0:00:02 > 0:00:03Six cooks,
0:00:03 > 0:00:05six countries,
0:00:05 > 0:00:07six incredible journeys.
0:00:07 > 0:00:09- Whoa!- Yeah!
0:00:09 > 0:00:11- HE SCREAMS - Stepping outside
0:00:11 > 0:00:13their comfort zones...
0:00:13 > 0:00:14DOGS BARK
0:00:14 > 0:00:17It's not for the faint-hearted, for sure.
0:00:17 > 0:00:20..our cooks will travel far and wide...
0:00:20 > 0:00:23Route 7 all the way.
0:00:23 > 0:00:27..to find some of the most exciting food on the planet.
0:00:27 > 0:00:28If you're back in the UK,
0:00:28 > 0:00:31you've got Tandoori chicken, nothing like this.
0:00:32 > 0:00:33It's beautiful, this is the
0:00:33 > 0:00:35best food I've had in Egypt.
0:00:35 > 0:00:39It's pure, it's got heritage, it's got love in it, you know?
0:00:39 > 0:00:41They'll go off the beaten track...
0:00:41 > 0:00:44Crocodile, crocodile sausages.
0:00:44 > 0:00:47..meeting extraordinary people...
0:00:47 > 0:00:49- SHE BLOWS DART - ..exploring ways of life
0:00:49 > 0:00:51unchanged for centuries.
0:00:51 > 0:00:54No electric blenders in the jungle,
0:00:54 > 0:00:57have to do everything by hand.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00Take your life into your own hands, we're on the road now.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03As they travel, they'll see how the language of food
0:01:03 > 0:01:05transcends cultural differences...
0:01:05 > 0:01:07I've never huffed on a cheese before.
0:01:07 > 0:01:09..and a world away from home.
0:01:09 > 0:01:12This is why I love Australia.
0:01:12 > 0:01:14- There's no excuse for a bad pie in Australia.- No.
0:01:14 > 0:01:16If this is the beginning, where do we end?
0:01:16 > 0:01:18They'll learn lessons
0:01:18 > 0:01:21that could change the way we cook forever.
0:01:21 > 0:01:25I've been cooking a barbecue wrongly all my life.
0:01:25 > 0:01:26Wow!
0:01:31 > 0:01:36This time, cook and food writer Rachel Khoo travels to the country
0:01:36 > 0:01:38of her ancestors - Malaysia.
0:01:38 > 0:01:40Oh, my goodness that's my dad!
0:01:40 > 0:01:44She'll discover how a country at the heart of Southeast Asia became
0:01:44 > 0:01:45such a culinary melting pot.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48There seems to be food for everyone here.
0:01:48 > 0:01:49She'll find out how different cultures
0:01:49 > 0:01:51have made their mark on the food...
0:01:51 > 0:01:53This is at another level.
0:01:53 > 0:01:56..and learn secrets about her own family's past.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59My ancestors could have been drug dealers.
0:01:59 > 0:02:00SHE GIGGLES
0:02:00 > 0:02:02- HE BLOWS WHISTLE - Line cleared.
0:02:10 > 0:02:11I'm Rachel Khoo.
0:02:11 > 0:02:15I grew up in Croydon, but moved to Paris in my 20s
0:02:15 > 0:02:17where I trained as a pastry chef.
0:02:17 > 0:02:18Then, in my studio flat,
0:02:18 > 0:02:21I set up the city's tiniest restaurant,
0:02:21 > 0:02:24which became known as The Little Paris Kitchen.
0:02:24 > 0:02:28I have the perfect recipe to recreate that Parisian patisserie
0:02:28 > 0:02:30experience at home.
0:02:30 > 0:02:32I'm known for my French cooking,
0:02:32 > 0:02:34but I am in fact half Malaysian.
0:02:34 > 0:02:38I know surprisingly little about that part of my heritage,
0:02:38 > 0:02:40but that's about to change.
0:02:41 > 0:02:46I'm travelling 6,500 miles to the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur,
0:02:46 > 0:02:49on what I hope will be a real journey of discovery.
0:03:09 > 0:03:13The amount of skyscrapers going up is insane.
0:03:13 > 0:03:15It's hustling, it's bustling.
0:03:15 > 0:03:17It's never quiet here.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20CAR HORN HONKS MOTORCYCLE ENGINE REVS
0:03:20 > 0:03:23So I've been to Malaysia four or five times now.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25I know a little bit about Malaysian food,
0:03:25 > 0:03:29but I think my knowledge is very basic in comparison to what
0:03:29 > 0:03:32I know about French food or Western style cooking.
0:03:33 > 0:03:35Malaysia sits at the crossroads
0:03:35 > 0:03:37of Asia, which accounts, in part,
0:03:37 > 0:03:39for its ethnic diversity.
0:03:39 > 0:03:43It's a Muslim country where indigenous Malays make up half
0:03:43 > 0:03:47the population and live alongside Chinese Malaysians, Indian Malaysians
0:03:47 > 0:03:49and tribal groups.
0:03:49 > 0:03:53I want to discover how the different cultures have influenced
0:03:53 > 0:03:56the cuisine here and whether, in a world full of conflict,
0:03:56 > 0:04:00a passion for good food can be a unifying force.
0:04:00 > 0:04:04I really want to find out what the Malaysian classics are. So in the UK,
0:04:04 > 0:04:07you have your fish and chips, your roast beef and Yorkshire pudding,
0:04:07 > 0:04:10but what are the classic Malaysian dishes?
0:04:15 > 0:04:18I'm on my way to a family reunion at my uncle's house on the outskirts
0:04:18 > 0:04:20of Kuala Lumpur.
0:04:21 > 0:04:25I am super excited about going to Uncle Teng's.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28Haven't seen some of the relatives in a very long time.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31I... Maybe some of them I've never met, could be,
0:04:31 > 0:04:35or the last time I met, I was like this high.
0:04:35 > 0:04:39So it'll be good to meet up with some of them again.
0:04:39 > 0:04:43My family are part of the 25% of the population who are Chinese Malaysian
0:04:43 > 0:04:47and as far as we know have been here for at least four generations.
0:04:47 > 0:04:50Whenever anybody visits the Khoo family,
0:04:50 > 0:04:53there is always food involved.
0:04:53 > 0:04:57It's not how are you, it's have you eaten yet, which is the most
0:04:57 > 0:04:59important question you ask your guest.
0:05:00 > 0:05:05This trip is a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with my family and find
0:05:05 > 0:05:09out how we Khoos fit into the bigger picture of multicultural Malaysia.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13Hello, hello. A long time I haven't seen you.
0:05:13 > 0:05:14Hello, I know. I know.
0:05:14 > 0:05:16So how are you?
0:05:16 > 0:05:19- I'm good, how are you, Uncle?- OK.- OK.
0:05:19 > 0:05:21- How's your father?- He's good too. SHE LAUGHS
0:05:24 > 0:05:27- So nice to see you. - Yeah, good to see you too.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30- Hello, Uncle.- It's nice to see you. Hello.
0:05:30 > 0:05:32'Uncle Teng is my dad's older brother.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35'The last time I came to visit him was over ten years ago.'
0:05:35 > 0:05:38Oh, wow! Oh, Sebby!
0:05:38 > 0:05:41- Hey, how are you?- Hello, Rachel, nice to meet you again.
0:05:41 > 0:05:42Yeah, it's nice to see you.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45He's organised a Chinese pot luck lunch, which means everyone's
0:05:45 > 0:05:48brought a dish to share, everyone except me, that is.
0:05:48 > 0:05:52So you can come in and show us some of your skills.
0:05:52 > 0:05:54So I've asked my cousin, Eileen,
0:05:54 > 0:05:56if we can make my contribution together.
0:05:56 > 0:05:58With any luck, I'll learn something too.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01Yeah, some of the food that we have prepared
0:06:01 > 0:06:04and some we are waiting for you.
0:06:04 > 0:06:06- Oh, to help out.- To help out.
0:06:06 > 0:06:08- I know that you love wonton. OK? - I love wonton.
0:06:08 > 0:06:10Yeah, but so, this is a little bit different,
0:06:10 > 0:06:12- this is the fried type.- OK.
0:06:12 > 0:06:14So very, you can use it as...
0:06:14 > 0:06:17I mean, serve it at parties as a snack or you can eat it with rice.
0:06:17 > 0:06:22- Oh, fantastic.- Yeah, so this is a very Malaysian Chinese dish.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26'Chinese food is the least spicy cuisine you'll find in Malaysia.
0:06:27 > 0:06:31'This wonton filling is just a mix of pork-mince, prawns
0:06:31 > 0:06:33'and spring onions.'
0:06:35 > 0:06:38I don't cook that much Malaysian food, actually.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40No.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43- Now, we can do some wrapping.- Yeah.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46Uncle, you know how to do?
0:06:46 > 0:06:48- Are you going to show me, Uncle, how to do it?- Yes.
0:06:53 > 0:06:55- Yeah.- All right.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58So where do you get your ingredients from? Do you go to the wet market?
0:06:58 > 0:06:59Or the supermarket?
0:07:00 > 0:07:02They even come to your house?!
0:07:05 > 0:07:08- Fantastic.- Yes, they come on a motorcycle.- Uh-huh.
0:07:08 > 0:07:10And they hoot.
0:07:10 > 0:07:12- Oh, they...- They hoot!- Yeah, yeah.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15'Wontons can be made with pretty much any filling
0:07:15 > 0:07:17'and they freeze well too.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19'But, they need to be fried in a really hot oil
0:07:19 > 0:07:21'if you don't want them soggy.'
0:07:24 > 0:07:27- They're going a lovely, crispy, golden colour.- Yeah.
0:07:42 > 0:07:46I am very excited. If it's firm, then it's cooked, I assume.
0:07:48 > 0:07:51- Do you both like these? BOTH:- Yes.- Yeah?
0:07:51 > 0:07:53Yeah, you might have to blow it a little bit.
0:07:56 > 0:08:01It's crunchy, it's got that lovely moist filling,
0:08:01 > 0:08:04bit of spring onion, very fresh and then that tiny bit of pepper.
0:08:04 > 0:08:06Perfect little snack and really good with the chilli sauce.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09All right, let's just take these through.
0:08:09 > 0:08:13- You coming? We'll go eat some food now.- Yes.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16'Unlike at home where one dish is the focal point of a meal,
0:08:16 > 0:08:20'Malaysians love to pick and mix their flavours.'
0:08:20 > 0:08:23Definitely not like an English meal. There's a lot more colour,
0:08:23 > 0:08:25a lot more spice.
0:08:25 > 0:08:27You know, you've got everything from a stew
0:08:27 > 0:08:29to some spicy vegetables there,
0:08:29 > 0:08:33then the noodles, there's a curry,
0:08:33 > 0:08:35there's roast pork, so it's really eclectic.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38So I think there's a dish for everyone here.
0:08:42 > 0:08:44'This Chinese food may look familiar,
0:08:44 > 0:08:47'but it's different from what we're used to.
0:08:47 > 0:08:51'Here, Chinese immigrants have combined classic flavours with local
0:08:51 > 0:08:54'ingredients like coconut milk and lemon grass to make a cuisine
0:08:54 > 0:08:56'you won't find anywhere else.'
0:09:01 > 0:09:05- This is delicious, Uncle Teng. - Yes.- Really tasty.
0:09:05 > 0:09:09So it seems to me that food is a big part of Malaysian culture.
0:09:09 > 0:09:13- Yes.- And what other things make you Malaysian, do you think?
0:09:30 > 0:09:33But I do think it's changing, though. I think nowadays the younger
0:09:33 > 0:09:35people, we don't focus so much as in like,
0:09:35 > 0:09:37"Oh, you're Malaysian Chinese,"
0:09:37 > 0:09:38we're just Malaysian, you know?
0:09:38 > 0:09:43Our diversity in terms of culture, it's...
0:09:43 > 0:09:48it's a big part of who we are and our identity, yeah.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53No Khoo get-together would be complete
0:09:53 > 0:09:56without some old family photos.
0:09:56 > 0:10:00This is your grandfather, your grandmother.
0:10:00 > 0:10:02Uncle, do you know which one Dad is?
0:10:04 > 0:10:06- This is, I think, your father. - I think that's Dad, isn't it?
0:10:06 > 0:10:08- Yeah, this is.- Yeah, yeah, yeah.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11I can't recognise my dad. He looks so cheeky.
0:10:11 > 0:10:13THEY LAUGH
0:10:13 > 0:10:15Who do you think that is?
0:10:15 > 0:10:16- It's you.- Yeah, it was on...
0:10:16 > 0:10:17Yeah, this was when your...
0:10:17 > 0:10:21- First trip.- Yes, your first trip to Malaysia.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24- Michael and Rachel.- My brother.
0:10:24 > 0:10:29Seeing the photos really inspired me to want to discover
0:10:29 > 0:10:32more about my heritage and learn more about my dad's background
0:10:32 > 0:10:35and where he came from, what he, you know, where he grew up.
0:10:37 > 0:10:39Yeah, it's a real personal journey for me.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58Today, I'm leaving KL to find out more about how the different
0:10:58 > 0:11:01cultures here live and, more importantly, eat.
0:11:03 > 0:11:07I know that Malaysia was a key player in the 15th-century spice trade,
0:11:07 > 0:11:10but that's just the start of the food story.
0:11:10 > 0:11:12Since then, people from all
0:11:12 > 0:11:15over Asia have made their mark on the cuisine here.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20For breakfast, my cousins Eileen and Melissa are introducing me
0:11:20 > 0:11:23to Malaysia's most popular dish - nasi lemak.
0:11:23 > 0:11:25- Thank you.- Thank you.- Thank you.
0:11:25 > 0:11:30So the Malaysian national dish, basically, for breakfast.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33Well, actually I think you could just call it a Malaysian dish
0:11:33 > 0:11:37because you... I have this for lunch, I have this for dinner as
0:11:37 > 0:11:40well, sometimes, so you pretty much can have it any time of the day.
0:11:40 > 0:11:43- Brits have fish and chips, you have nasi lemak.- Nasi lemak.
0:11:43 > 0:11:44SHE LAUGHS
0:11:46 > 0:11:49It's coconut rice, cucumber, peanuts, anchovies,
0:11:49 > 0:11:52a boiled egg and a spicy relish or sambal.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00It's quite spicy. This one's quite spicy.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03I can feel the heat, very flavoursome.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05You know you get the saltiness from the anchovies,
0:12:05 > 0:12:08but then you've got like these chillies, and like whoo!
0:12:08 > 0:12:11- THEY LAUGH - You just have the sambal
0:12:11 > 0:12:13that's added to the anchovies that makes it different
0:12:13 > 0:12:16to the taste of this.
0:12:16 > 0:12:21This sambal is made with a fermented shrimp paste called belachan.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24Belachan is actually a very common taste that you use in all
0:12:24 > 0:12:27kinds of...sambal cooking.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30Is it a bit like how the Thais have their fish sauce,
0:12:30 > 0:12:32the Malays have their belachan?
0:12:32 > 0:12:34Yes. Yeah.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37What I love about Malaysian food is there's such a variety.
0:12:37 > 0:12:40You can see it a bit on the table with the nasi lemak.
0:12:40 > 0:12:45It's very Malaysian. This feels quite Chinese, I think,
0:12:45 > 0:12:46with the spring rolls.
0:12:46 > 0:12:50The reason why is because in Malaysia we have got different
0:12:50 > 0:12:55mixed group so the Malays, their food will have more sambal into it,
0:12:55 > 0:12:57like the nasi lemak here,
0:12:57 > 0:12:58whereas the Chinese,
0:12:58 > 0:13:04they use lesser spice, like the crispy popiah, and they like to
0:13:04 > 0:13:07have their food fried and crispy.
0:13:07 > 0:13:11Hopefully, on my journey round Malaysia, I'll discover more
0:13:11 > 0:13:14about the different ethnic groups, the different types of food
0:13:14 > 0:13:16which each group has.
0:13:16 > 0:13:18Everything in Malaysia tastes really good,
0:13:18 > 0:13:20like, this is just the tip of the iceberg.
0:13:20 > 0:13:21There's so much more to try,
0:13:21 > 0:13:24and I think you're really going to enjoy it.
0:13:24 > 0:13:26I think I'll be rolling from one place to another.
0:13:26 > 0:13:30I already need to wear my elasticated pants.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32THEY LAUGH
0:13:37 > 0:13:40And now it's time to roll on over to the station.
0:13:40 > 0:13:42I'm heading north to where my dad grew up.
0:13:47 > 0:13:49- Could I have a ticket to Ipoh, please?- This morning?
0:13:49 > 0:13:51Yes, please.
0:13:51 > 0:13:56So I got a bit of a bargain here, it was like seven pounds for a ticket
0:13:56 > 0:14:00to Ipoh, and that's about two-and-a-half hour's journey,
0:14:00 > 0:14:05so I don't think you'd get very far in the UK with seven pounds.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10Ipoh is two hours north of Kuala Lumpur
0:14:10 > 0:14:12and it's Malaysia's third largest city.
0:14:14 > 0:14:16I'm being a bit naughty here.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19I heard an announcement you're not supposed to bring on
0:14:19 > 0:14:24any outside food, but I couldn't resist these crazy layered cakes.
0:14:24 > 0:14:26This is something I know from my childhood. It's something
0:14:26 > 0:14:31I had a lot when I visited my granny in Ipoh, so it's quite fitting that
0:14:31 > 0:14:34I'm on the train to Ipoh and having, like, a little layer cake.
0:14:36 > 0:14:41Apparently, the local way to eat it is to pull off...
0:14:41 > 0:14:44the individual layers like this.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49It has like a little bit of a rice flavour, bit of coconut,
0:14:49 > 0:14:50it's not very sweet, which is unusual
0:14:50 > 0:14:53cos a lot of Asian desserts are very sweet.
0:14:53 > 0:14:56It's really nice. I like it. SHE GIGGLES
0:14:56 > 0:14:59It's a bit odd. I mean, the pink one is a bit...
0:14:59 > 0:15:02a bit crazy coloured for me, but it's very tasty.
0:15:10 > 0:15:14The British ruled Malaysia from the mid-1800s until 1957.
0:15:17 > 0:15:18During that time,
0:15:18 > 0:15:22it became the world's largest exporter of tin and rubber.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25The massive work force, imported from China and India,
0:15:25 > 0:15:29made the country the cultural melting pot it is today.
0:15:37 > 0:15:41Feels like I've definitely arrived to this sleepier town.
0:15:41 > 0:15:43It's a lot quieter, less people getting off the train.
0:15:43 > 0:15:46It's not got the hustle and bustle of KL.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50Plus, it's got this beautiful kind of colonial building here.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56Ipoh was the tin-mining capital of the British Empire.
0:15:56 > 0:16:00Chinese entrepreneurs flocked here to make their fortune.
0:16:00 > 0:16:04By the time Malaysia gained its independence in 1957,
0:16:04 > 0:16:07it had become known as the City of Millionaires.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09While the Chinese prospered,
0:16:09 > 0:16:12the indigenous Malays were left with less than 5%
0:16:12 > 0:16:14of the country's national wealth.
0:16:14 > 0:16:17Resentment grew and, in 1969,
0:16:17 > 0:16:21Malaysia erupted in weeks of bloody violence.
0:16:21 > 0:16:25Hundreds of people died before the authorities got things under control.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30To avoid further violence, the government introduced
0:16:30 > 0:16:34a new economic policy, designed to pull the Malays out of poverty
0:16:34 > 0:16:36and restore economic balance.
0:16:38 > 0:16:42My dad grew up here in Ipoh and left Malaysia when he was just 16,
0:16:42 > 0:16:44a year before the riots.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47The school he went to was built for the sons of wealthy Chinese
0:16:47 > 0:16:50businessmen, but today, it's open to everyone.
0:16:50 > 0:16:52I want to see how things have changed
0:16:52 > 0:16:56since my dad was a pupil here. And as it's lunchtime,
0:16:56 > 0:16:57I'm starting in the canteen.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02I can see it's not just Chinese kids here now.
0:17:02 > 0:17:07And everyone's tucking in, because the food looks incredible.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09It's all very tasty, smells amazing.
0:17:09 > 0:17:11This is definitely not what I had for school lunch.
0:17:13 > 0:17:15No excuse for skipping lunch here.
0:17:15 > 0:17:17There's something for everyone.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21Malay classics like beef rendang and sambal.
0:17:24 > 0:17:26Chinese noodle soups and sweet and sour chicken.
0:17:28 > 0:17:30And Indian curries and rotis.
0:17:32 > 0:17:34So do all of the kids eat this food?
0:17:34 > 0:17:37Most of the Chinese kids and the Malay kids.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40- Mostly Chinese and Malay kids. - Yeah, because Indians most probably,
0:17:40 > 0:17:42they are eating this every day at home, right?
0:17:42 > 0:17:44So they want something different.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46In Malaysia, most of the kids are...
0:17:46 > 0:17:50They are very used to eating all other foods.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53There's no particular food on the...based on the race.
0:17:55 > 0:17:59In the UK, we have dinner ladies, they cook every day at school.
0:17:59 > 0:18:01Are you employed by this school or...?
0:18:01 > 0:18:04This is... We have my own worker.
0:18:04 > 0:18:08She will do the cooking here normally, early in the morning,
0:18:08 > 0:18:10but today she's not working. We had prepared in the house
0:18:10 > 0:18:12and brought it here.
0:18:12 > 0:18:14Each person has their own little stand here, it looks like.
0:18:14 > 0:18:16Yeah, it will be permanent for two years
0:18:16 > 0:18:20and then the school will renew what we call the tender.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24So, there are no dinner ladies here. Instead, students pay
0:18:24 > 0:18:26the stalls directly,
0:18:26 > 0:18:29which means a varied menu at an affordable price.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33The selection is vast and shows just how
0:18:33 > 0:18:35complex the Malaysian food story is.
0:18:37 > 0:18:38Do you always have noodles?
0:18:38 > 0:18:41Yeah, we have a variety of noodle. We have different soups
0:18:41 > 0:18:42so we can choose.
0:18:42 > 0:18:46Would you eat other food? Like, would you eat Indian food?
0:18:46 > 0:18:49- Yeah?- I take Malay food, Chinese, Indian food.
0:18:49 > 0:18:52Doesn't matter where it comes from? You like to mix it up?
0:18:52 > 0:18:53- Yeah.- Fantastic.
0:18:53 > 0:18:55What's really interesting here,
0:18:55 > 0:18:59there's not a turkey twizzler in sight, not a kiddie menu.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02It's actually something you could serve to kids and grown-ups,
0:19:02 > 0:19:06so really delicious and actually making me very hungry.
0:19:06 > 0:19:10But before I tuck in, I've arranged to meet a very special person -
0:19:10 > 0:19:13Datuk Lean, who was at school with my dad.
0:19:13 > 0:19:18This edition is 1968, the year your dad left school.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21This might interest you. Do you have photographs of your dad
0:19:21 > 0:19:25- when he was young?- Not that many. - Oh!- Not that many.
0:19:25 > 0:19:27Oh, here you are, the last row.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30- Oh, my goodness, that's my dad!- Yeah.
0:19:30 > 0:19:32He looks very serious.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35- Very serious, very well kempt. - Yes, very smart.- Right.
0:19:35 > 0:19:39Here, "Vice President of the Chess Club." That doesn't surprise me
0:19:39 > 0:19:42because, as a kid, my dad made my brother and I go to chess club.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44HE CHUCKLES
0:19:44 > 0:19:47- And he still loves playing chess. - Yeah.
0:19:47 > 0:19:51"After much keen competition, Khoo Kheng Hin of Form 5 S-C...?"
0:19:51 > 0:19:56- Science.- "..Science A emerged as champion in the senior section."
0:19:56 > 0:19:58- Very good. - THEY LAUGH
0:19:58 > 0:20:02My dad told me, when he was studying here, they could only speak English.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05Oh, absolutely, English was very important.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08It was the primary language. Now it's gone the other way round.
0:20:08 > 0:20:10The whole system is based on Bahasa, Malay,
0:20:10 > 0:20:13and English is taught only as a subject.
0:20:13 > 0:20:18Wow. So all the lessons here are taught in Malay.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21- Malay, yes.- Whereas when my dad or when you were studying,
0:20:21 > 0:20:22it was all taught in English.
0:20:22 > 0:20:24Totally in English, yeah.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27In comparison to what it was like when you were studying
0:20:27 > 0:20:31or my dad was studying and now, what's the biggest difference?
0:20:31 > 0:20:36I think the system is now more nationalistic, more nation,
0:20:36 > 0:20:40in a way domestic-looking rather than outward.
0:20:40 > 0:20:44And a lot of activities are based on ethnic interests
0:20:44 > 0:20:48whereas in the old days, it was more on cosmopolitan.
0:20:48 > 0:20:52Is there a bit more segregation between the groups...
0:20:52 > 0:20:55- the ethnic groups, would you...? - By default.
0:20:55 > 0:20:58- Default, yeah.- Yes. - When students leave school, do you
0:20:58 > 0:21:02think the different ethnic groups have the same opportunities?
0:21:02 > 0:21:06Not really because there was a need, we all recognised, for some
0:21:06 > 0:21:12degree of affirmative policy to help a certain community be elevated
0:21:12 > 0:21:17in line with the rest, and it is not a bad thing for national harmony.
0:21:18 > 0:21:20The New Economic Policy,
0:21:20 > 0:21:24introduced after the 1969 race riots to close the wealth gap,
0:21:24 > 0:21:26still exists today.
0:21:26 > 0:21:30For indigenous Malays, it means more opportunities in business
0:21:30 > 0:21:32and government jobs.
0:21:32 > 0:21:37And in 2013, around 70% of all university places were awarded
0:21:37 > 0:21:39to Malays.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42The students here will determine how the idea of national harmony
0:21:42 > 0:21:44plays out in the next generation.
0:21:44 > 0:21:46Oh, everybody has ordered something really delicious.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48What do you have there?
0:21:48 > 0:21:51This is called bihun kari, it has wonton in it.
0:21:51 > 0:21:53And you also have...
0:21:53 > 0:21:57This is a curry chicken and these are vegetables, very Malay.
0:21:57 > 0:22:01So, at school everybody mixes with everybody else?
0:22:01 > 0:22:03You don't kind of group up in any way?
0:22:05 > 0:22:09There are some group-up, but normally we used to get together -
0:22:09 > 0:22:11like Malay, Chinese, Indian -
0:22:11 > 0:22:16and everyone share the same equality to everyone.
0:22:16 > 0:22:20It's like one Malaysia, it's like that.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23I think it's still in us, but I think we kind of treat everyone
0:22:23 > 0:22:27the same. We all can be friends with other races and we can
0:22:27 > 0:22:30hang out normally like we all the same persons. It's
0:22:30 > 0:22:33easy for us to be friends with everybody without any
0:22:33 > 0:22:35discrimination among one another.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38Do your parents ask you who you're hanging out...?
0:22:38 > 0:22:41Would they prefer you to hang out with people
0:22:41 > 0:22:43from same ethnic background?
0:22:43 > 0:22:47My mother gives me freedom to hang out whoever I want,
0:22:47 > 0:22:50as long as I don't do drugs and I don't drink.
0:22:50 > 0:22:52That's very wise.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55That's very wise. Do you think they would prefer you dating
0:22:55 > 0:22:57and then eventually marrying someone
0:22:57 > 0:23:00who was from the same background as you?
0:23:01 > 0:23:04I think yes.
0:23:04 > 0:23:08My parents are...a little bit conservative.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11So I think that they might do that.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16It was interesting when I was chatting to the kids.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19They were very kind of open, they said everybody mixes together,
0:23:19 > 0:23:23but out of the corner of my eye, I did catch, you know,
0:23:23 > 0:23:26the Indians sitting together, the Chinese sitting together,
0:23:26 > 0:23:30the Malays sitting together. One way they say they mingle,
0:23:30 > 0:23:34but in reality, I don't think it's quite like that.
0:23:44 > 0:23:46What's clear is that there's a willingness here to get on
0:23:46 > 0:23:49with people from different cultures
0:23:49 > 0:23:52and focus on making Malaysia a great place to live.
0:23:55 > 0:23:57But I've heard about one group
0:23:57 > 0:23:58that's been left out in the cold.
0:24:00 > 0:24:04I'm off to meet a tribal people called the Orang Asli.
0:24:04 > 0:24:07Their arrival on this peninsula predates the Malays
0:24:07 > 0:24:11and I'm told they still cook in the same way as their ancestors.
0:24:13 > 0:24:15I'm not a jungle kind of girl. I'm not a nature kind of girl.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18I like my city comforts, I'm an urban girl.
0:24:18 > 0:24:23So I'm like, "Well, jungle, mosquitoes... There's probably lots
0:24:23 > 0:24:25"of creepy crawlies, snakes..."
0:24:27 > 0:24:30Yeah, I'm looking at it as a bit of an adventure,
0:24:30 > 0:24:33bit of a challenge for me.
0:24:33 > 0:24:35Erm, little bit nervous,
0:24:35 > 0:24:40but I think it'll be definitely something worth doing
0:24:40 > 0:24:42to understand Malaysia better.
0:24:43 > 0:24:47Nearly half of Peninsular Malaysia is covered in jungle.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50And while some tribes are extremely remote,
0:24:50 > 0:24:55I'm heading to a settlement that is just 100km from Ipoh.
0:24:55 > 0:24:59Darkness falls quickly here as we're so close to the equator.
0:24:59 > 0:25:03Definitely hard to find your way round in this village.
0:25:03 > 0:25:05I'm supposed to be staying with a woman called Teeja,
0:25:05 > 0:25:08but I've got no idea how to find her house.
0:25:09 > 0:25:11No sign posts
0:25:11 > 0:25:13and no street numbers,
0:25:13 > 0:25:15basically nothing.
0:25:15 > 0:25:17Oh, look, there's the local shop!
0:25:24 > 0:25:26Hello?
0:25:26 > 0:25:29Teeja's house? Teeja?
0:25:31 > 0:25:35That way? OK. Thank you.
0:25:35 > 0:25:39Definitely hear you're in the jungle. The noise is just amazing,
0:25:39 > 0:25:43all the insects and birds
0:25:43 > 0:25:44and I don't know what.
0:25:47 > 0:25:49Hi. Teejay?
0:25:49 > 0:25:51Teejay?
0:25:51 > 0:25:54Teeja? Teeja?
0:25:54 > 0:25:56OK, thank you, thank you.
0:25:56 > 0:26:00'Of course, it would help if I could pronounce Teeja's name properly.'
0:26:02 > 0:26:04Teeja?
0:26:04 > 0:26:05Hello?
0:26:11 > 0:26:13Teeja?
0:26:13 > 0:26:17- Hello.- Hello.- Hi.- Hi!
0:26:17 > 0:26:20I found your house! THEY LAUGH
0:26:20 > 0:26:23- Waiting for you, just come in.- Oh.
0:26:23 > 0:26:27- Why so very late? - Sorry, traffic, got lost.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30- Oh, my God.- Anyway, so nice to meet you.- Nice to meet you.
0:26:30 > 0:26:32- How are you?- Good, how are you?
0:26:32 > 0:26:34Thank you so much for having me.
0:26:34 > 0:26:37It's OK. My pleasure.
0:26:38 > 0:26:41- Come, I show you your room, so... - Oh, thank you.
0:26:41 > 0:26:45'Teeja is one of the only English speakers in the village.
0:26:45 > 0:26:46'She's also an activist
0:26:46 > 0:26:50'and campaigns for the rights of the Orang Asli people.
0:26:50 > 0:26:53'So she often plays host to foreign visitors.'
0:26:53 > 0:26:57- Oh, thank you so much! - So, you will stay tonight here.
0:26:57 > 0:26:58Perfect.
0:26:59 > 0:27:01Never slept in the jungle before.
0:27:01 > 0:27:04This is definitely going to be a new experience, although, I must say,
0:27:04 > 0:27:08it is quite modern the fact that I have a mattress,
0:27:08 > 0:27:11there is electricity, I've got a fan.
0:27:11 > 0:27:13So, it's not quite camping.
0:27:14 > 0:27:17I'm quite happy about that cos I'm not very good at camping,
0:27:17 > 0:27:20actually I don't do camping.
0:27:20 > 0:27:21No? Yes!
0:27:24 > 0:27:25Bathroom.
0:27:25 > 0:27:28Very typical, kind of Malay bathroom.
0:27:28 > 0:27:32I remember using this system when I was a kid at my granny's.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35You just simply scoop up the water and chuck it over you,
0:27:35 > 0:27:36very refreshing.
0:27:44 > 0:27:48Really looking forward to tomorrow and trying to get more
0:27:48 > 0:27:52knowledge and more understanding of what it's like to live here.
0:27:52 > 0:27:53Just hope I get a good night's sleep,
0:27:53 > 0:27:56otherwise I'll be pretty grumpy tomorrow.
0:28:02 > 0:28:04ROOSTER CROWS
0:28:11 > 0:28:14Orang Asli translates as original people,
0:28:14 > 0:28:18and according to Teeja, for the roughly 100,000 population,
0:28:18 > 0:28:20their traditional way of life is under threat.
0:28:20 > 0:28:22DOG BARKS
0:28:22 > 0:28:24The government encourages tribal groups
0:28:24 > 0:28:28across the country to convert to Islam and adopt Malay customs.
0:28:28 > 0:28:31This would mean giving up their ancestral beliefs.
0:28:33 > 0:28:37Islamic converts receive positive discrimination that could
0:28:37 > 0:28:41include better housing and schooling before non-converts.
0:28:41 > 0:28:44But here, as everywhere, some things never change.
0:28:45 > 0:28:48There seems to be a queue for the bathroom.
0:28:48 > 0:28:53Just like back home. SHE LAUGHS
0:28:53 > 0:28:54I guess I just wait my turn.
0:28:57 > 0:28:59How was your sleep last night?
0:28:59 > 0:29:02When you are not used to the jungle noises
0:29:02 > 0:29:07and just used to the city noises, it takes some getting used to.
0:29:07 > 0:29:10- You have a very noisy cockerel. LAUGHING:- Yeah.
0:29:10 > 0:29:11You don't need an alarm clock.
0:29:11 > 0:29:13Ah yes, early morning, right?
0:29:13 > 0:29:18- Early morning, wakes you up. - At 3am, they start.
0:29:25 > 0:29:29A lot of the villagers work on nearby rubber plantations.
0:29:29 > 0:29:33But on days off, the community heads en masse to a special spot
0:29:33 > 0:29:35deep in the jungle where they hunt,
0:29:35 > 0:29:38fish and forage, just like their ancestors.
0:29:57 > 0:29:59The tribe is preparing a traditional feast,
0:29:59 > 0:30:02and it's not just for my benefit.
0:30:02 > 0:30:04This is the equivalent of Sunday lunch,
0:30:04 > 0:30:08but instead of feeding a family, you feed an entire village.
0:30:08 > 0:30:10Wow! This is a stunning place.
0:30:10 > 0:30:12Yeah, very nice place.
0:30:12 > 0:30:15- Seems like the kids are enjoying it too.- Yeah.
0:30:19 > 0:30:22There are lots of different dishes being prepared,
0:30:22 > 0:30:24from freshly caught fish
0:30:24 > 0:30:27to jungle beans and tapioca root,
0:30:27 > 0:30:30but there's one classic tribal recipe Teeja wants to show me.
0:30:43 > 0:30:44This is lemon grass, no?
0:30:47 > 0:30:48And what's this one?
0:30:50 > 0:30:51Smells like onion.
0:30:54 > 0:30:56These all herbs you find in the jungle.
0:31:00 > 0:31:02Is it easy to identify?
0:31:21 > 0:31:24Passing down knowledge from one generation to the next
0:31:24 > 0:31:27is important to the Orang Asli,
0:31:27 > 0:31:30and nearly everything at this feast has been foraged
0:31:30 > 0:31:32from the jungle or fished from the river.
0:31:46 > 0:31:48Ah, what a good saying.
0:31:51 > 0:31:55The bamboo tubes go straight on the fire for about 30 minutes.
0:32:00 > 0:32:03The natural water content of the bamboo steams the meat and
0:32:03 > 0:32:05stops it burning.
0:32:05 > 0:32:08This simple way of cooking dates back thousands of years.
0:32:09 > 0:32:12Today, chicken and fish are on the menu,
0:32:12 > 0:32:16but it's often squirrel or wild boar, all hunted from the forest.
0:32:16 > 0:32:19So typical, no matter where you are in the world -
0:32:19 > 0:32:22the men are manning the barbecue and the women are doing the veg.
0:32:24 > 0:32:28'And I'm put to work making a sambal, that spicy
0:32:28 > 0:32:30'relish I had with my cousins in KL.
0:32:30 > 0:32:32'But this one's very different.'
0:32:34 > 0:32:36This is hard work! SHE GIGGLES
0:32:37 > 0:32:39No electric blenders in the jungle.
0:32:39 > 0:32:41Have to do everything by hand.
0:32:43 > 0:32:44'As with all sambal,
0:32:44 > 0:32:46'the key ingredient is chilli.
0:32:46 > 0:32:48'And we're making two versions.
0:32:48 > 0:32:50'The first one with ginger flower.'
0:32:52 > 0:32:53Can I help you?
0:32:53 > 0:32:54Oh, OK, I'm that good?
0:32:55 > 0:32:58You take over now. All right.
0:32:58 > 0:33:00Obviously says a lot.
0:33:00 > 0:33:01I'm too slow.
0:33:03 > 0:33:06'And the second is with pureed durian, known as the king of fruits.'
0:33:06 > 0:33:08Enough? More?
0:33:08 > 0:33:10- More.- More.
0:33:10 > 0:33:12'Durian has a fearsome reputation
0:33:12 > 0:33:14'because of its strong smell,
0:33:14 > 0:33:17'which is said to be like rotting meat or even sewage.'
0:33:20 > 0:33:25I would compare durian to a very pungent cheese,
0:33:25 > 0:33:27like one of those French cheeses,
0:33:27 > 0:33:30which you have to put in several containers
0:33:30 > 0:33:35because it will make your fridge smell a little bit stronger.
0:33:36 > 0:33:40- I look forward to eating this.- Yes. - Looks tasty. Yeah.
0:33:40 > 0:33:43All right, well, I'll go do the washing up. I'm good at that.
0:34:06 > 0:34:10The feast is served on a handmade table with banana leaf plates and
0:34:10 > 0:34:16bamboo cups all gathered from the jungle and, of course, biodegradable.
0:34:16 > 0:34:19We're having fish and fowl cooked two ways -
0:34:19 > 0:34:21barbecued and steamed in bamboo -
0:34:21 > 0:34:26served with a load of jungle greens, broad beans and fern tips
0:34:26 > 0:34:28with ginger flower and durian sambal on the side.
0:34:30 > 0:34:36This really is Malaysian food in its oldest and purest form.
0:34:36 > 0:34:40And luckily for the kids, tradition dictates that they're served first.
0:34:41 > 0:34:45- Bit of fish.- OK.
0:34:45 > 0:34:47A little bit of veggies. Thank you.
0:34:48 > 0:34:53How do you balance the modern way of life and...
0:34:53 > 0:34:56keeping your traditions?
0:35:41 > 0:35:44Teeja is a fantastic person.
0:35:44 > 0:35:49You can see why she is so passionate about her heritage and her culture.
0:35:49 > 0:35:53You know, experiencing all this and
0:35:53 > 0:35:56why she wants to campaign for people
0:35:56 > 0:36:00to respect it, to keep the traditions,
0:36:00 > 0:36:03but also for the Orang Asli to have the same opportunities
0:36:03 > 0:36:05as everyone else in Malaysia.
0:36:11 > 0:36:13I think my favourite...
0:36:13 > 0:36:15Well, it's all very delicious,
0:36:15 > 0:36:18but the durian sambal, the chilli
0:36:18 > 0:36:20with the durian is very good.
0:36:20 > 0:36:23I love that. It just adds a little bit of a sweetener
0:36:23 > 0:36:24and makes it very creamy
0:36:24 > 0:36:28and you can dip everything in there, it's a bit like having a ketchup.
0:36:28 > 0:36:30THEY LAUGH
0:36:30 > 0:36:34The bamboo chicken, I don't know whether it tastes of bamboo or not
0:36:34 > 0:36:39because all I taste right now is like the spicy chilli from the sambal.
0:36:44 > 0:36:47- Well, cheers.- Cheers. - Thank you so much for having me.
0:36:52 > 0:36:54Oh, it's fantastic.
0:36:54 > 0:36:58This kind of experience in priceless. You can't buy this.
0:36:58 > 0:37:01Coming to the jungle to this secluded spot, you know,
0:37:01 > 0:37:03with this crystal-clear water
0:37:03 > 0:37:06and taking food from the jungle. Then everything
0:37:06 > 0:37:10goes back to the forest, it's biodegradable.
0:37:10 > 0:37:12You couldn't get more sustainable than this.
0:37:13 > 0:37:16'Before I leave, the village headman is determined to see
0:37:16 > 0:37:18'if I can shoot his blow pipe.'
0:37:18 > 0:37:21What am I shooting at? Straight?
0:37:23 > 0:37:25SHE BLOWS DART
0:37:25 > 0:37:28'I think I'll stick to the day job.'
0:37:29 > 0:37:33Well, practice makes perfect, huh? SHE LAUGHS
0:37:34 > 0:37:35OK, wait.
0:37:36 > 0:37:38OK, done.
0:37:49 > 0:37:52So far I've been to the city, I've been to the jungle
0:37:52 > 0:37:54and now I'm heading to the coast.
0:37:56 > 0:37:59Pretty much standard weather over here.
0:37:59 > 0:38:02There's a rain o'clock - a certain time of day
0:38:02 > 0:38:04when it just starts raining.
0:38:12 > 0:38:15Just pulled off the highway, it's this massive food court.
0:38:15 > 0:38:17There's loads to choose from.
0:38:17 > 0:38:19This smells amazing.
0:38:19 > 0:38:23The aromas. And, look, all the different curries here.
0:38:23 > 0:38:27It's not like your average, like, motorway stop you have in the UK.
0:38:27 > 0:38:30You know, there's so many different stands, different foods
0:38:30 > 0:38:32and it's good quality food.
0:38:32 > 0:38:34Seems to be lots of people enjoying it as well.
0:38:37 > 0:38:39They've got deep-fried lobster! 45 ringgit?
0:38:39 > 0:38:41One, 45 ringgit.
0:38:41 > 0:38:45It's nine pounds for a deep-fried lobster! That's absolutely insane.
0:38:45 > 0:38:46- Thank you.- OK, you're welcome.
0:38:46 > 0:38:49Ah. Ha! Something funny here.
0:38:49 > 0:38:53Look at this, Kickapoo Joy Juice,
0:38:53 > 0:38:55citrus flavoured carbonated drink.
0:38:55 > 0:38:58"Get that kick." OK, I'm going to get that kick.
0:38:58 > 0:39:01Quite funny they have all these soured fruits.
0:39:03 > 0:39:05Dried... And people eat it like that?
0:39:09 > 0:39:12OK, so this is like a little wake-up call when you're driving.
0:39:12 > 0:39:15- Yes, exactly.- You pop one in, you're like, "Whoo!"
0:39:15 > 0:39:18I will get these three things.
0:39:19 > 0:39:23My next destination is Georgetown on Penang Island,
0:39:23 > 0:39:25off Malaysia's west coast.
0:39:25 > 0:39:27I'm driving more than 200 miles north,
0:39:27 > 0:39:29where I'll pick up the ferry.
0:39:37 > 0:39:41Whoop, whoop. On the ferry. Just about made it!
0:39:45 > 0:39:48Penang is where my grandparents are from,
0:39:48 > 0:39:50so as well as trying some tasty seafood,
0:39:50 > 0:39:53I'm hoping to find out more about my family.
0:39:54 > 0:39:57This skyline looks really modern,
0:39:57 > 0:39:59but Georgetown is actually quite an old city.
0:40:20 > 0:40:22After the simple pleasures of the jungle,
0:40:22 > 0:40:24it's a real treat to be staying
0:40:24 > 0:40:26at the historic Eastern and Oriental Hotel.
0:40:26 > 0:40:29Hello. Rachel Khoo? K-H-O-O.
0:40:29 > 0:40:33It was built in 1885 at the height of the British Colonial period,
0:40:33 > 0:40:36when Georgetown was an important trading port.
0:40:55 > 0:40:58You have to come and look at this view.
0:40:58 > 0:41:00It's just absolutely stunning.
0:41:02 > 0:41:05I mean waking up to this... Look at that.
0:41:07 > 0:41:10And the sound of the sea, the lapping waves.
0:41:11 > 0:41:15Oh, what a contrast to the jungle.
0:41:15 > 0:41:17You couldn't get more extreme.
0:41:20 > 0:41:24Georgetown was founded by the British in 1786.
0:41:24 > 0:41:28It fast became a thriving commercial centre and immigrants
0:41:28 > 0:41:31flocked here from all over Asia, lured by the promise that they
0:41:31 > 0:41:33could claim as much land as they could clear.
0:41:51 > 0:41:54I'm here to find out more about my family's history.
0:41:54 > 0:41:58I know my grandfather was born here and that my ancestors arrived
0:41:58 > 0:42:01with millions of other Chinese immigrants.
0:42:01 > 0:42:04Apparently, the Khoos were a powerful clan who built
0:42:04 > 0:42:06a temple that still stands today.
0:42:19 > 0:42:23I'm meeting Salma, a local historian and also a Khoo.
0:42:23 > 0:42:26She's offered to shed some light on our clan's history.
0:42:31 > 0:42:35Can you tell me a little bit more about the history of this temple?
0:42:35 > 0:42:38So, well, the clan grew quite wealthy
0:42:38 > 0:42:42and then they brought the artisans from China, from Zhangzhou,
0:42:42 > 0:42:44that's where the Khoos are from.
0:42:44 > 0:42:48This is considered one of the most splendid temples,
0:42:48 > 0:42:52Chinese temples, of its time even. I mean, outside of China.
0:42:52 > 0:42:54The Khoo clan must have been very wealthy.
0:42:54 > 0:42:57Yeah, they were actually leaders of the secret society,
0:42:57 > 0:43:00which is based just around the corner.
0:43:00 > 0:43:03It's not so secret if you know it's based round the corner.
0:43:03 > 0:43:07It was actually an alliance with several other clans.
0:43:07 > 0:43:09They started plantations,
0:43:09 > 0:43:11they invested in tin-mining.
0:43:11 > 0:43:15At that time, one of the biggest businesses was opium.
0:43:15 > 0:43:18- At that time, it was perfectly legal.- OK.- OK.
0:43:18 > 0:43:20THEY LAUGH
0:43:20 > 0:43:23And in fact, half the revenue of the British street settlements
0:43:23 > 0:43:27until, I think, around 1910 came from opium.
0:43:27 > 0:43:31So, my ancestors could have been drug dealers.
0:43:31 > 0:43:35That's a possibility. I mean, I'm not saying that all the Khoos
0:43:35 > 0:43:37were involved in the opium trade, just a few of them.
0:43:37 > 0:43:41You mentioned secret society, opium, trade,
0:43:41 > 0:43:45it sounds a little bit like the Khoo clan were the mafia in this area.
0:43:45 > 0:43:47You know, mafia is a very subjective term,
0:43:47 > 0:43:51but in a frontier society, you need that sort of social organisation.
0:43:51 > 0:43:54You know, it was a kind of a self government almost
0:43:54 > 0:43:58when the government wasn't providing enough protection.
0:44:04 > 0:44:07The last thing I expected to find out on this journey was
0:44:07 > 0:44:10that my ancestors might have been involved with opium.
0:44:10 > 0:44:13I think us Khoos have come a long way since then.
0:44:17 > 0:44:20So far on this trip, I've eaten Chinese food, jungle food
0:44:20 > 0:44:22and the best school dinners of my life,
0:44:22 > 0:44:26but I don't feel I've cracked indigenous Malay cooking.
0:44:26 > 0:44:30The Malays migrated here from Indonesia over 1,000 years ago
0:44:30 > 0:44:34and started to convert to Islam as early as the 12th century.
0:44:34 > 0:44:37They're renowned for their spicy curries,
0:44:37 > 0:44:40which contain a unique ingredient -
0:44:40 > 0:44:42a shrimp paste called belachan.
0:44:50 > 0:44:52I'm heading to a Malay village to meet Rahim,
0:44:52 > 0:44:56a fisherman who still makes belachan by hand in the traditional way.
0:45:06 > 0:45:09Belachan can be quite powerful, pungent,
0:45:09 > 0:45:13to put it in a polite way. So it's a very distinct smell.
0:45:13 > 0:45:18It's made of shrimp paste. So I'm ready for this kind of
0:45:18 > 0:45:21over-powering smell when I hit the village.
0:45:22 > 0:45:26The village is on Pulau Aman, which translates as Island of Peace,
0:45:26 > 0:45:28and I can see why.
0:45:28 > 0:45:32There's not a road or car in sight and I don't need directions,
0:45:32 > 0:45:34I just need to follow my nose.
0:45:38 > 0:45:41So, I can already smell the aroma from the belachan.
0:45:41 > 0:45:42Oh...
0:45:42 > 0:45:45- Is this fresh?- Yes, fresh.
0:45:45 > 0:45:48- So, did you catch these today?- Yeah.
0:45:48 > 0:45:50And then how long do you leave this?
0:45:50 > 0:45:52This one, one day.
0:45:52 > 0:45:55Belachan is made from tiny shrimp, which are salted
0:45:55 > 0:45:57and left in the sun for a day or two,
0:45:57 > 0:46:01mashed up, then left again until the mixture has fermented.
0:46:02 > 0:46:06It's just such a simple way of making this key ingredient
0:46:06 > 0:46:08for Malaysian food.
0:46:08 > 0:46:11If only I had more sunshine in the UK and such fantastic shrimp,
0:46:11 > 0:46:14although I don't think I'd be so popular with my neighbours
0:46:14 > 0:46:16if I made this at home.
0:46:16 > 0:46:20Rahim and his wife produce around 50 kilos of belachan a week.
0:46:20 > 0:46:23So, you're pushing some of the mixture in,
0:46:23 > 0:46:25and you use the stick.
0:46:25 > 0:46:26Little bit, little bit!
0:46:26 > 0:46:30It first developed as a way for fisherman to preserve their catch.
0:46:30 > 0:46:33Now it's so popular they say that if you don't love it,
0:46:33 > 0:46:36you're not truly Malaysian.
0:46:36 > 0:46:40- Perfect piece very smooth.- Yeah, very smooth. You see very smooth. OK?
0:46:40 > 0:46:42- Perfect.- Perfect, yes?- Yeah, great!
0:46:42 > 0:46:44- Can we cook with this?- Yes.
0:46:44 > 0:46:47- All right. Let's go cook with it, then.- OK.
0:46:47 > 0:46:50'Rahim's wife, Jamaliah, and her friend, Rohana, are preparing
0:46:50 > 0:46:53'a Malaysian classic - sambal.
0:46:53 > 0:46:56'They're using it to cook freshly caught mantis prawns.
0:46:56 > 0:47:01'And a few tablespoons of belachan will give it a rich, salty flavour.'
0:47:01 > 0:47:04These prawns are a local delicacy from this island
0:47:04 > 0:47:07and people come to this island just to eat these.
0:47:08 > 0:47:10Looks like an alien, though.
0:47:10 > 0:47:12Never seen anything like this before.
0:47:12 > 0:47:14Huge!
0:47:14 > 0:47:17'They could be pulling my leg, but I'm told these mantis prawns
0:47:17 > 0:47:20'strike their prey faster than a speeding bullet.'
0:47:20 > 0:47:23Is this dish particularly popular in Malaysia?
0:47:23 > 0:47:29Yes. Nation, is sambal belachan, popular in Asia.
0:47:42 > 0:47:44So, what's in this?
0:47:44 > 0:47:48Onion and chilli, belachan.
0:47:48 > 0:47:51- Looks very spicy. - Little, little spicy.
0:47:51 > 0:47:53- Little bit spicy.- Ah, yeah.
0:47:53 > 0:47:56It smells good. Fantastic colour.
0:47:56 > 0:47:59'We fry up some onions, garlic and ginger in a generous
0:47:59 > 0:48:03'amount of palm oil. Then in goes the sambal belachan.'
0:48:03 > 0:48:06Big spoon? Oh, OK, a lot of sambal.
0:48:08 > 0:48:09Shall I stir?
0:48:12 > 0:48:15Looks like it's going to be more sambal than prawns!
0:48:15 > 0:48:18THEY LAUGH
0:48:18 > 0:48:22Malaysian curries are an explosive mix of flavours,
0:48:22 > 0:48:26combining Indian spices with sour fruits, fresh herbs
0:48:26 > 0:48:29and lots of chilli. We're adding tamarind, lemon grass
0:48:29 > 0:48:32and sugar for some extra zing.
0:48:32 > 0:48:35This looks mouth-watering.
0:48:35 > 0:48:38Wow, I don't know if they're going to all fit in the pan.
0:48:41 > 0:48:43And the last one in.
0:48:43 > 0:48:45Squeeze that one in.
0:48:47 > 0:48:49They're huge prawns.
0:48:50 > 0:48:53'A few veggies to garnish and this classic dish is ready.
0:48:53 > 0:48:55THUNDER CLAPS
0:48:55 > 0:48:58'Just as rain o'clock strikes again.'
0:48:58 > 0:49:02THEY PRAY IN MALAYSIAN
0:49:07 > 0:49:10This is certainly a lot spicier than the Chinese
0:49:10 > 0:49:12Malaysian food I'm used to.
0:49:12 > 0:49:13I hope I can handle the heat!
0:49:17 > 0:49:20I know that the Malaysians love their chilli,
0:49:20 > 0:49:23but this is at another level. My lips are literally on fire.
0:49:23 > 0:49:26SHE GIGGLES Very spicy but delicious.
0:49:26 > 0:49:30Fantastic. And this prawn,
0:49:30 > 0:49:32it's really meaty, a bit like a lobster -
0:49:32 > 0:49:36very juicy, quite sweet. No wonder people come to this island
0:49:36 > 0:49:37just to eat these.
0:49:37 > 0:49:39Delicious.
0:49:39 > 0:49:43Belachan seems to be the key component to Malaysian cooking.
0:49:43 > 0:49:47It's put into almost everything and you can see why cos it adds this
0:49:47 > 0:49:50savoury, aromatic flavour to dishes,
0:49:50 > 0:49:54which for me, it's like - the Thai's have fish sauce,
0:49:54 > 0:49:56the Malays have belachan.
0:49:56 > 0:49:59It's delicious, thank you so much, really tasty.
0:50:11 > 0:50:15I remember these monkeys from one of my visits in Malaysia,
0:50:15 > 0:50:19and they can get a little bit cheeky
0:50:19 > 0:50:25and steal things, get too friendly, so it's best not to feed them.
0:50:25 > 0:50:27(I'll just get a snap.)
0:50:33 > 0:50:37My Malaysia trip is coming to an end, but it's Saturday night
0:50:37 > 0:50:40and here, as at home, that means a girls' night out.
0:50:41 > 0:50:46So, the girls I'm going out with tonight are Malay Muslim.
0:50:46 > 0:50:50From a woman's point of view, as a young woman, to see...
0:50:50 > 0:50:52I've always felt that when I come to Malaysia,
0:50:52 > 0:50:55that sometimes it's a little bit restrictive.
0:50:55 > 0:50:58You know, in the Western world, you can do whatever you want.
0:50:58 > 0:51:00So for me, it'd be interesting
0:51:00 > 0:51:04to see whether, as women in a Muslim country, they feel
0:51:04 > 0:51:08that they're restricted, that they have less options as men,
0:51:08 > 0:51:11or whether there's no difference.
0:51:11 > 0:51:13I'm sure we're going to be eating a lot of food.
0:51:13 > 0:51:15That's one thing I've learnt in Malaysia -
0:51:15 > 0:51:19if you go out for dinner or you're invited around to somebody's house,
0:51:19 > 0:51:22there is always a lot of food.
0:51:22 > 0:51:25Wear your elasticated pants, that's the one tip I give you.
0:51:25 > 0:51:28Come to Malaysia, wear your elasticated pants.
0:51:32 > 0:51:35Georgetown is the undisputed street food capital of Malaysia
0:51:35 > 0:51:37and there are Malay,
0:51:37 > 0:51:41Chinese and Indian food stalls as far as the eye can see.
0:51:41 > 0:51:43The streets are buzzing.
0:51:53 > 0:51:56I'm meeting Siti and her friends who are going to help me
0:51:56 > 0:51:58navigate this culinary melting pot.
0:51:59 > 0:52:01There seems to be food for everyone here.
0:52:05 > 0:52:08Would you as a Malay Muslim be able to eat this food?
0:52:31 > 0:52:34The girls are taking me to one of their favourite spots
0:52:34 > 0:52:36well off the tourist trail.
0:52:36 > 0:52:39This is Indian food called nasi kandar.
0:52:39 > 0:52:41OK, we are here!
0:52:41 > 0:52:45The dishes are all halal, which means everyone can eat here,
0:52:45 > 0:52:47so the place is always rammed.
0:52:47 > 0:52:50It gets so busy, they blow a whistle to let
0:52:50 > 0:52:52everyone know when the queue has cleared.
0:52:52 > 0:52:55- HE BLOWS WHISTLE - Line cleared!
0:52:55 > 0:52:58It's known for its array of curries, frothy poured tea
0:52:58 > 0:53:01and roti canai, a fluffy flatbread.
0:53:01 > 0:53:06And before we eat, the girls want a demonstration of my cooking skills.
0:53:06 > 0:53:09This could be an absolute disaster.
0:53:10 > 0:53:11Eh?
0:53:12 > 0:53:15- Good, Rachael. Go!- Yeah? Am I doing all right?
0:53:17 > 0:53:19No, no! GIRLS LAUGH
0:53:19 > 0:53:21This is definitely harder than it looks.
0:53:21 > 0:53:23He makes it look so simple. THEY LAUGH
0:53:28 > 0:53:29Oh, my goodness!
0:53:29 > 0:53:33You know what, if I had to make roti canai,
0:53:33 > 0:53:35people would be waiting till midnight.
0:53:35 > 0:53:37I think I should stick to French pastries.
0:53:38 > 0:53:41Unlike the Indian food we have back home,
0:53:41 > 0:53:43the sauces here are more like a thin gravy.
0:53:43 > 0:53:46Perfect for dunking bread.
0:53:46 > 0:53:48And we've ordered everything from mutton to squid
0:53:48 > 0:53:51to the house special - fish head curry.
0:53:51 > 0:53:52- GIRLS:- Ooh!
0:53:52 > 0:53:55It's not a small fish head, huh?
0:53:55 > 0:53:57THEY LAUGH This is a big fish head.
0:53:57 > 0:53:59Yes.
0:53:59 > 0:54:02The fish is red snapper, it's got a huge amount of meat on it
0:54:02 > 0:54:05and the cheeks are meant to be the best part.
0:54:05 > 0:54:10Flakes, so delicious and it doesn't look dry at all.
0:54:15 > 0:54:17- Do you?- Yes. That's how we eat it.
0:54:17 > 0:54:21Oh, so you mix it all together, you don't eat it separately.
0:54:21 > 0:54:26Because this dish, the squid is a lot spicier than this the mutton one.
0:54:26 > 0:54:30- Yes.- So you can adjust the spiciness... GIRLS:- Yeah.
0:54:30 > 0:54:32- ..to your liking. GIRLS:- Yes.
0:54:36 > 0:54:38As this food is halal, it can be eaten
0:54:38 > 0:54:40by all the different ethnic groups.
0:54:42 > 0:54:45Aisyah is Chinese Malaysian, but converted to Islam
0:54:45 > 0:54:46when she married a Malay.
0:54:48 > 0:54:50How was it for you when you converted?
0:55:03 > 0:55:05So, you didn't go in the deep end?
0:55:08 > 0:55:10- One step at a time.- Yeah.
0:55:10 > 0:55:12So, for instance like in Chinese culture, you can eat pork.
0:55:19 > 0:55:23So, what was it like when you put the hijab on for the first time?
0:55:32 > 0:55:36I noticed that there are different ways of putting it on.
0:55:36 > 0:55:39People... Some people have, like, big part at the back.
0:55:39 > 0:55:42I don't know how they do that. You've got diamantes.
0:56:07 > 0:56:09Shouldn't the man have to wear the same?
0:56:09 > 0:56:12Because he should be special too for his wife.
0:56:21 > 0:56:25Do you feel like in Malaysia, as a woman, you have the freedom to
0:56:25 > 0:56:27do anything you want to?
0:56:55 > 0:56:58Tonight, it feels like everything I've learnt on this trip
0:56:58 > 0:56:59has come together.
0:57:03 > 0:57:05When I arrived, I felt like a fish out of water,
0:57:05 > 0:57:09but I've met so many wonderful people that I've fallen in love
0:57:09 > 0:57:11with Malaysia all over again
0:57:11 > 0:57:12and I feel a lot more at home here.
0:57:16 > 0:57:21For me to come back and to reconnect with my family,
0:57:21 > 0:57:23to experience such delicious food,
0:57:23 > 0:57:28it's just a brilliant place to come and experience such diverse culture
0:57:28 > 0:57:30in such a small space.
0:57:31 > 0:57:35There's a real sense of national confidence here.
0:57:35 > 0:57:38The different cultures don't just tolerate one another,
0:57:38 > 0:57:39they seem to get along.
0:57:41 > 0:57:45People are open. They welcome you into their home.
0:57:45 > 0:57:48They will share their food with you, what they know.
0:57:48 > 0:57:51It doesn't matter who you are or where you are from.
0:57:51 > 0:57:54And you know what, the food is incredible!
0:57:54 > 0:57:57By drawing on one another's cooking styles and ingredients,
0:57:57 > 0:58:01Malaysians have created a cuisine like no other,
0:58:01 > 0:58:03making this country
0:58:03 > 0:58:06one of the world's most exciting food destinations,
0:58:06 > 0:58:08and I can't wait to come back.