Food Ingredients and Spices

I remember when I was asked to cook for the first time at the age of ten.
Correction - Not asked to cook, but was 'instructed' to cook - because one of my married aunties decided to go into labour (first child) and everyone rushed to the hospital.

I was excited to do the cooking - made me feel grown up to be given that responsibility. Well, it seemed easy when I watched grandma and the rest did it.
The rice was easy - done it before. The fish was easy - they have already marinated the ingredients for me to fry. The vegetables? Wow, I had no clue.

So the the vegetable ended up tossed into boiling water with salt and sugar, chilli sauce, tomato sauce, soy sauce and whatever else I could find in the kitchen.
No onions. No garlic. No garnishing. It smelled horrible. Nobody ate it and I secretly got rid of it before the adults came home ...........

So now I will start with the basic ingredients required in most Malaysian cooking.

Malaysian Cooking Ingredients
	Cinnamon
	Cinnamon has been used since early times as a spice and in medicine and witchcraft, it was once more valuable than gold.
	Cloves
	Cloves are used extensively as a condiment and flavoring in many types of cookery.
	Coconut Milk
	The Indonesians claim that coconuts have as many uses as there are days in a year.
	Coriander
	Coriander is cultivated for its seeds that have a fragrant aroma and a warm aromatic nutty taste similar to a combination of lemon peel and sage.
	Galangal
	Galangal looks similar to ginger, but is more sour and peppery and can be distinguished from it by its pink shoots and brown skin.
	Garlic
	It may make you breath smell bad but it tastes great, and it keeps vampires away.
	Ginger
	Ginger is one of the primary flavorings of Chinese cooking, it has an aromatic, pungent smell and a slightly biting taste.
	Lemon
	Lemons and their juice are a characteristic ingredient in many pastries, desserts and Asian dishes.
	Nutmeg
	The nutmeg is native to the Moluccas in Indonesia. It has also been widely cultivated in southern Asia, the West Indies, and Brazil.
	Onion
	Onions are among the world's oldest cultivated plants. They were probably known in India, China, and the Middle East before recorded history.
	Palm Sugar
	Palm Sugar comes from one of the worlds most important plants, the palm. The uses of a palm tree are numerous and varies across the tropics.
	Shallot
	The shallot is a hardy, bulbous perennial that is closely related to onion and garlic. It is often called a spring onion.
	Tamarind
	The tamarind is a member of the pea family, it produces a sweet and sour fruit. It is native to Asia and northern Africa.
	Turmeric
	Turmeric is native to parts of India and used widely in Indian Cuisine especially in curries.

I think these are easily available in supermarkets worldwide these days, or maybe from the grocery shop in Chinatown or Indian street in your area?

(What is missing in the above are the chillies.......... which you will be able to see in my later postings).

Since Malaysia is made up of so many ethnic community living together, our food tends to be a cross-influence of each other's specialty. Too lazy or busy to cook? Just walk into the very many restaurants open 24/7 located in your area.

I think nothing tastes better than the food you cook since you can ensure its freshness, hygienic environment and tailored to the actual taste you prefer - depending on the amount of spices you add in.

There is also a saying that 'food prepared with the additional ingredients of 'love and sincerity' will taste extra-divine.