NEW READY-TO-EAT RANGE MARKS MALAYAN FLOUR MILLS BERHAD’S 60TH ANNIVERSARY

 

The debut of ready-to-eat (RTE) Sate Ayam, Ayam Masak Merah, Ayam Kicap and Ayam Kam Heong mark the 60th anniversary of Malayan Flour Mills Berhad (MFM).

 
Established in 1966, MFM began as Malaysia’s first modern flour mill in Lumut, Perak. Today, MFM’s vast business interests span flour milling, poultry integration and aquaculture. Its foray into the RTE product segment is part of the company’s focus on innovation, sustainability and maintenance of product quality.

 
Executive Deputy Chairman and Managing Director Teh Wee Chye said MFM’s forward-looking venture is in sync with its commitment in supporting the country’s food security through resilient, safe and dependable food production.

At the recent 60^th Anniversary and RTE launch event, chef Fikree Aznan demonstrated the ease and convenience of MFM’s RTE product range.
Designed for modern, time-constrained consumers, the RTE products are protein-rich, and can be prepared within minutes using oven, microwave or airfryer.

The charcoal-grilled Sate Ayam (chicken satay) tastes delicious; richly marinated with turmeric, lemongrass and spices leaving the chicken pieces tender and juicy. Each RTE pack contains 20 skewers and includes the quintessential peanut gravy.

 
We also like the Malay-inspired Ayam Masak Merah and Ayam Kicap. Both boast bright, punchy flavours and should emerge as surefire crowd-pleasers. Likewise, the Chinese-inspired Ayam Kam Heong flaunts big, bold and tantalising accents. All the RTE offerings are also Halal-compliant.

DANISH COMFORT FOOD AT DENHYGGE

Smørrebrød or sandwiches is popularly eaten in Denmark. Cold dishes are also prevalent according to Niels Jensen, the owner of Denhygge, a Danish restaurant.

Together with his wife Olga, Jensen takes great pride in serving traditional, home-style Danish comfort food at Denhygge. 

Hygge (pronounced hyoo-guh or hoo-ga) is the sense of comfort, cosiness and conviviality; creating a feeling of contentment and well-being within the Danish home. It’s part and parcel of the Danish lifestyle and the Jensens hope their customers will enjoy an immersive hygge experience at Denhygge.

 

After retiring from the corporate world, Jensen decided to open Denhygge with the aim of introducing Danish food to local customers here. “Sandwiches, cold dishes and pork are commonly eaten. However, we serve some hot specialities as well,” said Jensen.

 

Opened in November 2022, Denhygge boasts clean lines, austere décor within: an open-plan kitchen served as the key focal point alongside a faux fireplace with mantelpiece. A spiral staircase decked with miniature flags, rustic wood accents, and large picture windows blend cohesively to create a welcoming, homely setting.

A made-to-order artisanal nuts and seed-laden dark rye bread forms the basis for their range of sandwiches. Accentuated with a mildly sweet and aromatic curry spiced mayo, sliced red onion and crispy pork lard, the Marinated Herring on Rye Bread with Egg (regular RM26, large RM32) won instant approval with its tantalizingly tart-tangy-briny-sweet accents.

 

The Roast Beef on Rye Bread (regular RM24, large RM30) also proved on-point. We gave two thumbs up to the tender, blush-pink slices of roast beef topped with creamy remoulade, zingy horseradish and fried onion.

Delectable sliced pork belly seasoned with spices played a leading role in the delicious Rullepølse (regular RM22, large RM28); layered atop rye bread with onion and diced aspic. Those diminutive dices of savoury meat jelly packed sublime, full-bodied flavour thanks to it being a solidified reduction of pork jus and browned onion.

 

Equally notable was the Pork Liver Pate (regular RM20, large RM25) sandwich. Lending textural contrasts to it were pickled cucumber and crisp-fried bacon pieces; the flavoursome combination balanced out the paté’s indulgent richness.

 

Jensen also offered his fish cakes and cubes of pork in aspic to sample. The Danish version of fish cakes incorporates potato mash in it, rendering its texture softer compared to local one which is springier.

As for the pork cubes, they were brimming with rich meaty flavours. Unsurprisingly to be honest as Jensen had devoted hours of preparation into its making.

Hot dishes are offered and changed often in the Jensens’ attempt to cater to local patrons. During our visit, the week’s speciality of Stegt flæsk or Danish-style Fried Pork Belly (RM55) could have been a stand-in for local roast pork. Served with boiled potatoes and creamy parsley sauce, the customary Danish Christmas dish was rather delectable albeit texture-wise, we found it harder and drier.

Danish dessert tends to be simple as underscored by the Danish-style Apple Pie (RM18). The apple compote used a mixture of red and green apples for the pie filling’s requisite sweet-sour taste profile. Served with crushed macaroons (almond flour cookies), red currant jelly and lightly sweetened and vanilla-accented whipped cream, the light dessert was a nice option to conclude our maiden visit to Denhygge.

For reservations at DENHYGGE DANISH RESTAURANT, call mobile no: 012-824 0020. Address: F13, Empire Damansara Perdana, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Business hours: Mon-Sat 10 am to 10 pm (last order 9 pm), closed on Sundays.

 

SOONG KEE@SETAPAK SERVES MORE THAN BEEF NOODLES

Established in 1945 by its eponymous founder Soong Kee, this 6-decade old lou jiu phai (notable brand name) beef noodles in Kuala Lumpur drew only loyalists during the early days.

Today, the business has grown beyond its original premises, with newer outlets making their way into mall-based food courts and independent set-ups appearing in commercial suburbs.

Although synonymous with beef noodles, Soong Kee has expanded its menu to include non-beef offerings, to widen its appeal amongst today’s familial crowd of multi-generational diners.

Our recent visit to Soong Kee in Setapak is an enlightening experience – we discovered new things to enjoy in addition to getting reacquainted with the tried and tested.  Firstly, the signature Beef Ball Noodles (dry/soup RM8.90) and Five Spice Beef Tripe Noodles (soup/dry RM10.90) especially the kon lou (dry) version remain a perennial fave to hit the spot. 

Here’s the unexpected clincher: meehoon or rice vermicelli is even better than mee when it comes to capturing the lush flavour of that beefy mince.

If you want more of the extra lieu (ingredients) such as Beef Balls (5 pcs RM5, 10 pcs RM10), Beef Slice (RM10), Five Spice Brisket (RM12) or Five Spice Tendon (RM13), the various items can be ordered a la carte.

Should you have family members in tow who eschew beef, Soong Kee now offers alternative options such as Char Siew Wantan Mee (dry/soup RM7.90) and Chicken Curry Mee (RM9.90). We can vouch for both the noodle variants especially the latter. Not only is the spice quotient pleasantly tantalising, the coconut milk creaminess is also nice enough without being cloying.

 

Accompanying comfort food dishes such as Fried Wantan (5 pcs RM4, 10 pcs RM8), Wantan Soup (RM6.50), Fried Dumplings (RM6.50) or Dumplings in Soup (sui kow) are plump and chockful of tasty mince filling; crowd-pleasing fare for both adults and kids.

 

 

Healthy Poached Vegetables (RM5.50) and succulent Steamed Chicken (RM9) are also served should you wish to supplement your meal with more substantial dishes for the family.

Call Soong Kee tel: 03-4141 8124 /016-924 0507 for delivery or take away (self pick-up) orders. Soong Kee is open during CMCO from 10am to 8.30pm daily. Address: 22A, Jalan Danau Niaga 1, Setapak, Kuala Lumpur