By Ye Jun (Beijing Weekend)
Updated: 2007-07-09 11:34

Steamed taro cake

Few know that Hainan chicken rice is not available in Hainan or that Baku Tea is not a tea but rather, an herbal soup made from pork ribs. For a long time, these have been touted representatives of Southeast Asian cuisines, but few people know that they are actually, typically Malaysian.

Beijing's hospitality industry is more familiar with Thai cuisine. Or, when Beijingers think of Southeast Asia, Singaporean suppers come to mind.

That might well change soon. A Truly Asian Kitchen Program (MTAK), supported by the Malaysian government, was recently launched to promote the country's cuisine, agricultural produce and processed foods in foreign markets.

Food has taken a prominent place in tourism promotions. In Malaysia, for example, Peranakan or Nyonya dishes are linked to Melaka, while the hawker food experience has been purposefully associated with Penang. And different exotic seasonal fruits have been tied to Malaysia at large.

According to Mustaza HJ. Mansor, project manager at Pempena, a subsidiary of Tourism Malaysia, there are 350 Malaysian restaurants in the world, eight of which are in Beijing, among its . The company anticipates that by 2015, that number would surge to 8,000, and the number in China would increase tenfold.

The blend of fresh ingredients is the signature of Malaysian meals.

The fragrance of fresh herbs, sauces and spices excite diners' nostrils as soon as the food is served. For first-timers, the taste might be a little unexpected - even surprising - but in a pleasant way.

Certainly, there is good reason for the creativity of Malaysian food: it is a fusion of various cuisines, originating from a number of international influences - chiefly, Malaysia's main population of Malays, Chinese and Indians.

After Zheng He, imperial envoy of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), reached Malaysia 600 years ago, a new culinary cuisine was created. Baba and nyonya - terms referring to the men and women born of marriages between Chinese immigrants and local Malays - also stand for their cuisine, a fusion of Malay and Chinese foods.

So, gastronomes could rejoice in the abundance of herbal sensations: fresh chili, lime, mint, lemon grass and coriander. Or, they could try new tastes, sampling sambal, coconut milk and murtabak. There are also classics that are not to be missed, such as satay, barbequed meat on skewer with peanut sauce, nasi lemak, coconut rice, tek tarik - which gives the chef a chance to perform - and laksa, with a cornucopia of seafood atop rice noodles.

Not everything in Malaysian cuisines suits Beijingers' taste buds. Satay sauce might be too sweet for local tastes, while the noodles in laksa might be too bland.

The Malaysian restaurants that have been in Beijing for a long time have successfully localized their offerings. Kafe Peranakan and Malacca Legend, for example, have become popular spots in the capital. With natural ingredients, refreshing visual presentation and pleasant tastes, Malaysian cuisine could well be the next big thing in Beijing.