What's your favorite pastime and hobby? Mine is watching cooking shows on television. MasterChef is one of my favorite cook shows because I love to cook and experiment on food. Life is a learning process and we are forever learning and we stop learning only when our brain is dead. Recently, I was overjoyed to receive an invitation from Berjaya University College of Hospitality to attend Master Class by Diana Chan, the MasterChef 2017 champion!
About Diana Chan
Diana Chan was a Malaysian, born in Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia. She moved to Australia to purse her tertiary education at the age of 19 years old. Diana Chan worked as an accountant for four years after graduating. With a passion for cooking, Diana took part in Australia's MasterChef competition and won MasterChef 2017 season. Diana's unique cooking style, that combines traditional Malaysian dishes with fresh produce and modern twist has led her to a world of opportunities.
Diana has designed Malaysian Airlines inflight menu and alos created signature dishes for all First Class and Business Class flights. Diana has several partnerships with companies such as with Nestle and Lurpak. She has launched her own frozen dumpling range in Australian supermarkets such as Woolworths. With fiery passion and unique cooking style, Diana recently opened Chanteen by Diana Chan, an Asian Street food concept inspired by Singapore and Malaysian cuisines. But, Diana remains humbled by the experience, and is currently working with children through food education.
The Master Class at BerjayaUC
Diana was very friendly and engaging all the way. She cooked two dishes, that is Otak Otak and Dukkah Crusted Lamb served with basil pesto and couscous.
Otak Otak
Burst of colors in this attractive plating! Indeed a MasterChef class!
The taste is so good that I wish I can have more! No fishy smelly after taste like some other normal Otak Otak sold. The rice paper gives the delicate crunch and its pure white color brings out and blends well the color of the dish of red, green and orange Otak Otak!
Dukkah Crusted Lamb served with basil pesto and couscous.
Two Chefs helping Diana: From left: Chef Suliza Bt. Hairon, Chef Lecturer, Center: Diana Chan, right: Vincent Pang Fook Huat. Senior Chef Lecturer
How to Pan fry the lamb
Coating the Lamb with Dukkah before plating. Press the lamb onto the Dukkah on both sides and make sure it has been coated evenly.
Along the way there are some simple tips shared by Diana:
1. Passion and roots are the important drive towards your goal and ambition
2. To give depth and flavour from the spices in curry, sambal or rendang paste, we have to fry it first
3. The length of time to fry: is until the nice color from the paste emerged or a layer of nice red color of the oil is formed ( in Malay, it's called "pecah minyak")
4. Deep fry Rice Paper (oil temperature around 170- 180 and fry for 30 seconds) and use it with Otak Otak
5. Add thinly sliced Kafir Lime leaves into the Otak Otak for fragrance while mixing the fish paste.
7. Add sugar for taste and cornflour to help thicken a little before steaming Otak Otak
8. Prawn is added to the fish paste to make the Otak Otak to balance the texture and taste
9. To debone ribs, use a sharp knife and scraped the flesh from the bones.
10. How to make Dukkah by slowly roasting the nuts, blend it then add the roasted fennel seeds, cumin, coriander and sesame seeds and other ingredients.
A sample of Dukkah is passed around for us to smell and also to see that Dukkah is a crunchy mix, not powder form. This is my first time learning how to cook Dukkah. Dukkah is a vegetarian with a lovely aroma and crunch. Thank you Diana, I will definitely try cooking Dukkah at home soon!
A sample of Dukkah is passed around for us to smell and also to see that Dukkah is a crunchy mix, not powder form. This is my first time learning how to cook Dukkah. Dukkah is a vegetarian with a lovely aroma and crunch. Thank you Diana, I will definitely try cooking Dukkah at home soon!
What a humbling experience : being served by a MasterChef Champion!
Smiles and happy faces as students enjoying food tasting at the end of this Master class cooking workshop.
After this Master class cooking, Berjaya University College of Hospitality students are eagerly taking turns to a photo session with Diana. Well, me too, I am very happy to be able to selfie with this young pretty talented MasterChef winner, Diana Chan!
Thank you Diana Chan for this inspiring Master Class and Thank you Berjaya University College of Hospitality for the invitation.
On the same day, there was a talk on Beef & Lamb meat cuts. Below is the link and a video on how to cut lamb leg by Master Butcher from Australia:
https://www.lifesecretspice.com/2019/03/how-to-cut-lamb-leg-at-butchery.html
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Thank You!!!
1 Comments
be able to selfie
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