CHEF NAT’S FLAVOURS OF THAILAND AT NIPAH

Thailand’s foremost lady butcher and meat maestro, Natsasi Noo-in – better known as Chef Nat – wields anatomical precision with gastronomic flair, bringing invigorating Thai flavours to Nipah and Étoile, EQ Kuala Lumpur.
 
From 25 to 28 June, the tour de force of The Lady Butcher restaurant and Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) ambassador will thrill carnivores alike. Equal parts meat master, sustainability champion and culinary innovator, Chef Nat is famed for elevating secondary Aussie beef cuts and often-overlooked offal to rarefied heights. Her mantra? "Choosing ingredients is like choosing a partner and Australian beef is my perfect match."

 
EQ guests will find the chef’s custom menu a study in balance and bravado — part technical precision, part homespun Thai soul. Her Tom Saap is a fine example in which Australian beef osso buco bestows meaty essence into a muted herbal-accented broth, punctuated with wild mushrooms.

Her bright, zingy Thai Beef Salad is almost symphonic with fresh coriander, chillies, lemongrass and lime. Unmissable Young Mango, Glass Noodles and Thai Seafood Salad tango invitingly on the palate; the profusion of tantalising nuances priming tastebuds for the mains to come.

Robust, soul-warming Beef Topside Gaeng Om coaxes deep, layered complexity from humble cuts of beef and exotic Thai herbs. Underpinning her Thai background is Braised Beef Short Rib Salad with Pomelo and Mint.

She cannily banks on nam jim jeaw – the go-to Thai sauce for grilled meat to enhance the allure of her Beef Rump Carpaccio with Jaew Dressing. More fusion in approach is the Smoked Beef Brisket with Cherry Tomatoes & Burrata Cheese.

 
Seared to smoky perfection, we relish the tender Banana Leaf Grilled Australian Ribeye, complemented by a punchy roasted rice and black pepper sauce.

 
The standout Grain Fed Picanha Steak, dressed in makwaen (prickly ash, a star-anise shape spice similar to Sichuan peppercorn) spiked jaew, tastes superb paired with sticky rice. Likewise, Braised Beef Brisket with Rice Noodles piques interest with stimulating flavours.

 
Lamb lovers will find much to love with the moreish Lamb Loin Larb with Organic Greens (crisp outer crumb yielding to scrumptious lamb mince inside) and fall-off-the-bone tender Braised Australian Lamb Shank in Soy Sauce with Salted Egg Yolk.

 
The chef culminates her showcase with Mango Sticky Rice Trio and Bua Loy in Coconut Milk. These dessert treats deliver a warm, sweet ending to the meat-dominated affair.

 
Priced at RM198+ per adult and RM99+ per child (6–12 years),
Chef Nat’s specialities are available at Nipah from 25–28 June 2025, served buffet-style from 6.30pm – 10.30pm. The Étoile semi-buffet brunch on 29 June is priced at RM158+ per adult and RM79 per child.

 
For reservations, call EQ Kuala Lumpur, WhatsApp: +60 12-583 5319 or email: dineateqkl@kul.equatorial.com

MEAT LIVESTOCK AUSTRALIA LAMBASSADORS’ WORKSHOP AT HILTON KL

(left-right) Hilton Chef Steven Wong, Australian High Commissioner Dr Justin Lee, Chef Eric Siew and Agriculture Counsellor Sanjay Boothalingam

Australian lamb is not only lean, tender, and healthy but also versatile and easy to cook. With many different cuts available, the meat is suitable for both Asian and Western cooking. 

Meat Livestock Australia (MLA) recently hosted a fun-filled Lambassadors’ Workshop to showcase the great attributes of Australian lamb at Chambers Restaurant, Hilton Kuala Lumpur.

Australian High Commissioner Dr Justin Lee (left) and Agriculture Counsellor Sanjay Boothalingam joined local media members in making open-face lamb pies in a hands-on workshop conducted by Lambassador Chef Eric Siew and Hilton KL Chef Steven Wong.

In his welcome speech, Dr Lee highlighted that 38% of the global supplies – approximately 431,000 tonnes – of sheep meat comes from Australia. Malaysia is the second largest destination for Australian sheep meat in South-East Asia as the country imports 84% of its sheep meat from Australia.

Dr Lee said: “Our red meat export industry is underpinned by a strong biosecurity framework and export regulations in addition to our world-class food regulatory system. Australia also supplies over 17 Islamic markets with Australian halal red meat. We abide by importing country requirements, Australian export legislation, and the Australian Government Authorised Halal Program (AGAHP).”

After observing the two Lambassador Chefs in action (refer to recipe enclosed), the media members then made and decorated their own lamb pies. They were also treated to an array of afternoon tea treats featuring Australian beef and lamb prepared by the Hilton KL team.

According to Valeska, Meat & Livestock Australia’s Regional Manager for South-east Asia, maintaining current production and consumption levels of Australian red meat – beef and lamb – will not contribute to additional global temperature rise – otherwise known as ‘climate neutral’. This means eating Australian lamb does not have an adverse impact on the environment.

“In addition, greenhouse gas emissions from our red meat industry have halved over the last 16 years. There is significantly more tree cover on Australia’s grazing lands than there was 30 years ago, and it takes 68% less water to produce a kilo of beef,” she said.

Australian lamb is halal to the bone. The animals are slaughtered under the Australian Government Supervised Halal Programme, by Muslims approved by accredited Islamic certifying authorities in accredited processing plants, according to strict Islamic law or Syariah, and in compliance to importing country’s strict halal protocol. This programme is guaranteed under the Australian law, and administered by the Federal Department of Agriculture.

A good source of protein, Australian lamb contains 13 essential nutrients required for good health. Among them are Iron, Zinc, Omega-3 fatty acids and B vitamins.

For more Australian lamb recipe ideas, visit: https://www.trueaussiebeefandlamb.my/#
 

STAYING HOME TO COOK UP A TRUE AUSSIE LAMB EXPERIENCE

 

Making charaben or character bento is no child’s play. Learning to prepare it was fun though after I was persuaded to join Meat Livestock Australia’s (MLA) True Beef Up Contest. 

Prior to making the charaben, I reviewed the useful tips gleaned from the Beef Up webinar hosted by MLA. Some of the key takeaways I recall from Mary Easaw, senior lecturer at the International Medical University and consultant dietician at CVSKL Hospital Kuala Lumpur include:

•    Eating lean red meat three to four times a week is recommended for a healthy balanced diet

•        Beef, especially True Aussie Beef, is a good source of protein, iron, zinc and other essential nutrients. Australian grass-fed beef is naturally low in fat and cholesterol, while offering a higher level of Omega 3 fatty acids.

•        Moderation is key to a healthy diet. The basic guideline for a healthy plate is ½ plate colourful, non-starchy vegetables, ¼ plate carbohydrates (potato, pasta, rice) and ¼ plate protein (meat, fish, chicken or tofu)

•           1 serving of meat = the size of the palm of your hand with the thickness of a deck of cards (65-100g) 1-2 x per week.

Air-fried Aussie beef Salad Nicoise-style shown by Chef Victor Chow

From the Beef Up webinar, we got some practical tips and inspiration from Chef Victor Chow who showed us 3 simple and delicious recipes on how to cook beef. More recipe ideas and information are found in the comprehensive media kit provided to us.

Since I opted for lamb, I decided the True Aussie Lamb Shabu Shabu slices would work well in a lunch box. To ensure it remains in the ‘lamb’ light, a charaben would be a cute and attention-grabbing way to showcase the meat.

It was the pack of Kikkoman Garlic Teriyaki Sauce that gave me the charaben inspiration. 😄

TRUE AUSSIE LAMB CHARABEN

 

100g Aussie lamb slices

1 pack (25g) Kikkoman Garlic Teriyaki Sauce

1 small pc nori sheet

200g cooked rice

2 tsp vinegar

1 tsp mirin

Pinch of salt

½ tsp mayonnaise

1 pc baby romaine lettuce (chopped)

2 eggs (beaten)

½ tomato (diced)

 

Marinate Aussie lamb slices with Kikkoman Garlic Teriyaki Sauce for 15 minutes.

Heat pan and sauté lamb slices quickly. Set aside.

Cut nori sheet into two round discs and long “sheep ear” shapes.

Mix cooked rice with vinegar, mirin and salt. Shape and mould into rice balls.

Place each nori disc onto the rice balls with the “sheep ears” on the side. Dot some mayonnaise on top of the nori discs for the “eyes”.

(Tip: Use cupcake or muffin liner to hold rice balls)

Fry beaten egg into omelette, roll it up tightly and slice.

Fill lunch box with chopped baby romaine lettuce.

Place rice balls on top. Fill one quarter of lunch box with sautéed lamb slices. Decorate with diced tomato.

Fill remaining quarter of lunch box with sliced omelette rolls.

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The whole experience was easier than I had anticipated. Not only the lamb slices cooked within minutes, everyone also enjoyed the delicious and meltingly tender meat. For us busy working mothers, #TrueAussieLamb is quick and easy to cook and that’s a godsend!

Bear in mind, lean red meat has lower fat content than chicken too. Trimmed of separable fat, lean beef has average 2.7g fat per 100g raw weight while skinless chicken has 3.5g.

Nutrient-wise, red meat is a great source of Iron (important for brain function), Zinc (for healthy bone development, fertility and immunity) and Omega-3. Other essential nutrients to be found include magnesium, selenium, niacin, potassium, phosphorous, Vitamins B5, B6 and B12 - vital for brain function, muscle development and function, immunity and energy.

During the Beef Up webinar, Sanjay Boothalingam, Australian Agriculture Counsellor from the Australian High Commission, highlighted Australian beef, lamb and goats are renowned for their quality, safety and halal compliance.

“Malaysia is the 3^rd largest market for Australian mutton,” said Sanjay. “Australian meat are known for safety, quality, sustainability, reliability and traceability.” 

He also spoke at length on the stringent Halal compliance and legislature framework implemented by the Australian government, covering everything from animal welfare and husbandry, slaughter, on-field and plant audits by JAKIM, to import permits. 

For more information go to: https://www.trueaussiebeefandlamb.my/ and
https://www.mla.com.au