AUSSIE BEEF & LAMB NUTRITION WORKSHOP

Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) hosted an Australian Beef & Lamb Masterclass titled Nutrition that Powers Wellbeing for local dieticians and nutritionists recently.

Held at Hilton Kuala Lumpur, workshop attendees including media members were all ears as Aussie master butcher Gary Hine touched on key topics covering the farmers’ hands-on involvement and sustainable practices of raising cows and sheep to the Halal certification and stringent quality controls. Overall, it was a most enlightening and educational session.

Hine then demonstrated the breaking down of beef and lamb cuts whilst sharing useful tips along the way. There was also a question and answer session on the nutritional benefits of Aussie beef and lamb, and other relevant points.

Another highlight of the workshop was cooking demonstrations by Chef and President of the Professional Culinaire Association (Malaysia) Bob Adnin, Head Chef Richard Tay of Calia Restaurant Malaysia and Executive Sous Chef Mohd Ridzwan Mohamed Rasit of Hilton Kuala Lumpur. Each chef showed how simple recipes using Aussie beef and lamb can be replicated at home.

 
To complete the immersive experience, attendees got to sample delicious Aussie beef and lamb creations such as beef rendang, beef pie and Xinjiang lamb with mantao among others.  

For more information on Aussie beef and lamb, visit https://www.aussiebeefandlamb.my/
 
 

TASTE THE WONDERS OF AUSTRALIA SHOWCASE

 

Food & beverage retailers, manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, buyers and local media were treated to an immersive experience of Australian horticulture, dairy, meat, seafood and wine at the “Taste The Wonders of Australia” showcase recently

Coinciding with the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Australia and Malaysia, the “Taste the Wonders of Australia” event was initiated by the Australian Food and Wine Collaboration Group comprising Hort Innovation Australia, Dairy Australia, Meat & Livestock Australia, Seafood Industry Australia and Wine Australia.

 
A strategic, concerted effort to advance bilateral trade and improve market access for Australian food and wine producers through interactive workshops and tastings, the event was supported by well-known chefs, wine and industry experts.

 
Malaysia is Australia’s 11th largest trading partner for Australian agriculture in 2024-25 with exports worth AUD1.8 billion. Malaysia’s rising affluence coupled with a growing middle class and increasing demand for premium imported goods, the market has strong growth potential for Australia’s food and wine sectors.

Horticulture Innovation Australia General Manager, Trade and Biosecurity R&D and Hort Innovation Australia’s Dr Mila Bristow said “we aim to create better understanding of why we grow the premium food and wine. Hopefully it’d lead to greater opportunities and desire for our customers wanting to buy more.”

Dr Bristow continued, “Malaysia is Australia’s 13th largest horticultural export market by value, making it not only an important market for Australian growers but also a big growth opportunity. From avocados and citrus to cherries and almonds, our products are well-represented in premium Malaysian supermarkets, which we hope to see grow even further in the future.”

Chief Executive Officer of Seafood Industry Australia, Veronica Papacosta stated that "Malaysia is a growing destination for Australia's premium seafood exports, especially rock lobster, salmon and sea cucumber. The Food and Wine Collaboration Group offers the opportunity to showcase Australia's high-quality seafood, developing awareness of our unique products and their compatibility with Malaysian cuisine.”

A series of mini seminars such as Understanding Australian Dairy, Cream Cheese and Yogurt; Australia’s Premium Horticulture; Australia’s Seafood Industry: A Sustainable Future; Classic and Contemporary Australian Wine and Aussie Beef and Lamb: Latest Trends and Insights gave attendees better insights into the various Australian products highlighted.

 
Renowned chefs such as Victor Siow, Richard Tay and Peter Rollinson among others were also invited to demonstrate the versatility and attributes of the different products.

CHEF MAURO CIVIERO X BOTTEGA AT EQ KUALA LUMPUR

Five Bottega-inspired recipes by Italian guest chef Mauro Civiero took centrestage at EQ Kuala Lumpur recently. As part of the collaboration between EQ and Bottega, the 57-year-old Milanese was central in a series of special events including a curated wine pairing dinner and a wine Masterclass.

Chef Mauro embarked on his culinary journey in 1982 after attending catering school. Upon completing stints in several Michelin-starred restaurants, including one in Heidelberg, Germany, Chef Mauro returned to Italy.

He then proffered his mastery at the Michelin-starred Casanova Grill, located at the Palace Hotel. The stint opened doors for him to other prestigious hotels including Florence Grand Hotel and the Porto Cervo Pitrizza in the breath-taking Emerald Coast of Sardinia.

In recognition of his culinary expertise, Chef Mauro Civiero was appointed a representative of Italian cuisine at The Westin Hotel in Tokyo; to promote the culinary traditions of his homeland. His career has also taken him to the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Indonesia.

For the media session at Bottega Lounge, Chef Mauro deftly prepared five recipes on the spot, to complement the Bottega wines selected by Sandro Bottega, president of Bottega SpA.

According to the chef, the recipes were chosen for their affinity with the Bottega wines showcased. “I’ve tweaked and adapted the recipes from the Bottega 100 Prosecco Recipes Gold Book, using my own expertise and to suit the local context.”

The first recipe he demonstrated was Amberjack Tartare, to complement Bottega Gold Prosecco DOC Spumante Brut.

Marinated with sun-dried tomatoes, capers and olives, then placed onto zucchini threads, the delicious Amberjack Tartare paired harmoniously with the bright citrusy notes of Bottega Gold Prosecco DOC Spumante Brut. We liked how the straw-yellow wine with its light floral aroma and balanced acidity offset the fish’s natural richness.

Next came Chef Mauro’s creation of Buffalo Mozzarella Emulsion with wild oregano, tomato jelly and basil. The soft almost mash-creamy texture was sublime; its delicate accents went like a dream with the dry, smooth Bottega Pinot Grigio Venezia DOC. We also detected refreshingly fruity aromas of pear and peach, with a subtle hint of almond finishing.

The blush pink Bottega Rose Gold Pinot Nero Spumante Brut Rosé was the wine of choice for the Venetian Style Crabmeat Salad with eggplant and parsley oil. 

This dish’s clean, pristine flavours proved winsome when savoured with the rosé’s elegant, supple structure and fresh acidity, characterised by faint floral-mixed berries notes.

My favourite was Rosé Veal with Mascarpone Tuna Mousse. The tender meat left an indelible impression when accompanied by the full-bodied ruby-red Bottega Rosso di Montalcino DOC. Pleasant nuances of cherries and plums, and well-rounded tannins made it a memorable tipple.

Sbrisolona, a traditional cake from Lombardy, rounded off our indulgent afternoon. 

Served alongside Bottega Manzoni Moscato Rosé Spumante (exuding a refined rose aroma, its ripe citrusy notes had a tinge of sage) and the lemon-yellow Bottega Limoncino (brimming with the aroma and flavour of ripe lemons), the crumbly shortbread-like almond cake was a befitting finale to the Italian affair at EQ Kuala Lumpur.

NORWEGIAN FJORD TROUT FOR A HEALTHY HEART

Rich in Omega-3 fatty acids – an essential nutrient for a healthy heart – the Norwegian Fjord Trout made a big splash among AEON customers when Her Excellency Gunn Jorid Roset (pix below), the Norwegian Ambassador to Malaysia launched a month-long ‘Norwegian Fjord Trout for a Healthy Heart’ campaign at AEON 1 Utama recently.

Also present at the launch event were Asbjørn Warvik Rørtveit (2nd from left), Norwegian Seafood Council’s Regional Director, South-East Asia; Masashi Iwasaki (left), AEON's Assistant GM, Foodline Merchandising; CVS CEO Anwar Anis (2nd from right) and Sandeep Kumar (right) of Healthify Me. Consultant dietitian Indra Balaratnam then demonstrated two simple recipes on how to cook the Norwegian Fjord Trout. (refer recipes below)

Scheduled from 27 September to 27 October, the Norwegian Seafood Council in collaboration with AEON throughout the country will feature cooking demos on simple and wholesome Norwegian Fjord Trout dishes to shoppers at AEON in 1 Utama.

Surrounded by ice-cold waters with fjords stretching deep into its coastline, Norway has the perfect living conditions for Fjord Trout. Farmed in the pure, cold waters of Norwegian fjords where seawater meets fresh meltwater of glaciers and snow, the Norwegian Fjord Trout is bred and raised following the highest environment and sustainability standards.

Asbjorn Warvik Rortveit, Norwegian Seafood Council’s Regional Director, South-East Asia said: “From our annual Seafood Consumer Insights, Norway is the preferred country of origin for Malaysians for Fjord Trout purchases. Malaysians also choose Norwegian Fjord Trout for its health and nutritional benefits.”

 

Other partners for the Healthy Heart campaign include Hospital Cardiac Vascular Sentral Kuala Lumpur (CVS) and HealthifyMe App. Among the the launch weekend activities were HealthifyMe dietician Mitra Prasad’s creation of a 7-Day Meal Plan with Norwegian Fjord Trout, health talks by cardiologist consultant, dietician and fitness experts, coupled with free health checks, dietician advice and fitness advice.

Giveaways with purchases of Norwegian Fjord Trout and health screening packages by CVS and Premium Access promotion by HealthifyMe App will also be featured throughout the month at AEON outlets.

About Norwegian Fjord Trout

The Norwegian Fjord Trout is popular in Malaysia for its unique taste, health benefits and appealing red colour. Its similar appearance to salmon leads consumers to mistakenly associate it as a type of salmon but the Fjord Trout is a whole different specie.

Growing to a weight of 2-5 kilos, the Fjord Trout is slightly smaller than salmon with a lustrous and silvery skin. The meat is a deep red-orange colour with white marbling, giving the fish fillets a luxurious feel. Look for fish with a healthy sheen and feels firm, yet tender and mellow to touch. Fjord Trout has a remarkably rich flavour with a pure aftertaste.

Refer to the recipes below for delicious ideas on how to cook the Fjord Trout. For more information on Norwegian Seafood Council, please visit www.fromnorway.com.

 FJORD TROUT RASA ASAM PEDAS

Serves: 3 to 4

Ingredients:

500g Fjord Trout fillet – cut into chunks 

8 ladies fingers

3 stalks lemongrass

1 torch ginger flower 

2 medium tomatoes

Few sprigs daun kesom  (Vietnamese mint leaves)

2 tablespoons sugar

4 tablespoons tamarind pulp (asam jawa) + 3 cups of water - strained

2 tablespoons olive oil

Ingredients for the spice paste to be blended together:

15 dried chillies – soak in water (remove seeds to reduce chilli heat)

1 medium red onion

4 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

1 teaspoon-size square belacan (shrimp paste)

1/3 teaspoon turmeric powder

 

Methods:

Gently heat the olive oil in non-stick wok. Sauté the blended spice paste for about 8 minutes until fragrant.

Add in lemongrass and torch ginger flower. Stir in spice paste.

Add in tamarind pulp water and bring to a slight simmer.

Add in daun kesom and bring to boil.

Add sugar to season and taste.

Add in ladies fingers and tomatoes. Cook for 2 minutes.

Add in Fjord Trout and cook for 2 more minutes until fish is gently cooked.

Serve immediately with rice and vegetables.

EASY FJORD TROUT SEAFOOD PASTA

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS:

200 g spaghettini pasta – cooked al dente as per packaged instructions

300 g Fjord Trout – cut into cubes

200 g prawns – peeled

8 cloves garlic – minced

100 g cherry tomatoes – halved

80 g yellow capsicum – deseeded and finely sliced

Bunch of parsley -- chopped

250 ml prawn stock

3 tablespoons olive oil

Salt & crushed black pepper to taste

Sweet paprika

Chili flakes (optional)

Methods:

Marinate Fjord Trout and prawns with paprika, salt and crushed

black pepper for 10 minutes.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a non-stick pan.

Sauté half of the minced garlic, Fjord Trout and prawns until lightly pink. Remove from pan and set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and sauté remainder of the minced garlic.

Add in cherry tomatoes and sliced yellow capsicum. Stir-fry for 2 minutes till slightly tender.  

Toss in spaghettini and mix well. Add in prawn stock and simmer.

Mix in the cooked Fjord Trout and prawns with the spaghettini. Season with crushed black pepper, salt and paprika to taste.

Toss in chopped parsley.

Serve with extra chili flakes and wedge of lemon (optional).