JAMES PAUL

The Aroma of Asian spices fill the air, a smell so strong and alluring. Soon after, what follows is the combination of these spices in a mortar and pestle. Rapid pounding and crushing actions envelope the kitchen space.

Slowly and carefully once that had been done, she begins to finely slice up onions. A hot wok is roaring with intense heat on the stove.

A fragrance of oil and onion dances in the air, with a fiery sizzling sound echoing in the halls of the kitchen. As more ingredients are being added to the wok, the more intense the food becomes. Beans, chilies and squid controlled with a hint of soy sauce create a rainbow of colours. All whilst this is going on they begin to finely dice up chili, with a dash of lime and soy sauce to create a chili condiment on the side.

The crackling of hot oil can be heard as a bread-crumbed coated drumstick is dipped into the deep fryer.

Carefully she plates rice onto a ornate plate, using a smaller bowl to scoop out a perfect portion. The dinner table is awash with epic Malaysian food. All set out in neat bowls and plates. There is no need for utensils here. Everyone at the table begins to dig in using their hands, connecting their bodies to the food. Smiles, laughter and chatter is amidst all the chewing and eating. For some this is the only way to reminisce about how simple life is back home in Malaysia.

Insight into the observation

One day I was sitting down at the dinner table waiting for my mum to finish preparing food. As I was waiting, I began to observe and reflect upon how she was making a preparing the food. The different senses that come into play when food is being prepared. The ambience, aroma and environment creates this type of aura that reflects a cultural image of a persons living space at home. Different cultures have different approaches to making food. This inspired me a lot, so I kept on watching my mum prepare all of these different Malaysian foods. My mother and I prefer to eat with our hands, being connected to the food in a sense. In my belief, the observation is a glimpse into the world of Malaysian food culture, which is explosive and unique through many intertwined cultures inspiring many Malaysian dishes.