Asian Culinary - the future trends

1411 - Melaka was conquered by the Portugese - stated reasons, herbs and spices

fast forward

2007 - Visit Malaysia Year - promotional tags "Malaysia truly Asia", "Malaysia Truly Asian kitchen"

The CIA - Culinary Institute of America (http://www.ciachef.edu/) is the most established culinary institute in the world recently organized the Rise of Asia on 6th November 07; read the excerpts

" The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone this last weekend held its 10th Annual Worlds of Flavor International Conference & Festival, The Rise of Asia: Culinary Traditions of the East and Flavor Discovery in 21st Century America. Over 700 people from around the world have gathered for the three-day conference at the college's West Coast campus in California's Napa Valley. The Rise of Asia brought together a conference faculty of more than 75 top chefs, cuisine experts, cookbook authors, food writers, wine experts, and other authorities—from China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, as well as Australia, Canada, England, Germany, and the United States."

The Nasi Lemak; a popular breakfast among Malaysian. The technology has assists in improving it further with "frozen; ready to eat", now just one switch button of mcrowaving, you can have it. This is available under licensing program

The future is Asia and its complicated yet harmonized cuisines. I always enjoyed cooking western, easy, fast and limited ingredients, but when it came to Malay traditional, hmm.. frankly, I never really excelled, like rendang and rendang tok, nasi briani muar or kuih bingka, bengkang and seri muka (malay traditional cakes), if asked, I would prefer to prepare varieties of cheese cake :)

Here some of my analysis of some Asian Cuisine focusing on the main ingredients - Malay Cuisine- Fresh Herbs and Spices, Indian Dishes - Dried Processed Spices, Chinese Food - Processed Herbs and Spices, Japanese - evolve around Fish and Seafood. Thai - Fresh Herbs and Processed Spices.

Whatever it is - you can see it is coming again, those mat salleh's and others from four corners of the earth will flocking our country to study, learn, and re-learn our ingredients and cuisine. For me, is good, as our foreign exchange will increased, augurs well as we strive in becoming academics hubs of Asia

The issue is here - whether our education industry is ready? and our chef-instructor are qualified and capable enough?

Holding Principles in Life (the office politics)

The arc of "min" of jawi and a keris; 2 characteristics of Melayu. I am a Malay, the 8th generation of Minang descendants; whilst I believe witholding the positive, pure and finest quality of being one, I never allowed myself to be submerged in negative aspects of the community.

I remember that my father always reminded me, of being sincere and never to involve in corruptions.

He quote; "Corruption will corrupt your next generation, means your children, please provide them with strong foundation of the religion, focus on education and never forget to pray"

I keep that in my mind, now passing them to my children

I was reading my brother writing on his blog about bapak, my father as we called him. There, I was in state of emotional again, as deja-vu of bapak's advises. (visit the interesting blog; rahman-time in bottle)

Holding principles never been easy, but with doa / prayers to God Al-Mighty, it will happens

I remember my first arguement in office (1997), after I found someone took sales money - around RM150x4 days, on weekly basis, which I make a report to my superior, thought an action will be taken to the person, but ended me, instead to be transfered out to Dungun, Terengganu. I was so naive then. (FYI - years later, the superior did asked for an apology, which I accepted)

Deja-vu, present (10yrs later) - I make a complaints that "someone" makan gaji buta, (a junior "chef") of being task to submit a kitchen design, which he had zero knowledge, didnt know how to do and yet submitting an expenses claims, hmm :), wonder ada logo halal-jakim tak?

(fyi-I was then being asked to complete the design)

my superior responds was... to transferred me out, and expect next, a "planned dismissal".

(first time I had to bring al-quran, the holy book, to the meeting - which upon seeing it, my superior asked for an apology - but the damage is done, asked god instead)

I have nothing more to say, but referred this to HIM again, to provide me with justice

that is a real life story on holding a principles...

(Update-28/11: I fought the war, win some major battles, lose some minor one, and truce is being called. I guess my strategic thinking quite good; after all is one against five. Obviously if you are in right path, some spiritual help does exists. Thanks God for the guidance, Thanks to my mum for her prayers, thank you friends-for the information; war is about information anyway)