EAT: Gushes of avant-garde zeal

2009/10/02

SU AZIZ

SU AZIZ stumbles upon a Malay restaurant which has an expansive definition of Malay cuisine.

A WEEK ago, if anyone had told me that Malay cuisine includes foie gras and duck, I’d roll my eyes at their ignorance.
Then again, I’d like to think I’m not “anyone”. And I’m telling you that there’s a restaurant claiming to serve only fine Malay cuisine and its menu includes foie gras and duck!
The thing to do, before you step into this restaurant is, leave behind perceptions. Leave behind thoughts of Mum’s Malay food. Leave behind nasi bungkus flavours as we know it. Most of all, leave behind your puritanical tastebuds.
Instead, step into Ibunda restaurant located on the corner of Jalan Bukit Bintang and Jalan Tun Razak in Kuala Lumpur. And widen your imagination.
Although they offer traditional Malay food with their set lunch menu at RM38+, dinner is a different ball game altogether.
The a la carte menu may read politely Malay with dishes such as Rusuk Kambing, Ayam Kuaci and Sup Ketam Ibunda. But all is not what it seems to be!
Ibunda’s Rusuk Kambing Buah Sukun is really grilled lamb shank accompanied by mash breadfruit with peppercorn sauce. Or their Ayam Kuaci Apam Barli Halia is really grilled chicken fillet wrapped around cheese with fluffy barley ginger pancake. This one comes with a dollop of aubergine sambal that’s authentic and spicy.
I can go on but I think you get my drift. Ibunda’s definition of fine Malay food is basically an amalgam of a global perception of fine foods but with traditional Malay ingredients in each of them.
Their foie gras appetiser is as you’d expect — a little more cooked than the French’s standard — and it’s accompanied by buah chiku and kiwi dressing.
And the crab soup, served delectably in a coconut, has a dash of spicy to remind you of its Malay origins.

Needless to say, the result of the restaurant’s chef Zabidi Ibrahim tweaking and evolving Malay cuisine is palatable.
The flavours are a balance of spicy and creamy notes and at all times, pleasantly textured.
Quite awakening your senses to something unusual. And yet familiar. To see such “old” Malay foods such as emping padi or coloured rice cakes, sukun and tapioca can only enhance your dining experience.
While Ibunda’s chef shares a recipe with us, do also experience Ibunda’s flavours in all its splendour at the restaurant itself.
The dishes come splendidly decorated with each garnish being edible. Each stroke of colour on the white plates is delectable.

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Ayam Kuaci Apam Barli Halia
This recipe serves four people. There are four main components that make up this dish. In fact, five, if you count the aubergine sambal garnish.
The flavours of each one is enjoyable on its own. But when coupled with all the other things, there’s a sense of completion that’ll transcend your tastebuds.

Fluffy Barley Ginger Malay Pancakes
To begin, mix together:
• 4 cups of water
• 2 cups of rice, soaked for 5 hours
• a pinch of dried yeast
• 3 cups of rice flour

• half packet of Eno
• half cup of barley, boiled
• 4 tbsp of ginger juice

Let the mix rest for an hour. Then pour into small porcelain cups before steaming for around 10 minutes.

Grilled Chicken
The main component is the grilled chicken and you’ll need:
• 4 chicken breasts
Season the pieces with soya and oyster sauces, a pinch of white pepper and a teaspoon of land spice. Then you’ll need:
• 4 kadok leaves
• 4 long slices of cheddar cheese
• 40g of sunflower seeds, crushed roughly
Place a seasoned chicken breast piece on a plate scattered with crushed sunflower seeds.
Then roll it in a kadok leaf and a piece of cheese. Tack it with a moist toothpick to hold it in place.
Repeat for all the other pieces. Then grill till it’s lightly golden before baking it at around 180ºC for around 6-8 minutes or until fully cooked.

Vegetables Dumpling
Simply chop finely a handful each of:
• carrot
• cauliflower
• onion
• coriander leaves
• a few pieces of wantan skin
Sautee all the veggie mix and season with salt, a pinch of sugar and a pinch of curry powder. Then let it cool a little before wrapping a tablespoonful each into a wantan skin and deep-frying.

Sauce For Grilled Chicken
You need to sautee:
• 100g of shallots, chopped finely
• 100g of garlic, chopped finely
• 100g of onions, chopped finely
• 2 tbsp rendang paste
• 40g saffron juice
• a cup of milk
Once the mix is fragrant, season with salt, a pinch of sugar and white pepper.
Assemble the foods neatly on a serving plate, drizzle some sauce beside the grilled chicken.
Lastly, add a dollop of aubergine sambal, which is basically diced aubergine sauteed in sambal, beside the dumpling and the apam.

Tip: If serving a child, omit the aubergine sambal. Increase the amount of sauce instead.