Author Kalsom Taib’s tenth book “My Malaysian Food Journey” therefore, not only contains recipes of various Malaysian delicacies, but also tells the stories of friends and family who brought these dishes into her life.
The chapter on Laksa Johor, for example, pays homage to Tok Jilah, Kalsom’s grandmother.
“She would cook it back in the 40s, before we had all these gadgets. She had to make it with all the old-fashioned implements. But her laksa was always out of this world. We looked forward to it every Hari Raya,” Kalsom, 82, told FMT Lifestyle.
In person, Kalsom is chatty and lively, full of stories to share from her life-long experiences with cuisine and culture.
Her latest book is a compilation of a fortnightly column, which she wrote for a local newspaper from 2023-2024. The book expands on her original writing, with additional information, recipes and photographs, and marks the culmination of Kalsom’s rich and colourful career in heritage cookbooks.
The chapters range from recipes of family specialties, to stories of culinary inspirations drawn from Malaysia’s multi-ethnic heritage. Many of them showcase people from her life: discover the stories behind Ai Lee’s Seri Kaya, Jini’s Tosai and Coconut Chutney, Mak Chah’s Apam, and more.
Parts of the book also pay homage to Muar, Kalsom’s hometown, and to classic Johorean cuisine.
Kalsom, a former historian and teacher, has written three cookbooks, which have won numerous awards at the Gourmand World Cookbook awards. These include “Johor Palate – Tanjung Puteri Recipes” and “Malaysia’s Culinary Recipes,” both co-written with Hamidah Abdul Hamid.
According to Kalsom, she has been collecting recipes since she was 15 years old. Most of her culinary influences came from a hired cook, Mak Li, who came from Muar to help Kalsom’s family.
Mak Li proved to be a wonder in the kitchen, and young Kalsom would watch her cook, jotting down everything she saw in her exercise books.
Kalsom still has these exercise books in her possession, and shows them to people with pride. She photocopied these books, passing them to her children, who brought them overseas when they went to study.
These tomes of knowledge formed the basis of her cookbook, “Recipes Are For Sharing,” which she co-authored with nieces Ungku Balkis Ungku Abdul Hamid and Ungku Marhamah Shereen Ungku Abdul Hamid.
The industrious Kalsom has devoted most of her life to the preservation of heritage food for future generations.
“I think there is a lot more that we all can do to preserve and promote Malaysia’s rich culinary heritage, to make it more attractive to everyone. We must appreciate the past, because it shapes the future,” she said.
Amazingly, despite Kalsom’s extensive culinary experience, she considers herself an “armchair cook,” saying she is better at culinary theory than practice.
“Chefs can cook, but they can’t always write. Me, I can write and put recipes together. So, when I collaborate with a chef, we work together like left hand and right hand. The fact that I don’t cook ensures I am precise with what I write and can craft a recipe so anyone can understand it,” Kalsom said.
She hopes her cookbooks will inspire others to cook nutritious and delicious meals for their families.
“I know some people may be protective when it comes to their grandmother’s recipes and so on. But not me. I’m very happy to share them with you, I give you every ingredient. There are people who tell me they open ‘warongs’ with my recipes, and they display my book. And I am happy for them,” Kalsom said with a laugh.
“By sharing, I feel good inside. It’s all from the heart. As I say in my book, ‘recipes are for sharing!’”
‘My Malaysian Food Journey’ will be launched in mid-June. Learn more about Kalsom Taib and her books at her website.