5 Malaysian meals in 45 minutes or less

For years, Chinese food has been popular in the UK, and in the past five years or so, a couple of other Asian cuisines have been gaining steam. Vietnamese food has hit it big, with restaurants popping up all over British cities. Now Thai food is getting the same treatment. It’s only a matter of time before those two cuisines become as ubiquitous as their Northern neighbour's. But there is one country whose cuisine is yet to be tapped into on the Foodie circuit: Malaysian. With only around 50 restaurants in the UK we think it’s time the UK become more familiar with the cuisine and enjoy these vibrant flavours.

Although the cuisine is a relatively niche one, here at Mak Tok we think it’s one of the best and most vibrant kinds available. Don’t take our word for it, though. - Check out these five delicious Malaysian recipes which are so simple, you can make them in the comfort of your own home! We understand lots of you have busy schedules or may not want to spend hours in the kitchen so we have you covered with all these recipes taking you 45 minutes or less (prep and cooking!).

1. Simple Savoury Pancakes

Our Mak Tok pancake recipe is one of the easiest ones we have available. They're so simple that you only need 10 minutes to cook them to perfection! However, these aren't pancakes as you know them. British ones are sugary and sweet, but our Mak Tok ones are made with a mixture of soy sauce, leek and prawns, and best of all, they go perfectly with our delicious Signature Chilli Paste!

Although the dish was something popular among working class people in Malaysia's history, these days, people enjoy them in the comfort of their own. In fact, these were a mainstay in my household - my grandmother made the most delicious ones imaginable, and we've recreated the recipe for your enjoyment. Check it out here.

2. Mak Tok style Mapo Tofu

Although Mapo Tofu is traditionally a Chinese dish, the meal has become popular throughout the continent of Asia. Our twist on this dish has a nice, fiery kick courtesy of our Fire Chilli Paste. When my mum made this recipe, she would have to wear gloves to protect her skin from the red-hot chilli seeds which go into it. This recipe goes deliciously with a bowl of fluffy rice or delicious crusty bread, and best of all, it only takes twenty-five minutes to prepare and cook! Check out our recipe here.

3. Kerabu Mangga

After something a little healthier? Our Kerabu Mangga, or Mango Salad, is a nutritious dish which is perfect for a hot summer's day. This particular one is incredibly popular in Malaysia, and it frequently comes out at BBQs or picnics. You can give this sumptuous side a Mak Tok twist by adding our Mak Tok Sweet Chilli Paste and a few dollops of our Mango Chilli Sauce for mango lovers among us. This dish only takes twenty minutes to prepare, and is perfect for impressing your friends with your knowledge of Malaysian cuisine. Check out our recipe here.

 4. Nutty Chicken Curry

This chicken curry is a Mak Tok favourite, and is perfect for both the winter and summer and is hugely popular in Malaysia for its simple recipe and the fact that it goes with all kinds of naan bread, a hugely popular dish in my home country. Just serve it with delicious fluffy white rice, and you'll be ready to go! This dish also goes great with our Satay Chilli Sauce.

Back in the day, my grandmother would make a huge batch of this curry, and there would always be a huge amount of leftovers - we would eat for days afterwards. Now you can do the same thing! Just follow our recipe here

5. Hokkien Mee

Hokkien Mee is a delicious, noodle-based dish famous for the fact that it's made with pork lard, although the dish has a whole host of other delicious ingredients. Usually, it's made with pork, chicken, and prawns, and is served with our fire chilli paste on the side. This one also goes great with our very own Mak Tok sweet soy sauce, but the best thing about it is that it's very easy to make. All you need are 25 minutes and the following ingredients. Check out our recipe here.

We hope these 5 dishes allow you a great introduction to Malaysian food with little hassle in the kitchen. What did you think of our recipes? Let us know with the hashtag #justmalaysian