Bringing Malaysians together, one kitchen mistake at a time

Photo: Masak Apa Tak Jadi Hari Ni Official Facebook page

Anyone can cook, or at least try their best to.

One of the many things Malaysians are doing to #stayhome and cope with the movement control order (MCO) is to spend more time in the kitchen, cooking up a storm. But, as we find out from the viral Facebook group "Masak Apa Tak Jadi Hari Ni Official" (MATJHN), for some home cooks, this "storm" sometimes turns into a violent hurricane, leaving so many casualties either melting in the oven, lying lifeless in the kitchen sink or simply abandoned in the rubbish bin.

The incredibly popular group was started by Dlaila Norlaila on April 14, and with the help of a handful of friends as administrators and moderators, the group has now garnered more than a million followers!

The MATJHN page is basically a platform for Malaysians to share their kitchen disasters, which are often hilarious, though there are a few curious "cases", too. From chicken burnt to a crisp and strangely hollowed-out cakes, to lumpy Nyonya kuih and hard-as-a-brick bread, the posts show us just how industrious Malaysians have been in the kitchen. At a glance, it seems like the most popular dishes that have been difficult to replicate at home include traditional kuih, bread and buns, fluffy pancakes, doughnuts and those "viral" cakes food influencers keep telling us are easy to DIY.

And if the posts don't make you laugh, the comments probably would! (All posts and comments are meant to be taken in good spirits.)

There is a list of rules that members have to adhere to, among which includes no insulting or cursing, no spamming the wall with advertisements and no posting of someone else's work. You are, according to the rules, encouraged to "ketawa sampai menangis, gelak sambil guling-guling" (or, in online speak, ROTFL - rolling on the floor laughing).

In short, the main reason for the group's creation is to entertain Malaysians during an otherwise stressful and worrying time, and we do believe it has achieved that. After all, food always has a way of bringing Malaysians together!

Photos: Masak Apa Tak Jadi Hari Ni Official Facebook page