Taste of Africa

By Razif Hashim

DO you know that African cuisine is influenced by Malay food? It uses the same spices although it is cooked using different techniques. Do you know why?

It dates back to the 17th Century when the Dutch brought a group of Malays to South Africa. This later led to an influx of Malays who left an impact on African tradition, especially in cooking.

This bit of history made me curious to try African food and, the best thing was, my production team and I didn’t even have to travel far to try the dishes.

Instead, we went to Out Of Africa, a unique African specialties restaurant in Petaling Jaya which served steaks, fresh seafood platters and vegetarian options.

I had Africa’s most famous homecooked Braaied Boerewors, a one-metre sausage cooked over an open fire.

The sausage is made of juicy minced lamb and beef with a combination of spices. The minced meat gives it a tender texture while the spices add taste and flavour.

Game for a dish of tongue? It might sound yucky, but believe me, Tongue Kalahari tastes yummy. This dish of pan-fried pieces of ox tongue is served with mustard sauce.

Another must-try dish is the delicious Lamb Bobotie which looks like Italian lasagna but has a zest of Indian spices. This thick ground lamb curry topped with custard is served with yellow rice, salad sambal, chutney and pappadum.

SWEET INDULGENCE

For a sweet treat, we headed for Nathalie’s Gourmet Studio where macarons, a French delicacy, is offered. Made with sweet jams sandwiched between two meringues, it was so tasty that I ate three flavours in a row.

What I like about Nathalie’s macarons is that it uses pure extract from France. Nathalie, who is obsessed with macarons, has come out with her own flavours.

She experimented with some of the finest ingredients and a very detailed technique of stab-lift-stab which I thought enriched the soft texture of the dessert.

While the French loves its confectionery (and so do I!), Mukha Yemen in Taman Tun Dr Ismail is known for its signature drinks — Shahi and Gahwa.

Unable to decide between the two, I treated myself to both. And, as if the drinks were not enough, I helped myself to Mukha’s slice of Mars Cheesecake.

I ended my day in a big way. We went to meat heaven at the Brazilian Carnaval Churasscaria in Damansara Jaya which offers 12 different cuts of meat to satisfy my cravings.

Best in the World airs on 8TV every Wednesday at 9.30pm. Don’t miss next week’s episode on Pahang cuisine. Tweet your Best In The World dish to #BITW2 and stand a chance to appear in the BITW’s People’s Choice episode.

Out of Africa

Where
Lorong Sultan Kelab Syabas, Petaling Jaya.
Raz’s Pick
Braaied Boerewors — the taste is “da bomb” and the sausage is “braaied” authentic African style (braai is barbecue in Africa).
Atmosphere
A studio kitchen that retains the African looks and feels.

African food has the familiar aroma of Malay-style dishes but tastes different

1 / 1

Taste of Africa

DO you know that African cuisine is influenced by Malay food? It uses the same spices although it is cooked using different techniques. Do you know why?

Leave Your Comment