Scottish-M’sian chef shares foods she never leaves Malaysia without

Scottish-Malaysian chef Julie Lin often draws on the flavours and ingredients that connect her to her mother’s homeland. (Julie Lin Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA: For chef, broadcaster and cookbook author Julie Lin, food has always been inseparable from memory.

Born and raised in Glasgow to a Scottish father and a Chinese Malaysian mother, Lin grew up travelling regularly to Malaysia, where many of her earliest food memories were formed.

The former MasterChef UK quarter-finalist is best known for founding Glasgow’s Julie’s Kopitiam and GaGa, the restaurant that earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand during her tenure.

Meanwhile, her bestselling cookbook “Sama Sama: Comfort Food from My Mixed Malaysian Kitchen” introduced readers to the flavours that shaped her upbringing.

Since stepping away from GaGa last year, Lin has focused on writing, broadcasting and other food projects. Writing for Condé Nast Traveller, she reflects on the Malaysian foods, ingredients and kitchen tools she always packs into her suitcase before returning to the UK.

For her, they’re more than souvenirs – they’re reminders of family, childhood and a place that continues to influence her cooking.

Pineapple tarts

One of Lin’s must-buy treats is pineapple tarts, the festive favourite that reflects Malaysia’s rich kuih culture.

The bite-sized pastries combine a buttery, crumbly crust with a sticky pineapple filling “that sits somewhere between a jam and a compote”.

For Lin, the fruit’s flavours is what makes them so irresistible. “The pineapple is just so moreish,” she writes.

“The slight tang with sweetness on that pastry is just divine.”

No foodie can resist Malaysia’s beloved pineapple tarts, and Lin is no exception.

Kuih kapit

Kuih kapit, or love letters, are a must-have that instantly transports Lin back to her childhood.

She remembers seeing containers of the treats throughout her grandmother’s home, ready to be enjoyed with tea or shared among visiting relatives.

During a recent trip, she finally got to see them being made by hand, rolled while still warm after being cooked in specialised moulds.

Lin describes them as “wafer-thin biscuits, delicately sweet, light as air, and dangerously moreish”, adding that they’re “the kind of thing you mean to have one of and somehow finish 20 minutes later”.

Getting them home safely, however, is another matter: their fragile nature requires what she jokingly calls “military-level packing”.

Roti jala squeeze bottles

Not everything in Lin’s luggage is edible. Every year, she makes room for roti jala squeeze bottles, the simple kitchen tool used to create the distinctive lace-like dish.

The bottles allow roti jala batter to trickle into intricate net patterns before being folded and served alongside curries or dhal.

Lin calls roti jala “one of the most joyful things to squidge between your fingers and eat”, and says making it at home is “instant comfort”.

Lin often buys extra roti jala bottles for friends, describing them as affordable gifts that also help introduce children to cooking. (Pinterest pic)

Sarawak black pepper

Few Malaysian ingredients impress Lin as much as Sarawak black pepper. Prized for its strength and complexity, she says it elevates everything from curries and marinades to roast vegetables and fried eggs.

“The intensity of Sarawak black pepper is unlike anything else I’ve ever tried,” she writes, describing it as “floral, warm, complex, and properly punchy”.

“It’s one of those ingredients that makes you look like a better cook than you are,” she quips, adding that she once made a dish using Sarawak pepper and “felt a level of supreme smug hosting that was unparalleled”.

Dried mango

A permanent fixture in Lin’s hand luggage, she describes Malaysian dried mango as deeply fragrant, retaining the character of the fresh fruit rather than relying on excessive sweetness.

According to Lin, it tastes “unmistakably of actual mango rather than sugary approximation”.

The snack has become her go-to travel companion – “something about it is oddly calming” – and a popular gift for friends, “assuming I haven’t eaten most of it myself before I land”.

Naturally fruity and sweet but never excessively so, Lin considers Malaysian dried mango the quintessential travel snack. (Envato Elements pic)

Ikan bilis

Malaysia’s beloved dried anchovies are among the pantry staples Lin refuses to leave behind. Whether fried until crisp for nasi lemak or used to build flavour in soups and sauces, she says they deliver an intensity that belies their size.

One of her favourite dishes featuring ikan bilis is pan mee, “comfort food of the highest order”.

And although the ingredient is now widely available in Britain, Lin believes Malaysian versions remain superior. “The flavour is cleaner, deeper, and somehow more alive,” she claims.

Dried prawns

Like ikan bilis, dried prawns are what Lin considers a small ingredient with outsized impact. She often rehydrates them before pounding them in a mortar and pestle to release their concentrated flavour.

The prawns are then stir-fried with garlic, white pepper, soy sauce and generous amounts of cabbage. The result is a dish that is salty, sweet and savoury all at once – exactly the kind of meal she craves with a plate of hot rice.

Despite regularly stocking up, Lin says she never seems to bring enough home.

Salted egg instant noodles are hard to find in the UK, which is why they’re the ultimate comfort meal for Lin after a long day. (Moganraj Villavan @ FMT Lifestyle)

Salted egg instant noodles

The item closest to Lin’s heart may be salted egg instant noodles. She says they’re surprisingly difficult to find in the UK, which only strengthens her attachment to them.

“If instant noodles are my comfort food of choice above all others, then salted egg instant noodles sit at the very top of the category,” she writes.

Rich, creamy and packed with savoury salted yolk flavour, they are her ultimate comfort meal after a long day in the kitchen. Add chilli oil, a fried egg and a handful of spring onions, and the dish is complete.

For Lin, the perfect ending to her day is simple: “Curled up on the sofa, eating noodles from a bowl far too hot to hold.”

Follow Julie Lin on Facebook and Instagram.