OCTOBER, 2019 | The HEALTH Plus
13
p13
Mom’s favourite cook
Cooking for a healthier and heartier Malaysia
Vietnamese S pring Rolls with Pan Seared
Prawns.
Chef Ili’s Recipe
Vietnamese Spring
Rolls with Pan Seared
Prawns
Ingredients
• Prawn marinate
• 10 medium prawns, peeled and
de-veined
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon of fi sh sauce
• 1cm of ginger
• 1 coriander root
• 1 bird’s eye chilli
• 1 tablespoon of cooking oil of your choice
• Filling
• 12 large rice paper rolls
• 1/2 cucumber, de-seeded and thinly
sliced
• 1/2 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
• A handful of Fresh mint
• A handful coriander
• A handful of fresh basil
• 6 spring onions
• 1 red capsicum, thinly sliced
• 2 cups of soften vermicelli noodles
• Peanut sauce
• 2 tablespoons of smooth peanut butter
• 4 tablespoons of hot water
• 1 tablespoons of chopped shallot
• Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
• Pound garlic, ginger, coriander and the
chilli until smooth before adding fi sh sauce
and oil. Marinate the prawns.
• Heat up the pan and cook the prawns
evenly until cooked through and golden
then set aside to cool before slicing it down
the middle lengthwise
• In a bowl, add in the peanut butter, hot
water, chopped shallot, salt and pepper
and mix well
• Run some water on the rice paper rolls,
place 3 slices of prawns on it before adding
a little bit of all the fi lling ingredients
• Serve the Vietnamese Rolls alongside
the Peanut Sauce
NO MATTER where you were brought
up in, everybody has fond memories
of their mother’s cooking. But do you
remember how stressful it was working
in the same kitchen as her? Sharing the
similar sentiment; celebrity chef Sherson
Lian and his mother are in an adventure
of a lifetime.
“I was never a studious person,” says
Sherson. “The only result I had that made
my mother proud was when I passed
my UPSR with 3A’s and 2B’s, I believe,”
he continues as he look at his mother,
who’s sitting next to him. “But I know
I wasn’t stupid. I needed something to
convince the world that I am a capable
person. When my mom started the food
business, I would go and help during the
holidays and found my passion there.
I really enjoyed it,” he exclaims. Such is
the humble beginning of celebrity chef
Sherson Lian who hosts ‘Family Kitchen
with Sherson’ with his mother, Ann.
Ann says that she looks up to her son.
“I think he’s fast, he’s creative and also
very daring to be able to combine many
things together to create something nice.
I remember watching him on TV and
found myself surprised by his technique,
speed and creativity. I was impressed
when he’d done things that I’d never
thought of. It also helps that he is a fast
learner.
Sherson says that hosting a show with
his mother has it’s up and down. “Our
work and personal relationship was never
balanced. Once in a while, we couldn’t
be on the same page and we have to just
agree to disagree. Working with a family
member always have its pros and cons.
Once in a while, pride plays a role. Despite
all that though, it gets us closer together.”
Palm oil in Asian cooking
The mother-son combo enjoys cooking
with palm oil. Lian claims, “I use palm
oil for a lot of Asian cooking. The distinct
fl avour that palm oil carries suit the
Asian taste profi le.” Ann continues,
“Representing the Asian culture, our
cooking would usually involve deep
frying, sautéing and pan-frying. Palm oil
is easily available and it has a very high
smoke point and can withstand high heat
without losing its nutrients."
"Palm oil is also a good source of
Vitamin E and it makes a good anti-
oxidant. I think that’s why it is prevalent
in Asian cooking.” Ann says with a smile.
“Don’t rob
the joy of
eating our
authentic
Malaysian
food.”
— Sherson Lian
makes cooking look so easy and if you
watch 5 Rencah, 5 Rasa; you can see that
I strive to follow that example. I want
to make cooking look easy. So that next
time, before you order something; or
go out to eat – you’d consider cooking at
home,” he says.
Meanwhile, Ann thinks that her eating
habit has changed as her age progresses.
“Sometimes age is a concern. I eat fancy
during lunch but I watch what I eat for
dinner. After a heavy lunch, I would
choose to have lesser or a healthier
dinner. That’s why I said I don’t really
sacrifi ce much. And I go for whole foods
rather than processed or refi ned food,”
she explains.
Indulgence is not always sinful
“The Lians just love our food,” Sherson
says with a chuckle. “I like Village
Park Nasi Lemak. The ayam goreng
is tasty and I love the crispy rempah.
Don’t take that away from me. If you
change it to a ‘healthier’ item, you’re
robbing the joy out of it. If we’re
going to use health as an excuse to
substitute ingredients in Malaysian
cooking, who’s going to take care of
the authenticity of our traditional
cooking?” he questions. “Instead, be
moderate about it. I would usually go
and indulge myself every six months
or a year,” he exclaims.
Ann nods in agreement. “I love vadeh.
I usually get them from the roadside
stalls or ‘pasar malam’. Every now and
again, I’d bring them home and being
health conscious, I’d let the oil soak with
a tissue and I could eat fi ve or six in one
sitting. But I wouldn’t recommend you do
it every day. It’s just that once in a while,
you should eat what you like and not feel
bad about it,” she says.
Cooking with a heart
Sherson believes that any cooking that
comes from the heart will taste good.
It is the love and care that we put into
preparing a meal that gives it a unique
taste. Since everybody has diff erent
hearts and instinct; his mother Ann
believes that love is always the best
ingredient and she would always include.
The chefs send us off with how to keep
our hearts healthy. Liam explains that
“moderation is key,” while Ann says that
“go for whole food rather than processed
or refi ned food.” — The Health Plus
‘Healthier’ alternatives
in cooking?
Sherson doesn’t believe in substituting
his ingredients to a ‘healthier’ alternative.
“To me, healthy food is one that is home
cooked. The choice is in your hand and
you know exactly what you put in your
food. I won’t replace mayonnaise with
yogurt because I’m not that kind of
person. If we do that, who’s going to
look after the authenticity of our
food? Instead of changing the
ingredients, I think Malaysians in general
should consider changing their eating
habit,” he explains.
“Growing up, I look up to Jamie Oliver.
He is one of the fi rst person to create a
paradigm shift from the mentality of
cooking is a hassle, or it’s diffi cult. He
DYNAMIC DUO: The mother-son pair creates a unique chemistry
that you can’t get enough of.