Compiled by CHARLES RAMENDRAN, C. ARUNO and R. ARAVINTHAN
ATTENDEES of the recent Pahang Women’s Institute Carnival were in awe when the winner of the acar buah (spiced fruit pickle) competition was announced.
Up against 10 other participants, Tengku Ampuan Pahang Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah Almarhum Sultan Iskandar emerged the winner of the competition, which she secretly participated under the pseudonym Aminah Mahmood, Utusan Malaysia reported.
Participants were required to prepare their dishes at home before submitting their entries at the event.
Her Royal Highness kept her identity hidden from both the judges and fellow contestants.
The competition chief judge, 74-year-old Siti Rokiah Lebai Rahmat, was emotionally overwhelmed when the true identity of the winner was revealed.
“In all my 39 years as a food judge, I have never tested Her Royal Highness’ dishes.
“Our judging is solely based on the quality and extraordinary taste of a dish.
“The gravy of the acar prepared by Her Royal Highness was thick but not oily. Every slice of fruit was well marinated with balanced flavours and spices.
“It was so special and appetising,” she said.
The Tengku Ampuan Pahang, who is known for her passion for traditional cuisine and culinary arts, said the pickle recipe was what she usually prepared for her family.
> A study revealed that cases of mental illness have surged by 70% in Asean countries over the past 35 years, affecting more than 80 million people.
According to Berita Harian, the study, which was published in The Lancet Public Health, also revealed that the rise was mainly among teenagers aged between 15 and 19.
It also revealed that the number of smokers in Asean countries rose by 63% in the same period, with 137 million people currently in the habit.
The study found that smoking-related diseases was the cause of 11% of deaths in the region.
Singapore recorded the lowest mortality at 70 deaths for every 100,000 men while Cambodia the highest at 350 deaths.
The above articles are compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with a >, it denotes a separate news item.
