A Very Brief History of the Melayu Kingdom

Muaro Jambi Buddhist Temple

There was an ancient Melayu kingdom based in Jambi, Sumatra, Indonesia between the 600s and 1300s. Knowing the history of the Melayu kingdom helps us better understand the roots of Malay cuisine.

History of Candlenut · Buah Keras · Kemiri · Kukui Nut · Indian Walnut 角力仁 · 南洋石栗

Candlenut known as buah keras (hard fruit) in Malay and kemiri in Indonesian is indispensable in Indonesian, Malay and Peranakan cuisine.

Tragic History of Nutmeg. Forgotten Spice Once Worth More than Gold. Forgotten Island Exchanged for New York City

Between the 1300s - 1600s, Europe was ravaged by a series of deadly plagues (pandemics). Doctors at that time believed that wearing a pendant with a nutmeg inside would ward off infection.

Everybody wanted nutmeg but the fruit came from only a few tiny islands in today's Indonesia, on the other side of the globe from Europe. A round trip between these islands and Europe took nearly two years. At that time, nutmeg was worth more than its weight in gold.

Surprising History of Chili in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia Cuisine 🌶

In Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, we eat chili pepper in our food since we are toddlers. We even eat raw chili pepper as a condiment. For many of us, we can't eat or live well without that addictive hot spicy kick. (That's my daughter enjoying spicy mee pok tah, by the way 🌶 😄 )

History of Kunyit · Turmeric in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia Cuisine. The Golden Spice

Kunyit or turmeric is an essential ingredient in many Malay and Indonesian dishes. It is used in nasi kunyit, rendang, curries, etc. Turmeric is one of the ingredients that gave many Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesian dishes that beautiful golden yellow hue.