The Malay Cook

Over 70 recipes that celebrate the FLAVOURS OF MALAY COOKING in Malaysia — the everyday food of the nation’s majority, deeply rooted in history and heritage.

Through POIGNANT ANECDOTES and the legacy of his grandmother’s recipes, The Malay Cook traces Ranie’s journey from Kuala Lumpur to London.

Over half the recipes are PLANT-BASED perfect for COMMUNAL DINING, LAST-MINUTE GUESTS, PARTIES and soirées, or enjoying a comforting ONE-POT MEAL on your own.

Malay cooking is a harmony of sweet, sour, salty, lemak manis (coconut creamy umami) and spice. In The Malay Cook, Ranie shares a rich collection of recipes, from his supperclub favourites, Tofu Bergedil and Satay Wings in the Savoury Snacks section, to Kerabu, a Malay salad that nods to Western salad culture; Northern Malaysia’s Nasi Lemak platter and Royal Pesamah Guinea Fowl Stew in Rice & Sharer; comforting One-Pot Bean Stews and Curry Puffs; playful twists like Pandan Tiramisu in Sweet Treats; and in Che Aminah’s Kitchen, his grandmother’s much-loved Matrimonial Chicken.

Ranie’s recipes highlight everyday ingredients you can source locally, and the handy Malay Palate Flavour Table offers swaps and guidance, sharing the foundations of Malay cooking he has developed since moving to London. From slow-simmering stews to quick stir-fries, with flavour guides and Meal Planners, this book embraces tradition while adapting for the modern kitchen.

Author Biography

Ranie Saidi is the London-based host of The Malay Cook supper club and a developer of lifestyle and hospitality brands. He sells a limited range of Malay sauces online and has an impressive 30K+ followers on Instagram. Originally from Malaysia, he moved to the UK to study law in London a decade ago. From a young age, under the loving care of his late grandmother, who was a cook in a Malay village in Malaysia, his life has been deeply intertwined with food. This is his first book.