Food and Malaysians are never far apart. One issue that bonds us across the nation, day or night, is probably a plate of steaming nasi lemak and a frothy teh tarik. If you are a Malaysian foodie, this book is going to bring you into the annals of Malaysian food.
In an age where food has become entertainment television, the wit and wisdom of the author is like a proper kitchen knife - always sharp. This wandering bon vivant and former Malaysian exile does not (yet) have his own TV show, choosing instead to record his amazing adventures in writing.
This handpicked collection from his column Tapai in Off the Edge magazine presents a way of looking at the world beyond our food fetish and its lifestyle trappings.
The author's grand unified theory of everything links his life on the lam with a number of encounters: a seedy café in Pudu, Christmas in Bangladesh, stalking Akira Kurosawa (posthumously), working in soup kitchens, and discovering a place that sells diamonds and nouvelle cuisine. That's just for starters.
In between this all, he warps time to meet the Darai of the band that accompanied the raising of the Jalur Gemilang on 31st August 1957, amongst other wonderful people.
Naturally, lusty food marks this ageless hippie's quest: mutton and duck stew Acehnese-style, Ramly burgers, foie gras, truffles, oysters and caviar. The author takes the reader on a life-affirming trip that nourishes the soul, like the best tapai in ferment.
Don't be shocked when you come across double entendres galore as this is just how the author portrays food in his mind. If you really wanted to seek a needle in a haystack for eateries in Malaysia, this book will do the trick.
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