out Emily’s Sarawak laksa recipe on page 54!

“What my skills are lacking of are basic French techniques, and my cooking is pretty much too traditional.” “If I really want to be in that industry, there are a lot of things I need to change.” But she is determined not to let this limit her, and continues to follow her philosphy: “Stay true to yourself, but at the same time try to discover your weakness and what is your strength. From there, find a solution to that.” Emily’s ultimate dream is to have her own signature

Malaysian Tales

ANZAC SPECIAL: A DIARY OF DANGER part 2 of 2 Australian Roy Savage was a soldier assigned to company operations in Malaysia from August 1963 to October 1965, during the time of Indonesia's opposition to the creation of Malaysia. In this second of two part series, he continutes to tell of his journeys and intrepid adventures in dangerous grounds where communists and terrorists lurked. Republished from Listening Post by National Malaya Borneo Veterans Association Australia. Part 1 can be found in the previous edition, at http://issuu.com/jommagazine/docs/jom09/35

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In December 1964 the British Army offered seats on their charter flights to England the cost being 60 pounds return, I managed to get on the flight. We flew out of Singapore with our first stop being Bombay. We flew in a DC6 it was the first time I had been in an Aircraft where the seats faced the rear, anyway an hour out of Bombay enroute for Istanbul there was a very load explosion, on looking out of the right hand window I could see flames coming out of the far engine. I will always remember the pilot saying to the co - pilot over the intercom (I think to calm us down) “ Just like Erol Flynn everything you touch you F!#?* Ladies and Gentlemen we are turning back to Bombay”. On the approach run we could see crash wagons and ambulances on both sides of the runway. We spent eight hours in Bombay before a replacement Aircraft arrived. The rest of the flight was uneventful but interesting as after Istanbul we flew across the Swiss Alps. It was like a winter wonderland. I spent three weeks in England and one week in France. I believe we were followed all around France as my passport said I worked for the Australian Government and didn’t mention anything about me being a Soldier. The reason I think we were followed was that at the Nord station in Paris where we tried to get a Taxi to take us to a Hotel, we found there were no taxi drivers that could speak English. Anyway out of the blue came this Woman who sorted things out for us. After settling in at the hotel, we decided to see Paris by night - three hours had passed since we’d booked in.

On Patrol in Malaya with 9mm Owen Gun When we got down to the street we had the same problem with the taxi driver. After a minute or so, the same woman appeared out of the blue and helped us again, as the time was 2am, I thought it was more than a coincidence. We arrived back in Malaya late in January 1965. Our tour was nearly over as we were to be relieved by 4RAR a battalion, which had been raised while we were in Malaya. Rumour had it that we were to prepare to go to Vietnam as the Australian Government intended to send a battalion there. However, in February 1965, it was decided to send Australian troops to Borneo where most of the fighting was going on. We sailed on the troop ship ‘M. V. Auby’. The Auby had formed part of the evacuation fleet that tried to escape from Singapore during the Second World War, (she only managed to reach Tandjong Priok, Batavia, where she was abandoned both from lack of fuel and in need of repairs). We left Singapore on the 20th of March 65; arriving in Kuching on the 22nd, We were immediately deployed along the border between Sarawak and Kalamantan (Indonesian Borneo). The first sight of our company position reminded me of ‘Dien Bien Phu’ as the position was in the middle of a Valley ringed by high mountains. Our first priority was to dig our fighting bays deeper as we had taken over from the Ghurkhas who were only small. All our resupplies were done by airdrops into the valley as there were no roads in and there were very few Helicopters, (what Choppers

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there were, were whirlwinds off the HMS Bulwark a British Aircraft Carrier). It was reported that there was one enemy battalion dug in on their side of the border in front of every one of our companies. When not on patrol we lived and slept in bunkers where the rats were so bad that the RAF paradropped cats in to us to try and solve the problem. However, soon the cats started disappearing, as we believe the rats ate the cats. On the afternoon of 23 March, A coy struck an Indonesian anti-personnel mine killing Sergeant Weiland and an Iban tracker by the name of Murdah Anak Jali, Corporal Hyland and Private Lee were wounded. In April, Lt Ivey stood on a mine, which bent the prongs but did not go off. Then on the 17th of May, Sergeant Vella who had taken over from Sergeant Weiland stood on another mine killing himself and Private Downes. The Indonesians tried to control the border area with the use of mortars between the 14th and 21st April there were five mortar attacks in the battalion area. On our right was the British 2nd parachute battalion and on our left were the 1st Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. We patrolled well into Indonesian territory, and if captured we were to say that we did not deliberately cross the border and request return to Malaysian or British authorities.

ambush was sprung. At least 12 enemy were killed by the first burst of fire, 3 more were killed when they tried to escape. There were up to 100 enemy in the party and only 14 Australians who withdrew under enemy fire carrying with them Jack Ezzy who had been wounded by a gunshot wound to the knee. Alby Kyle was also wounded by shrapnel from a mortar round but was able to walk out. On the night of 27-28 June the enemy attacked a police station on the KutchingSeria road which was to our rear. On 12 July, C Coy had another successful ambush, the enemy counter attacked and were driven back the results were 13 enemy killed and another 5 wounded there were no Australian casualties. When we patrolled across the border, support from the air was ruled out completely we could not call for air drops so we had to be self-sufficient for up to 10 days or more. On the 28th of July we were lifted by â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wessexâ&#x20AC;? choppers to the Aircraft Carrier HMS Bulwark three days later we landed on the beach at Terendak.

On 27 May, a patrol led by Lt Beale from B coy set up an ambush on the Sungai (river) Koemba. At around midday, two boats loaded with Indonesian Soldiers came down the river. These were engaged. A further two boats came in to view round the bend and these were also engaged by Private Jackson. He killed all in the third boat. The fourth boat put to shore forcing Jackson to engage them with grenades. The whole action took less than two minutes, by which time a further enemy group (which was 50 metres away) opened up with a heavy volume of automatic fire. At least fifteen enemy had been killed. There were two more successful ambushes in the first week of June. On 12 June, enemy were sighted approaching on foot along the river. These were engaged by 7 Pl C Coy with the results of eight enemy Killed, one seriously wounded and one escaped. There were no Australian casualties. A Coy set up an ambush along an east-west track leading to the border on the 15th of June when 25 Indonesians were in the killing ground the

36 | Malaysian Tales

LT Col Brewer platoon commander 12pl Delta Coy 3RAR

I enjoyed being forward scout in Borneo as on the way back into Serikan I would give some of my equipment to the others so I had nearly an empty pack, I would drop off and buy two bottles of engarn (a cheap and nasty local rice wine) then I would tag on the end and come in as tail end charley, the other reason I enjoyed it was that none of the women in the village wore tops unless we were around, I always caught them off guard before they could run for cover. On arriving in Borneo I was issued with a new rifle which was one of six being user-trialed by us. It was a M15E1 an early version of the M16. On one of our patrols I found myself waist deep in quicksand and sinking fast I quickly unloaded my rifle and stretched it out so that the second scout (Kel Jobson) could pull me out, on doing so I dropped the magazine and lost it, when I got back into Sereken Boy did I cop it for losing the mag. The second night after the battalion arrived back there was a big fight. The British battalion against the Australian battalion all hell broke loose, the fighting soon spread all over Terendak Garrison. My roommate at the time was Massa Clarke he came home crying because no one would fight him, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t blame them as he was a lean mean fighting machine. The final result was 25 Scots Guards in hospital to 2 Australians.

By then, I was a forward scout, carrying an Owen Sub Machinegun - a hell of a lot lighter than the Bren. All our resupplies were parachuted. The beauty of the resupplies was that we got a big stone jar of Rum dropped into us every resupply and this was potent stuff. We used to get one water bottle capful every night until it ran out and some of the fellers used to save up their ration and have it all at once, although that was illegal. The Company Headquarters that was situated about 10km from us, was known as the border club and had a nine hole golf course set

The remainder of our tour in Malaya passed It was around this6thtime that Lt 1965 Brian's replacement arrived. The Delta Company platoon quietly. On the of October I flew out of Singapore heading home, our first commanders were now Lt Col Brewer 12pl, Lt Bludger Blake 11pl, and Lt Bob Freebairn 10 stop was Darwin and then on to Sydney. I thishadwas to remain the as same until our return to Australia. From May until October, the Batta trouble in Darwin an Immigration flight from England landed at same of Malacca. did coast watching, across thethe Straits time that we did, when customs saw my MyInternational section wasHealth luckyCertificate as we hadthey an area north of Terendak at Kuala Linggi at the mouth of t thought I was from the other flight, so Just I Linggi River that we were to control. down from the mouth was a jetty where our anti t was detained while all the rest of the guys platoon Mobat antiBytank weapon to cover the mouth of the river. went uphad to set the up bar afor a beer. the time I had convinced them I was an Australian Soldier it was time to reboard to plane. (END)

Mouth of the Lingi River Malaya 1964

Tom Macdonald and myself at Border stone ten On the Malay/ Thai border - the border stone still said Siam

Mobat Recoilless Rifle coverin the mouth of the Lingi River Malaysian Tales | 37 Malaya 1964 Note: 7.62 Bren o

Got a question or comment for JOM? Send us a message. We would love your feedback! editor@jommagazine.com.au www.facebook.com.au/jommagazineaus www.jommagazine.com.au

2014 Tax Planning Strategies

BY S.E.A ACCOUNTANTS PTY LTD

The end ofthe financial year is just around the corner. If you have not done so, it’s time to step back and review various aspects of your business. Often small business owners are too busy and too tied up in their business and just have no time to examine the numbers. There is no point working so hard and sacrificing valuable time with your family and/ or something that you are really passionate about just to keep the business running and at the end of financial year you realise that the business did not generate any money or is busy but you have some cash flow issues and worst of all you have to pay more taxes than you should. Now is the time to put your business on track and to ensure that you pay the fair amount of tax.

from time to time, and the business structure that you are currently operating under might not suit you anymore or may not give you the maximum tax benefit or it simply may not provide you the level of asset protection that you require anymore.

Traditional tax planning is to bring forward deductions from the next financial year into this financial year such as prepaying rent, subscriptions, stock, etc… and to defer income to next financial year such as invoicing customers/ clients in the month of July instead of June. These methods sometimes may not seem logical or practical in that you will need to pay business expenses in advance (immediate cash out flow) in order to get a tax deduction or you will not invoice customers/clients until July (next financial year). However not having to overpay tax can help a business cash flow and statistics suggest that cash flow is one of the main reasons that 50% of small businesses fail within the first 5 years.

There are some small things that you can do to your business but the impacts can be significant. The abovementioned simple strategies are just some ways of making sure that you won’t pay more taxes than you have to. Consult and work with your accountant whenever you are making any major business decisions or any decisions that you think will generate tax consequences.

3. Superannuation contribution: superannuation remains a very attractive tax planning strategy. Concessional contributions (both employer and personal contributions) will be taxed at flat rate of 15% within the fund. If you have an adequate cash flow in the business, then putting extra into your super can save you tax and also help you to save for future.

-The information provided is for general information purposes only and should not be substituted for professional advice.

The following strategies will generally ensure that you will not pay taxes more than you have to:

Sponsored Article

1. Maintaining good accounting records: this is a very basic but effective aspect of tax planning to make sure that you capture all deductions that you are eligible for to reduce your taxable income and hence taxes. We are living in a digital age and it is not difficult to achieve this by setting up an accounting system (Xero, MYOB or Quickbooks) that hooks up your business bank accounts so transactions will be fed into the system on a regular basis for account allocation. You will also have updated accounting records at all times for making better and informed business decisions. If you prefer the traditional way then maintaining a cash book which records income and expenses details on a regular basis can also be a good accounting system. If you are not sure about deductibility of an expense or you are not sure whether a business decision you are about to make will have an impact on your taxes then consult with your accountant, for example when you are buying plant & equipment, motor vehicle or financing new investment, etc… so that you can make a tax effective business decision. 2. Reviewing your business structure: your business situation and your personal circumstances may change

Down to Business

Can you buy an established home cheaper than what the owner bought it for? It is possible, from an owner who has overpaid.

WRITES ERICK NG

Erick Ng is a licensed property buyer’s advocate at Capital Exchange International. He exclusively represents homebuyers and investors to master plan, search, evaluate and negotiate the purchase of their properties. Trained in architecture, construction and real estate, Erick’s client base ranges from first home buyers/investors to property developers and government officials. Erick was featured on Channel 9’s prime time show ‘Hot Property’ and 3CW Chinese Radio Station. He can be contacted via erick.ng@cexi.com.au.

40 |

Down to Business

What Happens If You Pay Too Much For Your Property? Whenever news of a new record price achieved for a property is published in the media, it is usually in a positive celebratory tone. While many high-profile purchases deserve a congratulatory blessing, there are some purchases that are regarded as more of a learning lesson than a smart move. However, very little media attention is paid to the overpaying mistakes property buyers make - and this causes such mistakes to be repeated again and again. However, many of these mistakes can be avoided. Being in the property market business, I get first hand news on the market pulse before results are reported on the mainstream media. One area that is rarely featured in the property media is when buyers have overpaid. In fact, most people prefer to keep quiet about their overpaid purchases. To obtain some insight, let’s do some investigative work here. What happens when a buyer pays too much for their property?

Bank Says No

has an impressive list of design, architecture and development awards under its belt. But these accolades do not necessarily translate to profits for the buyers. Unit 5 with 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and 2 car spaces was bought brand new in December 2009 for $810,000 but sold in March 2013 for $790,000. Unit 2 has 2 bedrooms plus study, 2 bathrooms and a car space. It was bought brand new for $925,000 in May 2009 but was sold for $817,000 in December 2012. Over a 3-year plus period, one recorded a loss of $20,000 and the other $108,000.

There are some property purchases which are fully paid by cash. For the majority of purchases, financing is usually obtained. If a buyer overpaid way above what the banks value the property at, the banks may reject the loan or only loan based on the bank’s valuation figure as oppose to the purchase price. The banks may not take the risk of financing a property which is over inflated in price, in which they could have problems liquidating the asset should the buyer default on payments. In 2010, a buyer paid over $1.3 million for a 4-bedroom house in Glen Waverley that was sitting on the market for a long time due to a greedy vendor. The bank valuation came back much lower at only $950,000. The buyer had to fork out the $350,000 in cash because the bank would only lend based on its valuation of $950,000.

Buy High, Sell Low

Capital Loss: Off-the-plan and Overpriced One of the risks of off-the-plan apartment purchases is that the valuation may come back less than the purchase price. This is a sentiment shared by many bank loan managers and property valuers in recent years in certain pockets of Melbourne with an oversupply situation. A prominent marketing feature of agents selling off-the-plan is the “saving” of stamp duty. Is the “saving” worth it when your property is not performing at all? Let’s see.

“

Can you buy an established home cheaper than what the owner bought it for? It is possible, from an owner who has overpaid. A case study in 5 Rubens Place, Templestowe proves this point. In February 2008, the 4-bedroom property was sold for $940,000. The new owner lived in it for 3 years and decided to sell for a reserve of $1,120,000 but it was passed-in with a vendor bid at $1,050,000. A buyer then bought it for $1,075,000 in February 2011 while a slightly smaller 3-bedroom neighbour 6 Rubens Place was sold for $800,000 a month before. In October 2013, the property was for sale again and this time it was passed in to the highest bidder at $980,000 and subsequently sold for $1,040,000 after auction with the vendor losing $35,000 plus agent’s fees and marketing costs.

One of the risks of off-

In recent years, the Forest Hill Overpaid Buyers Sued Estate Agent the-plan apartment Successfully precinct in South Yarra has seen highdensity apartments going upwards. purchases is that the In 2011, a high profile court case Unfortunately, the prices are not heading that direction and in fact, bank valuation may come that was widely reported in major valuations came back downward. An newspapers told the property buying back less than the off-the-plan investment purchase was story of the prominent Melbourne made in July 2010 for a 2-bedroom plastic surgeon Chris Moss and his wife purchase price. apartment in 50 Claremont Street, Andrea John, who were deceived in South Yarra for $679,000. At the 2012 overpaying for their Toorak apartments. settlement, the bank valuation came back at $630,000. The property was passed-in at $2.11 million to the couple. Apart from having to scramble for extra money to pay off Post negotiation saw the couple offered $2.7 million which the property or cop a loss if it was to be resold, the buyer was accepted. However, the couple obtained evidence that also had to endure low rents due to strong competition from the real estate agent had duped them into paying more the hundred other apartments nearby up for lease. Current because he had fabricated a fictitious post auction bid of comparable sales in 2014 are still showing the property has $2.6 million. The couple eventually won the court case and not achieved any capital growth. This happens more often the judge found that the property is only worth $2.5 million than people think. and awarded them the $200,000 difference. In Melbourne CBD, a buyer who bought a 2-bedroom apartment off-the-plan in the MY80 development at 80 A’Beckett Street paid $610,000 in 2013 and currently he is struggling to sell the unit due to an abundance of supply, forcing him to lower his resale price. The troubled Docklands precinct is another area not short of overpaid news. A Docklands apartment that was bought for $1.5 million off-the-plan was sold for $900,000 after 2 years. That is a massive $600,000 loss. Buy Brand New, Sell at a Loss

The court case has highlighted that it is too easy for property buyers to be deceived into overpaying more than what the property is worth. Many similar cases are never reported in the media and if such incidents occur, relief is often out of the hands of everyday buyers who may not have the time and money to sue for damages. It is therefore crucial for property buyers to be very vigilant and careful in their property buying projects. --

Buying brand new properties can also run the risk of overpaying. One such example is the Hue Apartments in Richmond. The complex of 28 units of various configurations

Down to Business

Anthony Nathan The simple delights of a curry puff business

The secret of a good Curry Puff lies in the recipe. First inherited from previous generations, this precious formula has been enhanced over the years to ensure a constantly changing and delectable taste. A brilliant pastry chef pays the most attention to details, like the temperature of the oven, the types of ingredients used and the wavering aroma of the curry. Making curry puffs and other pastries is a life-long dedication and it requires commitment, perseverance, and passion. WRITES JONATHAN LIAN PHOTOGRAPHS MICHAELA SWAMPILLAI

Australian born Anthony Nathan has been making and selling curry puffs ever since he inherited his parents’ business at the young age of 20. Together with his sister, he took charge of Tamby Party Foods, a pastry supplying business first started by his Italian mom and Malaysian dad. Anthony and his sister began with a few workers, little money to expand and no automated equipment. Today he stands in his own shop in Ivanhoe, with an assembly line of machinery and a team of dedicated staff. His little factory produces curry puffs and other tasty morsels on a daily basis, packed up and prepared for hungry clients, take away shops and restaurants around Victoria.

His curry puffs have been quite a hit, as he recently delivered a new batch to restaurants inside the Crown Casino Complex. Asian takeaways around Melbourne are Anthony’s frequent clients, along with caterers and a good percentage of the general public. He plans to push his business further into the commercial retail market, “so people can cook our curry puffs in their ovens and enjoy them there rather having to go out to a take-away shop or a restaurant,” Anthony said.

essence suited for general consumption, but just in case you like it hot, he also serves a spicier version for his more daring customers. It all began as a humble family recipe passed down from his Malaysian father. This exotic formula was further enhanced and enriched by Anthony’s Italian mother when she got married in Malaysia. Anthony remembers his late mother as a natural cook with a keen eye for new recipes and a natural ability to add her own twist to any dish. She took the family’s curry puff recipe and worked on it without risking the overall flavour or the authentic Malaysian taste.

“Living in Melbourne, I found

some of the eating and drinking cultures here very trend-based, with residents going through different phases of flavours and eateries that changes every year.

When the word “curry puff” comes to mind, several of Anthony’s customers immediately believe the pastry is agonisingly spicy with an overly strong flavour. Anthony’s puffs however, feature a perfect balance of spice and

Down to Business

Anthony takes great care in the success of his shop, as his parents ran this business for a long time just to make ends meet. “My parents worked for many years, they worked 15 to 16 hours a day just to make this business work. My dad always had a dream to make this into a success and growing it into a national business,” he said. Even after passing the torch to his children, Anthony’s father remains a strong supporter of the business. “When I go home, we can talk about our ideas and I also ask for his advice on what is the best way forward.” Anthony says. Anthony’s management of Tamby Party Foods started out on shaky ground, as labour was expensive and their pastries were all hand-made. It was a vicious cycle; the hired labour took up most of the business’s revenue and to buy machinery, Anthony needed extra funds. “To go automated with no money was a big problem. We almost lost our business a couple of times,” Anthony added. “It was a slow process, but we did manage to buy our own pastry machines. That was when we started to make a big difference,” he said. Things also began to pick up over the last few years with the population boom in Melbourne. More residents meant more potential clients, and this spelt good news for

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Down to Business

Anthony’s business. “It is easy to grow your business in a population that is ever expanding,” he said. Yet, the food market still remains competitive. Anthony plans to export his delicacies to other states in Australia, with Sydney being the first on the list. Despite travelling there regularly to purchase equipment, Anthony has never lived in Malaysia, but he observes the lifestyle there to be centred on mealtimes as social gatherings, where family and friends come together and bond over food. “Living in Melbourne, I found some of the eating and drinking cultures here very trend-based, with residents going through different phases of flavours and eateries that changes every year,” Anthony said. “It’s always moving forward so it’s quite rare to find a place which is the cuisine of the month for too long. People here are always looking for something unexpected and exciting, and to get their attention, you must have good food at a good price.” With a booming population here in Melbourne, a demand for authentic Malaysian cuisine will always be on the rise. For curry puff lovers seeking a quality snack with a notable taste, Anthony’s pastries will definitely do the trick. --

Change is Sweet We might be guilty of a few stereotypes here in Melbourne. When we walk into a small Italian restaurant, we expect the recipes to be handed down from the chefâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Italian grandmother. When we tuck in to a bowl of pho, we assume that the people who made the dish are of Vietnamese origin. And when we go hunting for the usual Malaysian comfort food, we insist that the owner has ties to Malaysia. That is why it could be difficult to convince the fussy public that someone can actually learn, master and recreate food from a culture they were never part of. WRITES ANNIE HARIHARAN PHOTOGRAPHS JOYCE NG

Down to Business

Introducing Pamela Chan; a Malaysian born, Melbourne based amateur pâtissier who manages a home business called Pam’s Petit Morsels and has an amazing repertoire of French treats which includes macarons, chocolate delice and opera cake . As if to challenge our pre-existing notions of who is a pâtissier, Pamela is neither French nor has she lived in France. So, what is her story? “In 2011, I was a newly-wed and my husband Nick got me a kitchen aid machine. It cost almost 800 bucks which was quite expensive. So I really wanted to maximize the investment and decided I wouldn’t bother with simple cakes or muffins. I decided, instead, to master the most difficult treat. And what treat is more difficult than macarons?” Pamela has a point. Macarons are notoriously temperamental and every step can be fraught with difficulties. If the egg whites are overbeaten, the macaron shells will be hollow. If the almond powder is too oily, the macaron shells will be splotchy. If the oven is too hot, the feet of the macaron will spread out sideways. And we haven’t even got to problems associated with the fillings. Pamela spent one year just trying to master the art of making macarons, and in that process there were many failed batches. To improve, she relied heavily on YouTube for guidance and followed Chef Raymond Blanc online for inspiration. After some time, she found techniques and tips that worked for her. “To make a good meringue, I prefer the Italian version, which involves heating up the sugar and pouring it into the egg whites. In comparison, the French version involves whipping the eggs and sprinkling in the sugar. I found the Italian method creates a very stable meringue and more consistent cookie”.

(Above) Pamela making durian macarons. The fillings are what make Pamela’s macarons unique. She makes the usual flavours, like coffee, pistachio, chocolate and salted caramel but has braved some Asian-inspired flavours like sesame, red bean, green tea, pandan gula melaka and even durian! Not surprisingly, the durian flavoured macarons are her best seller. It may have something to do with her insistence on using actual durian and not just durian extracts in the fillings. “I buy only frozen musang king durian from the Asian groceries, because no other durian type has the same taste or flavour. I then peel all the flesh, cook it with some

46 |

Down to Business

“I decided I wouldn’t bother with simple cakes or

muffins. I decided, instead, to master the most difficult treat. And what treat is more difficult than macarons?

cream and add it to the chocolate ganache. That’s all it takes really! And then I pipe it to the macaron shells whenever there are orders. The smell is so strong that I have to separate the durian flavoured macarons from the rest.” Once Pamela found a steady stream of customers for her macaron business, she started experimenting and making other French-based treats such as tarts, madeleines, as well as the chocolate delice with hazelnut praline which she beautifully tops with homemade salted caramel

macaron slices and edible rose petals before serving it to us. ”I really like French desserts because they’re beautiful and delicate. I have always been involved in arts and crafts so I like using my skills to make the food appealing as much as it is tasty. To get inspiration, I go to some of my favourite restaurants in the city like LuxBite or Chez Dre, taste the desserts and ponder how I can recreate it.” Thanks to this creative streak, Pamela is happy to take on challenges from her customers. “Sometimes people ask me to recreate cakes or treats they have seen in magazines. Sometimes they just tell me the colour theme of their party and their favourite flavour, and I have to research to get an idea of what to make. One customer wanted an opera cake which is made with layers of almond sponge cake, ganache and coffee buttercream. I followed the technique but also added salted caramel in one of the layers, which is my way of making it my own.” Pamela hopes to enrol in a pâtisserie course to get some formal training in the art she loves so much. “I already have the basics, but I now want to master it”. Pamela makes the desserts to order for weddings, baby showers and birthdays. Visit www.pamspetitmorsels.com.au for more product and pricing details.

Down to Business

Let it Snow!

Kathy Ryan may look like a typical sunny girl from tropical Negeri Sembilan, but she has a passion for one thing that couldn’t be further from home – snow. Kathy has travelled the world visiting the world’s most famous whitecapped slopes and shares with us some of her experience from the cold.

I was 11 years old when I touched my first snow. It was in London and we were visiting one of our aunts who was studying there at that time. At about 4pm, I saw white flakes on the pavement and I looked up. The snowflakes were beautiful and suddenly it was silent everywhere for me as I watched the snow fell from the sky and drifted away with the soft breeze. One of the snowflakes touched my skin and it tingled as I was born in the tropics and did not know what to expect. Five years later my whole family went to Engelberg, Switzerland for a holiday. Snow was everywhere; I think there and then my fate with snow was sealed. It seemed strange for a person born in the tropics to love snow so much. To love the cold and chilly weather. Being in the snow transcended me into a world of my own; the silence of the white scenery was just magical.

48 | Styling Life

“For a first timer, I'd

recommend Mt Buller. For more seasoned skier, I'd recommend Falls Creek as it has the classic European skiing village feel. Mt Hotham is also good if you are interested in a nontypical slope style.

The story did not end there. Not only snow, I was obsessed with extreme sports as well. Hence it was only natural that I got hooked on skiing after I learnt how to ski. The story started at Mount Buller in 2008. Just like any other student who came to study in Australia, to visit a snowfield was one of the items in the list of things to do. After 3 days of trashing my body against the white steep slopes of Buller, I was certain that I have found a new sport to be obsessed with. My obsession with skiing has seen me travelling to New Zealand twice (The Remarkables, Coronet Peak, Cardrona), Canada (Whistler/Whistralia, Revelstoke, Kicking Horse) and of course Australia every year (Falls Creek, Mount Hotham, Falls Creek, Lake Mountain). Next on my list would be Japan in 2015 and perhaps Europe.

Here are some tips for you if you'd like to go skiing. FACT 1: Snow forms when the temperature is low and there is moisture in the air. Precipitation usually falls as snow when temperature drops below 2degrees. It’s cold up there in the mountains, regardless the fact that the Australian Alps is only 1 / 4 size of Mount Everest. If you want to go skiing, make sure you have the right gear. For clothing I’d recommend getting yourself some thermals and woollen socks, complete with beanie and gloves. Also, if you don’t own a ski jacket and a pair of ski pants, you can easily rent these at the resort. Alternatively you can borrow your mate’s. While the prices can vary depending on the technical

Styling Life

aspects of the clothing, I’d recommend checking out places like Coalition Brands on Chapel St. They usually have massive snow sale yearly for ski jackets, pants and accessories such as goggles, helmets, beanies and gloves. FACT 2 : Snowsport is not cheap. Let’stake Mount Buller for an example. It’s only 248kms north east of Melbourne or less than 3 hours to get there thus has one of the highest number of day visitors per ski season. At Mansfield, it is recommended to hire snow chains as it is a requirement to carry chains at all times upon entering the resort area. This would cost about $40. Upon entering Mt Buller, pay $40 for the resort entry fee per car. If you are a beginner, you’d expect to fork out $173 for the Discovery Pass and equipment hire (boots, skis and poles OR boots and snowboard). This pass includes the 2-hour beginner lesson and access to all beginner lifts. Normal adult lift pass only cost the same and allows you to use all chair lifts, without any lessons though. Lunch is not cheap up there either. You’d expect to spend about $15-$20 for a decent meal. Pack your own lunch to save some money. On the way back to Melbourne, you can

50 | Styling Life

stop somewhere for dinner. In total, you’d be spending about $250 a day, excluding the cost of petrol. Upon getting back home, you suddenly have this itch to keep skiing. Next thing you know you’d be scouring over the internet for a cheap 10k/10k water repellent ski jacket that would cost next to nothing, looking at a few pairs of twin-tip skis and a new set of goggles. When you add up the cost, it feels like you’d have to sell one of your kidneys for the items in your wish list.

FACT 3 : Plan on where and when to go. Save where you can. It was a famous hearsay that the cost of spending a week skiing in New Zealand would cost the same as a weekend in an Australian resort. This is true because I have done this twice now. Some tips here are to wait for a massive NZ sale by Jetstar and buy a return ticket for $150 or less. Try to ski during off peak times. Usually August is the peak season, hence prices will be ridiculous and lack of accommodation vacancy. For a first timer, I’d recommend Mt Buller. For more

seasoned skier, I’d recommend Falls Creek as it has the classic European skiing village feel. Mt Hotham is also good if you are interested in a non-typical slope style as the village is higher than the base of most chairlifts, with the exception of Big D and the Summit chair. FACT 4 : Be ready to get hurt. Listen to your body. Push yourself. Even if you are a super fit person, you are still bound to get hurt in some ways. The first 3 days I tried the sport, I went home with massive bruises all over me. The second year I went skiing, I broke my Medial Collateral Ligament in New Zealand. It took me 6 months to heal and only after a year, my knees were operating the way it was. This injury did not stop me from skiing, but it made me more determined than ever to work on my techniques. In 2012, I went heli-skiing in Canada and hurt my knee

again. and skied like a total spatz on an absolutely magical untouched terrain. I felt sorry for the group guides as they were trying to help me and thought that I was a total novice. I love challenges. I smell the opportunity to learn in a hard situation. In the past few years, I have been improving my skiing techniques, pushing myself to conquer my fear over certain obstacles. If you are a beginner, keep pushing yourself. The first time is always going to be hard, you will fall hard on the snow, but if you are that interested you’d never give up. So there you go, a concise list of how you should start your skiing holiday in Victoria. Last year I finally ticked off all available skiable runs at Falls Creek. Niseko and Rusutsu in Japan are next on my list. Don’t forget to say hi if you see me on the slopes! Let’s SKI!!! --

Styling Life

Bite-Sized Spice

Oodles of Noodles

Recipe: Dark Hokkien Noodles by Poh Republished from her new book, “Same Same But Different” This is a dish my mum and Great Aunty Kim cook a lot for Sunday lunch or for big family get-togethers. There is always a big dish of this in the middle of the buffet table because the little ones love it. This is best eaten hot when the sauces haven’t been completely soaked up by the noodles, giving them a delightfully slippery texture. Serves 2-3 Ingredients 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 cloves garlic, peeled, finely chopped 250g pork neck/shoulder OR chicken, finely sliced 100g fish cake, sliced into 5mm thick pieces* (optional) 10 medium prawns, shelled, deveined and halved lengthways ½ medium cabbage, cut into 1cm slices OR equivalent amount of Chinese cabbage (wombok), choy sum OR bok choy, sliced into 4cm pieces ¼ cup (60ml) thick (caramel) soy sauce* 2 tablespoons oyster sauce 1 tablespoon light soy sauce 500g hokkien noodles 2 cups (500ml) chicken stock OR water

“The number one

priority with anything I make is always, does it express warmth and is it delicious? Cleverness is always last. Cleverness is about ego not flavour.

Method In a medium wok or large frypan heat the oil over high heat and sauté the garlic for a few seconds until slightly golden. Add the pork, fish cake and prawns and stir-fry until cooked through, then add the cabbage and stir-fry for a further 2 minutes. If using a finer Asian green like choy sum instead of cabbage, add at the end while the noodles are simmering so they are not overcooked and retain a nice crunch. Add the caramel soy, oyster sauce, light soy, noodles and chicken stock OR water. Simmer until cabbage and noodles are just tender and stock has reduced a little. Serve immediately portioned into individual bowls or on a large platter to share. *Fish cakes and thick soy sauce are available from Asian grocers. Fish cakes are found in the fridge or freezer section. Thick soy is also called caramel soy but is different from kecap manis or dark soy.

Styling Life

Recipe: Sarawak Laksa by Emily Loo Ingredients

Serves 3-4

Laksa Paste 10 shallots, chopped 4 single bulb garlics, chopped 1 large knob of galangal chopped 10 long red chillies, cut into chunks 5 Eagle Eye Chillies 5 lemongrass (white parts only), chopped 1 cup of dried chillies, soaked in hot water for 20 minutes 8 candlenuts 2tbs deep fried shallot 50 g of cumin seeds, dry toasted and pound with mortar 100 g of coriander seeds, dry toasted and pound with mortar 6 star anise, dry toasted and pound with mortar 7 cloves, dry toasted and 2 nutmegs, pound with mortar 10 cardamoms, pound with mortar 1 tbsp of salt 4 cups of peanut oil

54 | Styling Life

Laksa Stock 1 knob of palm sugar (Gula Melaka) 2 tamarin skin, soaked in hot water for 3 minutes 1 cup of dried shrimps, soak in hot water for 3 minutes 1 knob of shrimp paste (belacan), bake for 10 minutes or until dried 3 tbsp of fish sauce 1 tbsp of Dai Pai Dong brand free range chicken stock powder (Can be replaced with Maggie anchovy stock powder or cube) ½ chicken and 1 whole chicken bones ½ kg of tiger prawn – remove shell and deveined, prawn flesh reserve for garnish 1 x 400g of coconut cream and 1 x 400g coconut milk – must be Ayam brand 1 tsb of white pepper powder 2 tbsp red chilli powder 1 cup of sesame seeds, toasted 1.5 cups of roasted peanut

Garnish 100g of squid- white part only 1 tsb of deep fried shallot Fresh coriander leaves Fresh Mint leaves 2 eggs –beaten 1 tsb soy sauce Tofu puffs Bean sprouts Rice vermicelli 1 lime wedges Method Please number your steps and remember to include temperatures and times Serves 4, prep time - 35 minutes, cook time including boiling stock - 50 mins 1) Bring 3L of water to boil and add the 1/2 chicken and bone. 2) Return to boil then cover and turn it down to a simmer for 20 minutes. 3) Remove chicken and submerge in cold water. This is a great way of poaching a whole chicken, tender juicy flesh every time! 4) Add in the chicken stock powder or anchovy stock powder and continue to boil the chicken stock. In the meantime, heat up 2 tbs of vegetable oil. Stir fry dried shrimps until fragrant. Put half of the fried dried shrimps into the boiling chicken stock and reserve the other half. 5) Stir fry chilli (fresh and dried all together) until fragrant or until you can hear people start sneezing around you, then put aside. Same goes with shallots, garlic, and lemon grass. 6) Put all the laksa paste ingredients including ingredient from step 4 and 5 to food processor and process till smooth. 7) Add ½ cup of oil to a wok or a large pot and cook spice paste on medium heat, stirring constantly. 8) When oil starts to separate, add in salt and palm sugar and continue cooking until sugar melted then put the laksa paste straight into the chicken and shrimp stock together with tamarin skin and prawn shells. 9) Remove skin and hand shred chicken into bite size pieces, discharge skin and keep bones for stock (If using whole chicken). 10) Grind the toasted sesame seeds and peanuts in a grinder and add into the laska stock. 11) By this time the laksa stock has already turned thick and red. Add in coconut milk, fish sauce and shrimp paste. Boiled till the coconut milk oil separated or red colour oil appear on top of the boiling stock. 12) Heat oil in the wok until very hot. Deep fried the prawn till cooked (roughly 3 mins only) then set aside for the prawn to self-cook. Do the same on the squid but when the squid start curling remove from wok and set aside. Season with salt. 13) Take out 3 tbs of the oil that had been used in deep frying prawns and squid on a clean saucepan and heat till very hot. Add in beaten egg and make omelette. Cut

cooked omelette into strips and set aside for garnish. 14) In another pot of boiling water- put in the vermicelli and boil for 2 mins. Strain the vermicelli and run under cold water to prevent further cooking. Set aside. 15) In a deep bowl, place rice vermicelli, blanched bean sprouts, chicken, prawns and omelette then ladle some broth over. Top with cut chillies and coriander and mint leaves, sprinkle deep fried shallots and serve with a wedge of lime.

“It’s important to respect the

person behind who developed the recipe. If you respect the recipe, you are respecting all the ingredients, the person behind and your future career.

Styling Life

Recipe: Deep Fried Baby Snapper with Green Papaw Salad by Alvin Quah Ingredients Peanut oil for deep frying 1 small whole snapper (to fit a large wok), scaled and scored deeply on both sides 1 tbsp plain flour 1 tsp sea salt flakes ½ tsp turmeric 1 green papaw peeled and shredded 5 spring onions (scallions), sliced finely 1 large red chilli, deseeded and sliced finely ½ zucchini, julienned ½ carrot, julienned ¼ cup coriander leaves, roughly chopped ¼ cup mint leaves, roughly chopped 3 tbsp lime juice 3 tbsp brown sugar 3 tbsp fish sauce 2 tbsp sesame oil Fried shallots for garnish Method Heat oil in the wok until it reaches 180C. In a bowl, mix flour, sea salt and turmeric. Coat snapper with flour mix then gently lower snapper into hot oil. Cook for 6-8 minutes or until golden. Remove from hot oil and set aside on a paper towel to drain. In a large mixing bowl, combine green papaw, spring onions, chilli, zucchini, carrot, coriander and mint leaves. To make the dressing, combine lime juice, palm sugar, fish sauce and sesame oil in a mixing bowl. Dress the salad then pour over fish and garnish with fried shallots. Alvin Quah, former MasterChef contestant in 2010

56 | Styling Life

Recipe: Kaya Bread Pudding by Jackie M Kaya jam is a sweet, custard-like coconut caramel similar to dulce de leche. It is often served at breakfast, spread on grilled toast with a pat of butter. This recipe uses kaya to give traditional bread pudding a special Malaysian twist. Serves 6 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 8 Ingredients 40 g (1/4 cup) sultanas 80 ml (1/3 cup) hot water 50 g softened butter, divided 400 ml (1 can) coconut cream 4 large eggs pinch sea salt 10 thick slices soft fruit bread 250 ml (1 cup) Kaya Jam, divided, plus extra to serve 1 1/2 Tbsp raw sugar Method Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F). Soak sultanas in hot water until plump, about 5 minutes. Rub half the butter across base and sides of a 22x33 cm baking dish. Whisk coconut cream, eggs and salt until well combined. Drain sultanas and whisk soaking liquid into coconut mixture. Coat bread slices in coconut mixture and layer in buttered dish, adding a spoonful of kaya jam and some sultanas between each slice. Pour any lingering coconut mixture over bread. Spoon remaining kaya over the top, dot with butter and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 30 - 40 minutes until golden brown and bubbly. Serve warm or at room temperature with a bit of extra kaya drizzled over the top. Notes: Recipe can be halved and prepared in a square 20 cm cake tin.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Learn how to do it

authentically, then improvise and adapt. Jackie M, celebrity chef and Malaysian street food expert based in Sydney

Styling Life

Food. Diversity.Unity WRITES CHRISTINA YEO

While best known for his writings on vegetarianism, Jonathan Safran Foer’s quote that relates to me most is this; “Food is not rational. Food is culture, habit, craving and identity.” In fact, food to me is a means of cultural exploration; from ingredient acquisition, preparation and presentation to the point of consumption. Food is culture For those of us coming from multi-cultural societies, we can relate to the richness of our food culture; a diverse array and variety that one can explore and appreciate. They are representations of different ethnicities, nationalities, and heritages. Taking Malaysian cuisine for example; it is a melange of traditions from its multi-racial population. There are various main dishes, savouries and desserts: satay, nasi lemak, roti canai, kuih koci, apam balik, cendol, and hinava (a traditional Kadazandusun dish), to name a few.

the ‘makan untuk hidup’ need (not vice versa, though we Malaysians just love our food), food can actually strengthen bonds between individuals, communities and nations. Most of us would have observed that food from different nationalities are presented and shared during events like international tourism and trade promotions, schools’ cultural days, and social gatherings at a community level. This practice facilitates the knowledge exchange of cultural food and practices while also creating socioeconomic connections and opportunities to socialise. Similar to sports, food brings people together irrespective of background. “Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are,” wrote renowned gastronome Jean Anthelme BrillatSavarin. Food shapes people and culture; may this be a point you ponder when you sit down to eat your next meal. --

Food is also distinctively compared and appreciated across different geographical locations in the country. As a Sarawakian, one tends to boast that Sarawak Laksa is the best compared to the other versions from the other states in Malaysia. Penangites would suggest Penang Char Kway Teow as the most superb, while people in the East Coast would recommend Nasi Dagang and Kerabu instead of Nasi Kandar. The comparison list is endless. Food diversity and migration As a result of colonisation and historical migrations, there are Malaysian dishes with Thai, Portuguese, Javanese, Dutch or British influences. Some of these are direct adaptations by immigrants who have since assimilated into the local community. For instance, Javanese immigrants introduced ayam penyet, begedil and tempeh which are slightly different from the mainstream Malay food. Another example of cross cultural gastronomic adaptation is the Peranakan or Nyonya food. It is a rich blend of Chinese and Malay cooking with influences from Indonesia, China and Thailand. Some significant Peranakan dishes are pongteh, asam laksa, kari kapitan and otak-otak. There is indeed a complex relationship between food and migration. Food indirectly provides immigrants trade opportunities as well as a means of maintaining their cultural identities. Food unites people Food connects people and builds relationships. Beyond

58 |

Think, Talk, Laugh

Christina Yeo is currently pursuing her PhD in Geography, Environment and Population in Adelaide. She is making a study of the motivations and progression of Malaysian and Australian diaspora moving between both countries. As part of her research, she has designed an online survey of Malaysians in Australia. “I humbly invite fellow Malaysians, aged 18 and above, currently living and working in Australia, to participate in this survey. Malaysians here include persons of Malaysian origin. Your participation is highly appreciated.” To assist her, please go to www.surveymonkey.com/s/MalaysiansInAustralia

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Talk, Think, Laugh

Photo: Indonesian’s tempeh.

said “We are the nation of Indonesia, don’t let us be a tempeh nation!” But today, it is one of the largest and most-valuable non-meat crops in the world. Part of the reason for this, however, is that it is a favoured feed of another of the most valuable – cattle. But soya’s journey to being a major cattle feed in itself is interesting.

Kurang Manis

BY JULIAN LEE

So much soya

Whenever I go to a ‘mixed rice’ stall, one of the things I am mostly likely to choose is the tempeh goreng. I love the crunchy nutty flavour so much. In Malaysia and Indonesia, it is even more attractive given that it is usually so cheap to buy in the market. However, in Australia, it can be quite pricey. As a result, it takes on the feel of an especially wholesome vegetarian food. Much the same can be said for many other soya bean products, which can be found in the ‘health’ section of Australian supermarkets. However, an odd thing is that the soya bean has had changing fortunes. Indonesia’s first president, Sukarno, derided tempeh as a foodstuff of the poor. In seeking to paint a picture of the modern Indonesian nation, he once

60 | Think, Talk, Laugh

Industrial cattle farmers seek rates of growth for their cows that are not achievable from grass alone. A high protein source is desirable. I learned a few years ago, to my amazement, that until relatively recently, anchovies were fed to cattle. This continued until the populations of anchovies crashed. As a substitute, cattle were then fed the discarded remains – including the brains – of cattle. However, when mad cow disease broke out, this had to stop. The replacement until now is soya. Whether you realise it or not, the chances are that when you sit down to eat, directly or indirectly, there is a high chance that there is soya on your plate. And if you want to be sure, you can add a dash of soy sauce. Julian CH Lee is the author of two books and is a lecturer in International Studies at RMIT University.

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Where to get JOM We are often asked where hardcopies of JOM can be found. For your convenience, here is the list of places where you can get a copy of JOM Magazine! (Unless they have run out!) Melbourne CBD and City Fringe Consulate General of Malaysia, Melbourne (432 St Kilda Road, Melbourne) Malaysia Hall (4K High Street, Windsor) Hometown Grocery (440 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne) Laguna Asian Grocery (QV Melbourne) Papparich (QV Melbourne) Blackball (8/206 Bourke Street, Melbourne) Petaling Street Restaurant (188 Little Bourke St) Sugar Bun/ Nanyang Bak Kut Teh (205 Russell Street, Melbourne) Chilli Padi, Melbourne Central Secret Recipe, Melbourne Central Café Crema (488 Swanston Street, Melbourne) Yahweh Asian Grocery (594-600 Swanston Street, Carlton) Norsiah’s Kitchen (604 Swanston Street, Carlton) Chilli Padi, Flemington (295 Racecourse Rd, Kensington) Chef Lagenda (16 Pin Oak Crescent, Flemington) Laksa King (6-12 Pin Oak Crescent, Flemington) Wonder Cafe at Tune Hotels (609 Swanston St, Carlton) LuxBite (38 Toorak Rd, South Yarra) Sydney PappaRich Chatswood (1/63A Archer Street, Chatswood) PappaRich Broadway (185 Broadway, Ultimo) Malaysia Silverfish Books (28 Jalan Telawi, Bangsar Baru, Kuala Lumpur)

Melbourne Suburbs China Bar Signature, Burwood (380 Burwood Highway, Burwood East) PappaRich (Chadstone Shopping Centre) PappaRich (540 Doncaster Road, Doncaster) Best Asian Grocery (Kingsway, Glen Waverley) Yeoh Enterprise Asian Groceries (1306 High Street Road, Wantirna South) Grand Tofu (5/53 Kingsway, Glen Waverley) Kampung Story (Ste45/300 Point Cook Road, Point Cook) Asian Supermarket (Point Cook) Hong Kong Asian Grocery, Clayton (367 Clayton Road, Clayton) Circle K Asian Groceries (High St, Doncaster) Jackson Corner Store (Jackson Crt, Doncaster East) Mihub Cafe (12 Synott St, Werribee) NEW! Mitcham Post Office (Mitcham Road, Mitcham) NEW! Rasa Malaya (272 Blackburn Road, Doncaster) NEW! Tai Pan Restaurant (Blackburn Road, Doncaster) NEW! Badminton Connect (13 Duerdin St, Clayton) NEW! Yeoh’s Enterprise (High St, Knox)

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JOYS OF MALAYSIANS

1 YEAR OLD Special Edition

50th Malaysia

Day

ISSN 2201 - 3016

9 772201 301002

ISSUE 06 AUG/SEPT 2013

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