Recipes

Lutheran Church in Malaysia and Singapore

Malaysia, occupying both the southern part of the Malay peninsula as well as part of the island of Borneo, is like its neighbor Indonesia in having a cuisine that mixes Asian with Pacific island influences. Most of the country is hot and tropical, and a variety of tropical plants flourish there. Most Malaysians today are small farmers, growing rice, fruits and vegetables for home use and oil palm, rubber and cacao for export. The capital city of Kuala Lumpur has become an international city with business interests representing many parts of the world, but you can still find Asian-style markets and street vendors not too far from the western-style fast food restaurants.

Banana Pancakes
Pisang pancakes
Serves 4

The varieties of bananas grown in Malaysia would surprise a visitor from the U.S. accustomed to the one or two varieties that find their way to our supermarkets. There are many types of both sweet and cooking bananas, each with a distinct flavor, size and texture, ranging in color from yellow to green to red to nearly purple. The bananas are picked just before they are ripe and hung in a shaded area protected from small mammals to ripen. The banana "tree" is not really a true tree at all. The entire "tree" is cut down to remove the one "rope" of bananas it bears, and a new plant will replace it.

2 eggs	1 tablespoon coconut cream (available canned in most supermarkets)
1 tablespoon sugar	4 to 5 ripe sweet bananas, mashed
1 cup self-rising flour	margarine or cooking oil

Begin by beating the eggs with the sugar. Then sift the flour and fold it into the eggs, a little at a time. Stir in the coconut cream.

When this is done, scoop in the mashed bananas and mix well.

Melt a little margarine (or use oil) in a frying pan and when it is hot, pour in 2 tablespoons of batter. Tilt the pan so the mix coats the bottom and cook until lightly browned. Turn and cook the other side.

Fold the pancake into a triangle and remove it from the pan. Set it aside to keep warm while you cook the remaining batter. Serve with wedges of lemon and additional bananas.

Recipe from The World in Your Kitchen by Troth Wells, Second Story Press, 1993, p. 145.

Chicken Rendang
Rendang Ayam (ren-DAHNG ah-yuhm)
Serves 4 to 5

Rendang is meat with spices, coconut milk and lemon grass.

Fry in 3 tablespoons oil:
6 shallots or 1 large onion, chopped
2 hot red chili peppers, cut lengthwise or 1 teaspoon hot red pepper (cayenne)
3 teaspoons ginger root, grated
6 cloves of garlic, crushed


When golden brown, add: 2 pounds chicken breasts, skin removed, cut into medium pieces 3 stalks fresh lemon grass, ends crushed or 2 teaspoons dried lemon grass 2 cups water 1-1/2 cups coconut milk*

Bring to a boil. When the chicken is almost cooked, add: 1 teaspoon sugar another 1-1/2 cups coconut milk

Return to a boil. Lower heat and allow chicken to simmer uncovered until very tender, about 1-1/2 hours. When done, the chicken will begin to flake apart when stirred and much of the liquid will be evaporated.
Add: Salt to taste

Serve with hot rice and cucumbers sliced diagonally. You may substitute lamb or stew beef for the chicken.

* You can make coconut milk by combining the meat from one fresh coconut, cut into chunks, with 3 c. (750 ml) hot but not quite boiling water in a blender. Blend two to three minutes. Let stand for twenty minutes. Strain in a cloth, squeezing all the liquid from the coconut. Use immediately or keep in the refrigerator for up to four days. If you do not have a blender, you can grate the coconut by hand and pour the boiling water over it. You can purchase canned coconut milk, or even find coconut milk powder in some "gourmet" stores, but do not confuse this with coconut cream. If you cannot find coconut, you can replace the coconut milk with regular milk and 2 T. (30 ml) of grated coconut, dry or frozen.

Recipes from Extending the Table: a world community cookbook by Joetta Handrich Schlabach, Herald Press, 1991, pp. 227 and 295.