Local dishes that go well with our taste buds may be something bizarre to foreigners, especially those who have never tried or heard of the dishes. A Malaysian actress & model’s attempt to cook a durian dish for her Australian in-laws, however, was a HUGE success.
The actress, Raja Ilya spent this year’s Christmas in Australia with her husband, Trent, and his family. Ilya wanted to contribute by cooking up a storm, so he asked Trent about what he had in mind, who told Ilya he wanted Pengat Durian – a popular creamy durian dessert in Malaysia.
Ilya did not foresee the “thorny” request. She was surprised and at the same time, she was worried that she couldn’t prepare a successful version of Pengat Durian. Nevertheless, she tried.
“I was worried this might be my last time spending Christmas with Trent’s mother. I might get banned next year if I fail at preparing the sweet treat,” Ilya said.
Despite the last-minute request, Ilya tried to make it happen, and she started by video calling her mum and sister back at home for tips and guidance. Fortunately for Ilya, she managed to find the ingredients in Australia.
“I found frozen D24 durians and palm sugar at an Asian store here, thank God.”
Ilya made do with what she had and to her surprise, her Pengat Durian was not only a success but her in-laws were HUGE fans of the dessert. They finished the Pengat Durian and did not spare a single drop.
“Not only Trent but my brother-in-law finished the dessert. I was relieved. Thank goodness my dessert was a success,” Ilya expressed in her Instagram reel @rajailya.
This was Ilya’s 5th year of spending Christmas at her in-laws in Australia where she spent the festive season helping to wrap the gifts, decorate the house, and even build a mini playground for the kids.
Food is a language that brings everyone together by tasting and discovering the meal. It’s always an achievement when we manage to “upsell” our local dishes to the foreigners, and make them fall in love with the food.
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