Bayan Indah Cooking School

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Malaysian food is not one national cuisine: because the country is formed of many different races, Chinese, Indian, Malay, Nyonya and international foods give people choices, according to food writer and stylist Rohani Jelani. Those who crave to bring back home a taste of Malaysia should attend her cooking lessons at Bayan Indah, a culinary retreat on the outskirts of KL.

Bayan Indah provides a culinary and cultural experience with over 60 class themes, some of which include visits to local wet markets. These are not demonstration-style lessons and we were challenged to delve right in. We chopped, stirred, and fried in pairs, each tackling two or three recipes following themes such as “Rice Is Nice” and “Use Your Noodles”. My nasi lemak (coconut rice) and sambal tumis (fried chilli paste) turned out well, but I was equally thrilled about receiving useful tips on how to use a knife with confidence or how to salvage culinary mishaps. Other class themes include “Fishy Business” that teaches how to select different varieties of fish and fresh seafood, “Don’t Be Chicken!” that looks at many ways to prepare chicken and “Kampung Cuisine Authentic” that lets students replicate well-loved rustic Malay foods.

Groups may choose to extend their stay in the stylish four-bedroom guesthouse that was named Malaysia's House of the Year 2008. Its gardens provide many of the organic ingredients used in the school’s kitchen. Rohani’s mini cookbooks Malaysian Hawker Favourites, Homestyle Malay and Malaysian Cakes & Desserts are for sale on site.

Where

Sungei Penhcala, Kuala Lumpur

When

Advance booking required.

Bayan Indah Cooking School.

Written by  Francoise Ohayon.

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