Flavors of Malaysia: Nyonya Cuisine
A hands-on cooking class culminating in dinner served with wine and beer.
Of all the different foods coming out from the multi-cultural Malaysia, Nyonya is the one closest to Linda Tay Esposito's heart (and belly). It is a 500-year-old fusion cuisine born from marriages between local Malay women with Chinese traders taking shelter in the Malayan peninsula while waiting for the change in trade winds. Nyonya food merges Chinese freshness, with the hot and tangy flavor of Malay foods, dotted with fragrant herbs and spices. This menu features a Californian take on kerabu (a spiced salad), Linda's grandmother's chicken curry, and even the dessert is a cake her grandmother made and had her son (Linda's father) sell after school. Join us for a delightful menu full of history and dishes hard to find in any San Franciscan restaurant.
MENU
Otak-otak - Banana-Leaf Wrapped Fish in Spicy Coconut Custard
Chicken Curry - Creamy Chicken and Potato Curry, including making your own curry powder to take home!
Linda Tay Esposito is a self-taught chef whose food represents a tribute and a commitment to the authenticity of the cuisines of the Pacific Rim. She grew up in Malaysia, lived in China and Hong Kong and traveled extensively in the region exploring the vast culinary offerings and traditions, and capturing the essence of the local cuisines. She brings these exciting flavors, passion and knowledge to the classroom. Her style of teaching makes even the most complex of curries simple to make and a gastro-adventure experience of "Flavor Explosions."
A freelance culinary educator, Linda teaches at the The Cooking School at Cavallo Point and at Sur La Table Cooking School. Previously, she was a lead chef at Parties That Cook where she teaches global cuisines in a team building setting. She started her teaching career at Whole Foods Market Culinary Center. Most recently, she was head of operations and chef at Bay Area's artisan tofu maker, Hodo Soy. She writes a food blog at www.flavorexplosions.com
