HANDY KITCHER HELPERS FROM TURBAN CHOPSTICKS

While I love cooking things from scratch, I do use pre-made curry pastes occasionally. At the recent Tasty Australia showcase, my interest was piqued by Turban Chopsticks after I met the brand founder, vivacious Mei Sann Yong.

A quick chat revealed the friendly entrepreneur was born in Malaysia but grew up in Perth, Australia. According to Mei, she founded Turban Chopsticks when she encountered cooking inconveniences in her busy life, early in her career.

Mei said: “As a busy working professional who travel constantly, I didn’t have much time for cooking. After a long day, I wanted home-cooked meals - the kind I grew up with - that were healthy and tasted amazing. But I also didn’t have the time to source and cook everything from scratch nor do I want to use prepackaged food with suspicious ingredients and origins.”

She soon identified a gap in the market for pre-made meal kits and curry sauces with bold flavours that used clean ingredients. That’s where Turban Chopsticks’ convenient, pre-made meal kits and ready-to-use sauces come in.

 

Raised by a full house of bakers, chefs, restaurant owners, food businesses, home cooks, and (some say extreme) food lovers, Mei has put her own exposure to various cuisines and exotic ingredients as the starting point of Turban Chopsticks.

 

“Turban Chopsticks gives busy mums and dads, working professionals, and enthusiastic home cooks a sneaky shortcut to beautifully home cooked Asian and Indian inspired meals.  They can use it as a foolproof foundation to create their own tasty masterpieces. Cooking food from the heart is something everyone can nail with Turban Chopsticks.”

Putting Turban Chopsticks to the test, I used Turban Chopsticks Red Curry Sauce to cover a whole red snapper. After wrapping up the fish in banana leaves, I chucked it into the toaster oven to bake. 

Half an hour later, the fragrant aroma permeated the whole house and we soon sat down to a delicious, robustly flavoured fish for dinner. A few days later my 20-year old daughter spread the remaining Turban Chopsticks Red Curry Sauce to grill salmon with equally scrumptious results.

 

For more information about Turban Chopsticks, visit: 

https://turbanchopsticks.com.au

TASTY AUSTRALIA SHOWCASE AT ISETAN KLCC

A total of 12 new brands with more than 80 products made their debut at Tasty Australia 2019 at Isetan KLCC, officially launched by Australian Deputy High Commissioner to Malaysia, Michael Growder (pix below).

 

 

Also present at the launch were Koji Oyama, Director/Managing Director of Isetan Malaysia (2nd from left), and Vivien Lee, Executive Director of The Model Cook (far right).

 

A collaboration between The Model Cook and Isetan Malaysia, Tasty Australia 2019 showcases the best of regional Australian food & beverage from 30 August to 11 September. It’s the sixth year Tasty Australia has been held in Kuala Lumpur.

 

Vivien Lee said: “Our passion is to promote healthy eating by offering GMO-free and healthier alternative food with real health benefits.  We always strive to ensure the healthier food alternatives present its value for money and nutritional content in the actual products themselves.”

 

 

Apart from The Model Cook’s traditional best-selling 25 brands from South Australia, Tasty Australia 2019 highlights primarily food, drinks, products and brands from South Australia and Western Australia. Most of the new brands have chosen Malaysia as their first country of export.

 

To emphasise Tasty Australia 2019’s focus on clean eating, sustainability and a conscious choice of GMO-free foods, several founders of the new brands were also at the event to meet and interact with Isetan customers, and to share their respective brand stories.

Among them were Bevan Eatts, Director of Southern Forest Flavours (top pix) who touted his high flavonoids, ready-to-eat and good-for-the-heart dried Bravo apple slices and 100% natural dehydrated fruit straps; Mei Yong, Director of Turban Chopsticks (2nd pix above) whose range of bottled Asian sauces and convenient easy-to-cook meal kits won us over within minutes; dynamic duo Elizabeth Simaliak with Issy Bilal, Founders of Nestar & Ms Sweetie Vegan Chocolates, and Kim Fewster, Founder & CEO of Fewster’s Farm Honey who promoted his indigenous Western Australia certified organic Jarrah honey.

 

Us food lovers also had a field day shopping for fine Australian products including Western Australia’s iconic superior class black Perigord truffle oil and seasonings, raw Southern Forests honey, gluten-free kettle-cooked tasty Jonny’s Popcorn Delight, gourmet vegan chocolates, 100% Australian grown quinoa, Australian produced cheeses, muesli and multi-grain cereals, biscuits, bottled drinks and wines from Australia, and even premium frozen seafood.

 

The Isetan Food Market will be bustling with activity during Tasty Australia. Besides a striking Popcorn Fountain, Tasty Australia 2019 will offer lucky draws with prizes comprising RM500 gift vouchers, food hampers and Australian souvenir giveaways with purchases.

Shoppers can also sample a selection of typical Aussie dishes like Salt Beef Sandwich, Burgers, Seafood Pasta and Fish & Chips at the Australian Gourmet pop-up restaurant from 11am to 9.30pm. Value buys of certain Australian food and beverage products especially during the one-hour “Meet the Makers” period will feature extra special buys so keep an eye out for that.

For more details on “Tasty Australia” best buys, please visit TheModelCook Facebook page.

MID-AUTUMN FEST WITH TROPICAL ALLURE FROM HILTON KL

Tropical Allure is the theme of Hilton Kuala Lumpur’s Mid-Autumn Festival packaging series this year.

In collaboration with local fashion designer Christy Ng (top pix above), the hotel is touting Ng’s rounded faux leather bags adorned with a hibiscus print – a proud tribute to Malaysia’s national flower in Crimson Red or Royal Purple.

Trimmed with gilded zippers, the statement-making mooncake boxes can be transformed into trendy cross-body bags with the addition of a handbag strap which is sold separately.

Each of the gift box bag can hold 4 pcs of baked mooncakes priced at RM168. The Snow Skin Mooncake Package retails for RM178 (4 pcs per set) while ardent durian lovers may take a shine to the Heavenly Gold Package (RM280), comprising 4 pcs of Musang King snow skin mooncakes.

Fashionistas can also buy the Hilton KL X Christy Ng’s Tropical Allure designer bags at RM148 each. An optional Tropical Allure Handbag Strap is available at RM20 each.

Signature Chynna Rose

At the launch of Tropical Allure, the Chynna Restaurant team demonstrated how

Chynna Rose — Hilton KL’s signature mooncake this year is handcrafted.

Also known colloquially as China rose, the hibiscus takes pride of place in the form of hibiscus jam inside the lavender-hue snow skin mooncake. The floral jam’s subtle tanginess balances the rich creaminess of the mooncake’s filling of ginseng-infused lotus paste studded with almond nibs nicely.

In keeping with tradition, an array of classic baked mooncakes (all halal) with five classic fillings is also available at RM35-38 each. Popular snow skin variants such as Blue Moon (snow skin amaretto lotus paste with blueberry cheese mooncake, RM35 each) and Flower Drum (snow skin lotus paste with soft custard egg yolk, RM35) are also making a comeback.

The entire range of baked and snow skin mooncakes are now sold at the pop-up store in the Hilton KL’s lobby until 13 September 2019. Similar pop-up counters can be found at Pavilion KL (23 Aug-12 Sept), Mid Valley Megamall (22 Aug-13 Sept) and One Utama Shopping Centre (29 Aug-12 Sept).

For more information, call Hilton Kuala Lumpur, tel: 03-2264 2006, email KULHI_Chynna@hilton.com or visit: www.takehome.hiltonkl.com