The term “pecah minyak” (oil splitting) was as foreign to her as deep-frying mooncakes – until she married Azrul Mukhri Azizul Affendi.
She recalled a video call with her mother-in-law as a newlywed. “I wanted to put something in, and she said, ‘No, not yet. Wait until pecah minyak.’ This was the first time I heard about this concept,” Tan, 35, told FMT Lifestyle with a laugh.
Azrul, grinning, jumped in: “Surprisingly, the dish turned out great, even though you just learnt about it!”
The real turning point for Tan was about something more significant than cooking techniques. “My mother-in-law told me, ‘If one day I’m not around, you’ll be the one making rendang for Raya.’ And that really hit me.”
Now, Tan has not only mastered Malay cuisine, she’s also putting her own spin on halal Chinese food. She and Azrul share their culinary adventures on Instagram under the name “Soya Belacan” – a vibrant mix of cultures, much like their marriage.
“The name represents our identity,” Tan explained. “Soya is commonly associated with Chinese food and belacan represents Malay heritage. We wanted to share that different cultures can mix and blend together beautifully.”
With over 300,000 followers, their videos are a feast for food lovers. From snow fungus pear tong shui to claypot udang garam, their dishes connect two rich culinary traditions.
“My initial plan was to bridge these two races. We need to stop fighting because we’re born in the same country, we drink from the same water, we breathe the same air,” Azrul said.
The couple, now parents to a five-year-old girl, first met in a Wing Chun class in Ipoh, where Azrul was the instructor of this style of martial arts.
“Over time, we had deeper conversations,” Tan recalled. “He asked me about the purpose of life and I couldn’t answer that. But he had a very good answer. He showed me some Islamic videos. At first, I felt a bit reluctant. But when I was free, I started to watch the videos, and it finally made sense.”
Azrul never rushed Tan to convert to Islam: for him, understanding the “why” mattered more than the “how”. “Even our Prophet took 23 years to convey the message of Islam,” he reasoned.
Today, Tan is a devout Muslim, a decision she made after great consideration. And while she has embraced her new faith, she still treasures her Chinese heritage.
She celebrates Chinese New Year, enjoys eating pineapple tarts, and loves the sound of her aunties playing mahjong. She even laughs about how Azrul receives ang pows from her family members while she doesn’t. “It’s so unfair!” she joked.
At the same time, she cherishes Ramadan and Hari Raya. Her first fasting experience, she recalled, was more about struggling with thirst than hunger.
The hardest part? Waiting to break fast while seated at a table laid out with food.
Her perspective on Ramadan has shifted, too. “Before, I thought Ramadan was just about refraining from eating. Now, I see the true spirit of the holy month … it’s also about restraining oneself from doing bad things, or talking bad about people.”
As content creators, the couple’s Ramadan has been filled with recipe videos and filming sessions, but the messages they receive from their followers make all the work worthwhile.
“Some people tell us our content gives them hope. Others ask about interfaith relationships. It’s very heartwarming,” Azrul said.
Looking ahead, they wish to open an affordable halal Chinese kopitiam-style eatery, “so more people can enjoy our food, and we can spend more time with our daughter”, Azrul stressed.
Tan echoed this, saying it was exactly what she wished for this Ramadan. “I hope we can make better content and spend family time together.”
Follow ‘Soya Belacan’ on Instagram.