Every school morning in Sungai Buloh begins with the familiar sounds of pots clattering and the aroma of simmering broth as Nur Hazwani Izzati prepares lunchboxes for her three children. What started as a daily routine has recently brought her into the public eye as part of a culinary initiative celebrating Malaysian family recipes.
Nur Hazwani was one of four mothers chosen to participate in Kimball’s Rancakkan Masakan Malaysia program, held during the Festival Budaya Malaysia at Taman Tasik Titiwangsa. Supported by Suria FM, the campaign tasked participants with reinventing their family’s favorite dishes by incorporating Kimball products. The mothers prepared their reimagined meals live for festival attendees, with assistance from professional chefs, and Kimball distributed hundreds of complimentary portions.
Nur Hazwani’s featured dish was Sup Tulang Merah, a spicy Singaporean bone soup, which she adapted by reducing the heat to suit her children’s taste without compromising the original flavor. “My kids don’t enjoy spicy food, so I changed the recipe without losing the original flavor,” she said.
Other participants included Nurul Syamilah Zainal Abidin, 37, and Wan Aimi Fatimah Wan Yahya, 40, who presented their dishes at the two-day event. Nurul Syamilah offered a unique twist on pasta by pairing Kimball’s tomato pasta sauce and spaghetti with percik chicken, a recipe inherited from her late mother. The dish featured flavoured spices such as fennel seeds and cumin, and was garnished with sautéed black pepper, onions, and garlic to add a mild spiciness. “I usually cook this dish during fasting month,” said the mother of three.
Wan Aimi Fatimah showcased her fried mamak noodles, prepared using Kimball’s tomato, chilli, and oyster sauces, but served in a tortilla wrap. She explained the rationale behind the presentation: “I got the idea to put the noodles in a wrap so that it would be easier for my children to eat. As they are still very young, the long noodle strands can be messy.”
Both Nurul Syamilah and Wan Aimi described the live outdoor cooking experience, accompanied by Suria FM’s radio hosts, as rewarding and unexpected. They had submitted their recipes shortly before the deadline after seeing the campaign announced on social media and were surprised to be invited to participate.
Each mother received RM1,000 and kitchen supplies from Kimball as tokens of appreciation. The cooking demonstrations, led by Chef Mohd Rafie Mohd Taib, 62, drew enthusiastic crowds eager to sample the dishes. During the festival, Suria FM announcer Elly Arifin also engaged attendees with interviews and shared cooking tips, adding to the lively atmosphere of the celebration.