Southeast Asian chefs and home cooks have mastered the art of balancing the sweet and sour elements of the ingredients to give the freshest seafood the justice it deserves. Pungent fish sauces blended with palm sugar, lime or fresh coriander are easily blended to transform a simple chicken thigh into heaven.
Our cold winters should not turn our thoughts away from the freshness of a Malaysian curry with sticky rice, but make us crave the aromas and flavours of coconut cream and roasted peanuts. Knowing how to cook these ingredients is simple and like with simple pasta dishes, a couple of trial and error nights with mates in the kitchen will have any doubts ironed out and mates wanting more (and more!).
