Getting Americans to cook Malaysian

Christina Arokiasamy loves working with Malaysian ingredients but has adapted her recipes to factor in what Americans are able to easily source in local supermarkets. Photo: The Star/Art Chen

Growing up in Kuala Lumpur, Christina Arokiasamy vividly remembers the spices which formed the cornerstone of her childhood. Her mother, a fifth generation spice merchant, would often put spices out to dry in the sun and as a little girl, she was enthralled by the whole routine.

“I was fascinated by the spices. My mother always had plates of spices drying out in the sun. So sitting under the trees, and smelling the spices became sort of like my comfort zone,” she says.