PETALING JAYA: There’s something special about flipping through a cookbook – one that can be passed down through generations.
When Ranie Saidi realised he could no longer find his late grandmother’s recipe book, he decided to take matters into his own hands.
Born in Kuala Lumpur and based in London since 2013, Ranie – a former lawyer – is now the author of his debut cookbook, “The Malay Cook”.
His journey with food began in his late grandmother’s kitchen in Taiping.
Ranie shared that his paternal grandmother, Che Aminah, ran a wedding catering business in Taiping which was well known among the locals.
“During every school holiday I would stay in Taiping and follow her around in the kitchen,” he told FMT Lifestyle.
“I actually never cooked myself in Malaysia but the best gift my grandmother gave me was the art of tasting. So learning to balance the flavours in a dish became second nature,” he added.
His grandmother passed away in 2011. And two years later, Ranie moved to London to continue his studies. “That’s when I started cooking for others as a way to grieve her passing,” he shared.
Ranie explained that most of the dishes he recreated came purely from memory and by asking his relatives.
“When she passed away, her recipe book was stolen that same day, since many people visited the house. She was well-known in the village for her dishes, so I guess someone wanted the secrets,” Ranie revealed.
Now, he considers the recipe book almost a lost family heirloom.
“Family recipes sort of die when people pass away, which is sad. That’s also part of our heritage.”
Ranie recalled that one of his grandmother’s most popular dishes was her ayam kenduri kahwin.
“It was like an elevated version of ayam masak merah cooked with coconut milk. This was her signature dish and even when I shared it with Malaysians in London, they said they’d never tasted anything like it,” he said.
Though not a trained chef, Ranie gained fame for his sold-out supper clubs at one of the world’s most prestigious members’ clubs. He has since created a platform celebrating his Malay heritage, adapting traditional dishes for an international audience.
Through writing for magazines and other platforms, Ranie became a top-six finalist for the Yan-Kit So Award for Asian Food Writers in 2023.
“In the UK, Malaysian food is gaining more traction, but most people only know dishes like char kuey teow, roti canai or mee goreng. They’re missing a whole side of Malaysian cuisine,” he said.
Ranie therefore travelled to Kelantan to conduct research as it was his late grandmother’s birthplace.
“The Malay Cook” includes many forgotten traditional Malay recipes adapted for modern home cooking, and meals he serves at his supper clubs.
With over 70 recipes, many vegetarian- and plant-rich, the cookbook offers dishes that can impress guests at a party as well as simple one-pot meals for a weekday.
Recipes range from his grandmother’s signature ayam kenduri kahwin to tofu bergedil, vegetable kerutuk, gulai, a variety of rice dishes, salads and more.
The dessert section blends European favourites with Malay flavours, such as pandan tiramisu and rose bandung burnt cheesecake.
The book also includes a “Malay Flavour Table”, which lists ingredient substitutions to make recipes easier to recreate. For example: canned anchovies instead of shrimp paste, and date syrup instead of refined sugar.
Another interesting aspect of the book is travel photographs of Malaysia’s East Coast by Esha Hashim, offering international readers a glimpse into the landscape and culture behind the cuisine.
“I would say Malaysian food is the best in the world,” he added.
“Whether Chinese, Malay or Indian, Malaysians always open their doors and share food. That’s the culture I’m proud of. Through this cookbook, I hope that spirit will live on beyond me.”
Already receiving pre-orders from multiple countries, the cookbook is a proud milestone for Ranie.
“I know my grandmother would be proud of whatever I do. I’m grateful to share her recipes with the world,” he said.
‘The Malay Cook’, to be published in April, is available for pre-order at MPH. Follow Ranie Saidi on Instagram.
