Twentytwo13

From dishing out meals for siblings, to cooking up a feast

As the sun shines over the undulating green hills of Palm Garden Golf Club in Putrajaya, Malaysia, Mohd Radzi Yahya prepares for one of the most important events of the year – the Ramadan buffet.

Radzi has been with the club for three years, and each year, he makes it his mission to prepare a delicious and authentic Citarasa Nusantara Ramadan buffet. This year, the buffet is from March 27 to April 20.

For this year’s spread, Radzi will serve one of his signature dishes – gulai tulang rusuk with rebung (a type of rib curry with bamboo shoots).

He wanted to mix local flavours with those from Padang, Indonesia, and was delighted with the results. That dish proved to be a hit during a recent event the club hosted for the media and special guests.

“From my experience of attending and tasting many types of food at local and international Ramadan Bazaars over the years, I discovered many ways to create this Citarasa Nusantara menu that is different and tastier,” said Radzi, who took a cooking course at the National Productivity Corporation after his STPM examinations.

“Every year, I add, or try something new to ensure that our customers do not get bored.”

Radzi got his start in the kitchen as a young boy. He is the second in a family of seven girls and two boys, born to parents who were with the Royal Malaysia Police.

Radzi’s father, Yahya Khan, was a chief inspector, and his mother, Norliza Isabella Ghant, was a police personnel.

Due to the nature of their work, the responsibility of ensuring there was always hot food for his siblings fell to Radzi, who learnt his mother’s recipes.

Radzi said he quickly fell in love with cooking, and always looked forward to Ramadan, as he could create new dishes for those coming to break their fast.

“I grew up in Keningau, Sabah, with eight siblings. My mother taught me how to cook simple dishes and prepare ingredients at home, so I could cook for the family,” said Radzi, 51.

“That was how my love for cooking started. I also learnt how to bake from her, because my mother’s durian cake is very delicious.”

Having worked in several other establishments during his career, Radzi said he enjoys life at the golf club, even though it can get hectic, particularly around Ramadan.

He, however, admitted Ramadan was his favourite time of the year.

“I get to experiment and cook many dishes, as we get a huge crowd. My philosophy is to create and innovate. I like my dishes to be different,” said Radzi, whose first big job was as a commis chef with Pan Pacific Hotel in Glenmarie, Shah Alam, in 1997.

Among the dishes on the Citarasa Nusantara menu are sambal hitam, from Pahang, and the Medan-inspired sambal ulek. Others are from traditional Padang recipes he cultivated over the years.

The kawah selection has two dishes rotated daily, but the roast lamb keeps regulars coming back for more.

“Some of the kawah items include gulai tetel, gulai ikan pati, and gulai siput sedut. For this year, the must-try is the sambal chilli crab,” said the father of six.

“There are many choices on the menu that cater to the needs of most patrons. However, if there is a special request, my team and I can accommodate it.”

Radzi said the best way to enjoy Ramadan cuisine is to start light with kurma (dates), drink some water, and try the dishes in small bites.

Asked how he finds the time to juggle work with family life – a golf club is busiest during the weekends – Radzi said he has a brilliant team.

“There are no issues about having the weekends off, as work is on a rotation basis,” said Radzi.

“We understand that life as a chef means that we are constantly on call.

“We enjoy what we do. The look of satisfaction we see on our customers’ faces after each meal is most rewarding.”