Exploring new ground with vegan Malay food

Adu has perfected pulut hitam (black glutinous rice dessert) at Adu Sugar, Kuala Lumpur. — FAIHAN GHANI/The Star

“We don’t do big buffets for buka puasa as we don’t believe in wasting food,” declared chef Adu Amran.

Instead, at Adu Sugar, diners are offered sharing platters of food for breaking fast. It could be Urab Pucuk Paku, a meat of your choice and rice, alongside classic dishes like Laksa Johor, Mee Bandung, Lontong and Soto Ayam.

Vegan dishes make up half of those on the menu as the chef himself is into a plant-based diet these days.

We made a point to try his vegan Pucuk Paku Urab, Young Jackfruit Rendang and Pesto Rice alongside other non-vegan dishes.

The Pucuk Paku Urab was delicate and lovely, sweet and sour with fragrant hints from kencur leaves and ginger, and finished with lime juice, toasted pine nuts and coconut. I have always enjoyed Adu’s Young Jackfruit Rendang – the smooth fibre and luscious feel of the fruit cooked in coconut milk, rendang herbs and kerisik. Fried shredded turmeric leaves on top added a pleasing aroma to the unique dish.

Aromatic herbs like Thai basil and daun kesom make up the Asian Herb Pesto Rice that goes so well with curries.

Nasi Ambeng, a Javanese-influenced rice dish, comes with Ayam Masak Kicap, Puyuh Penyet (deep-fried quail), sambal goreng, coconut serunding, fried noodles, fried vegetables, ulam and salted fish. A meal that has everything in it, it’s great for sharing.

It’s clear why Adu’s Mee Bandung is so popular – I relished the taste of ground toasted peanuts and dried shrimps in the thick gravy. The noodles were topped with prawns, poached egg and vegetables.

The Laksa Johor was aromatic, spicy and thick with ikan parang. Known for his Rendang Daging Mak Moon, one should order this in advance to avoid disappointment as he prepares only a small amount at a go to maintain freshness.

For dessert, the Lempeng Dadar was sublime and I couldn’t get enough of the Pulut Hitam; the texture of the dark pulut was perfect in the lightly sweet broth with the lovely sweetness of gula Melaka and coconut milk coming through. Adu shared his secret of cooking this right – the cooked pulut is frozen ahead to improve its texture upon reheating. The unique Pisang Salai Brownie, served with vanilla ice-cream had nubs of smoked banana and walnuts in it. How unusual!

More vegan dishes on the menu deserve exploring, such as the Asam Pedas Casava, Okra Fries with Tamarind Chutney and Lemak Labu and Jantung Pisang. Next round, I’m already planning to try the Grilled Roti Canai Tortilla filled with cheddar and mozzarella, curried mango mayo and tomato salsa!