KUALA LUMPUR: More than just a cookbook, the “Mai Kurang” Recipe Book is being pitched as a blueprint for healthier living – a practical guide designed to reshape how Malaysians eat, one dish at a time.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the first edition, launched on Saturday (April 25), features 30 recipes aimed primarily at promoting healthier eating habits in workplaces.
“This recipe book is first and foremost for our workplace because we want to promote healthy eating habits at the workplace.
“This is the first edition that we launched today, which consists of 30 recipes,” he told reporters after launching the book here.
He added that the initiative would expand, with plans to roll out up to five editions comprising a total of 150 recipes, published every three months.
“We are planning to share this with all vendors – food courts, restaurants, cafe operators – all of them.
“So far, we have 130 vendors who have expressed interest in carrying these recipes,” he said.
Dzulkefly said the recipe book would be made available free and could also be accessed online via the National Cancer Society Malaysia’s (NCSM) website, with recipes to be shared daily on social media platforms.
“I want this to be a national agenda where everyone takes part. We want this to go viral,” he added.
He said the “Mai Kurang” Recipe Book goes beyond being a conventional culinary publication, describing it as an intervention tool to influence healthier food choices through what he termed “choice architecture”.
“This book bridges the gap in time and information by providing healthy recipes that are simple, practical and most importantly, suited to our local tastes.
“It is a form of ‘nudge’. We are not forcing people, but making it easier for them to prepare meals that are lower in sugar, salt and calories, whether at home, in workplace cafeterias or for meetings,” he said.
Dzulkefly added that all recipes in the book had been reviewed and evaluated by nutritionists and dietitians to ensure both quality and practicality.
