Monday 8 December 2014

Supper with Ping – Masterchef Winner not a Microwave!

I was invited to attend a SupperClub being held atFoodat52 and hosted by Malaysian Kitchen. Malaysian Kitchen is the portal or vehicle specifically designed to bring Malaysian cuisine to the UK. The SupperClub was superbly cooked and presented by Ping Coombes, Masterchef Winner 2014.

On arrival there was a soft drink bar with loads of different juices, citrus slices and mint leaves to mix our own special juice drink for the evening. I liked the way the glasses were tagged with our names to help us keep track of our drinks.
Ping then invited us downstairs to the cookery school to make the dumplings for the appetiser if we wanted.  I have never made those kind of dumplings and was really looking forward to it.  Ping said mine were looking good as we made the same filling but with two different outer pieces. 
 
Later on during the meal Ping said that my dumplings were in fact the best of the evening! Such accolade!!
We popped back upstairs to the reception and ate our dumplings whilst the crew set the table and Ping and fellow Masterchef contestant Mike prepared a Malaysian feast for us.
When we settled down at the table we were served a selection of Ping’s favourite Malaysian foods, many from her childhood.

Our starters were Glazed Teriyaki Chicken Hearts,
platters piled high with deep fried, soft shell crabs
and bowls of a sea spinach tempura(Kangkung)with little bowls of red jewelled sauce. 
When the sauce looks this intense red you know it is going to be fiery and it didn’t disappoint!

A little family story is that the anchovies that were served with the Sambal were gutted, filleted, skinned and every little bone removed before being sun-dried all by Ping’s mother and are part of her private supply, not available elsewhere; a true labour of love!
Plates were delivered with Grilled Crevette and Ping’s Special Sambal (this was really fiery but as soon as your mouth recovered you wanted to eat more!), char-grilled bokchoi, peanut and dried anchovy garnish and all but mine with an egg (NasiLemak) on the side. (I don’t do under done eggs!)
Big bowls of rice,
 
Beef Rendang
and Spiced Chicken were placed around the table and we all helped ourselves, family style.
The conversation was as lively as the food and Ping made a point of stopping to speak to each diner, really pleased that we had all liked her food!
A pudding of White Chocolate and Pandang Cheesecake, Passionfruit, Coconut, Ginger Crumb the perfect dessert to cool the palate and refresh us for the journey home.

I was not paid to attend this Supper Club - all opinions and photos are my own.
 

8 comments:

  1. You get invited to all the best places, and this is no exception!

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    1. I do get around! But we all do! It was fun though!!

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  2. That looks fantastic. I've loved Malaysian food since I visited there in 1983 and well done on being top dumpling ;-)

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    1. Thanks Janice, I have never been to Malaysia but would love to go!

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  3. Gosh Heidi, another fabulous evening by the sound of it. Well done on your dumplings. I'm pretty hopeless at anything fiddly.

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  4. I never made the dumplings before so was really surprised! We did have a good meal!!

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  5. Oh what fun !
    All the dishes look delicious :p

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