01

SARDIN LEMAK CILI API MANGGA

Prep 15 min | Cook 15 min | Serves 3-4

A creamy, spicy Malaysian fish curry with young mango cutting through the richness. Tanjong Sauce layered in at two stages for depth, not just a garnish.

Ingredients

• - 6 fresh sardines, cleaned
• - 1 green mango, shredded into thin strips
• - 1 cup thick coconut milk
• - 1 cup water- Salt to taste
• - 5-6 shallots
• - 1 inch ginger
• - 1 inch fresh turmeric- 3-4 red chilies
• - 1 tbsp toasted grated coconut (kerisik)
• - Tanjong Sauce, to taste
• - 1-2 red chilies, sliced for garnish

Method

1. 1. Pound paste ingredients together. If using fresh grated coconut instead of kerisik, dry-toast it in a pan first until golden and fragrant before pounding in.
2. 2. Transfer paste to a pan with a splash of water. Simmer 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
3. 3. Pour in coconut milk and water. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring so it doesn’t split.
4. 4. Lower the sardines and shredded mango into the curry. Simmer 5-7 minutes on medium-low until fish is cooked and mango softens. Season.
5. 5. Ladle into bowls. Shake Tanjong Sauce into the curry broth before serving - the nutmeg warmth rounds out the sour mango and rich santan. Garnish with sliced chilies.
6. Tip: The mango should still have some bite. If it goes fully soft, it loses the contrast that makes this dish work

02

DAGING GORENG KUNYIT

Prep 15 min | Cook 10 min | Serves 2-3

Quick stir-fried turmeric beef served with raw vegetables and lime. Tanjong Sauce used as a dipping element alongside the lime, not poured over.

Ingredients

• - 300g beef (flank or sirloin), sliced thin against the grain
• - 1 inch fresh turmeric, pounded
• - 1 red chili, pounded with the turmeric
• - Salt to taste- 1 onion, sliced into rings
• - Small handful long beans or scallions, sliced diagonally- 2 tbsp cooking oil
• - 1 lime, halved- 1/2 cucumber, sliced
• - 1/2 raw onion, sliced into rings
• - Tanjong Sauce, for dipping

Method

1. 1. Pound turmeric and chili with a pinch of salt into a paste. Coat the beef and let sit 10 minutes.
2. 2. Heat oil in a wok over high heat. Sear beef in a single layer - work in batches if needed. You want browning, not steaming.
3. 3. When beef is nearly done, toss in onion rings and long beans. Stir-fry 1 minute - vegetables should still crunch.
4. 4. Plate the beef. Arrange raw cucumber and onion rings alongside. Squeeze lime over the beef.
5. 5. Pour Tanjong Sauce into a small dish on the side. Dip each bite - the cold raw veg, hot beef, sharp lime, and warm nutmeg heat hit differently when you build each mouthful yourself.
6. Tip: High heat, short cook. If the pan isn’t hot enough, the beef will boil in its own juices instead of searing.

03

KARI IKAN BERAPI PADU

Prep 15 min | Cook 20 min | Serves 3-4

A proper Malaysian fish curry with red snapper, fresh chilies, shallots, lemongrass, and tamarind. Tanjong Sauce stirred into the gravy at the end, not drizzled on top.

Ingredients

• - 1 whole red snapper, cleaned and scored
• - 4-5 red chilies, sliced diagonally
• - 6-8 shallots, peeled and left whole
• - 3-4 stalks lemongrass, bruised
• - 2-3 tbsp tamarind juice (from pulp soaked in warm water)
• - 4-5 okra, ends trimmed, halved
• - 2 tbsp cooking oil- Salt to taste
• - Tanjong Sauce, to taste

Method

1. 1. Score the fish 3-4 times per side so the gravy penetrates.
2. 2. Heat oil in a heavy pot. Saute chilies first for 1-2 minutes until they blister slightly. Add shallots and lemongrass, stir another minute.
3. 3. Pour in tamarind juice plus 1 cup water. Bring to a rolling boil.
4. 4. Lower the fish into the broth. Add okra. Cover and simmer 8-10 minutes until fish flakes easily. Season with salt.
5. 5. Turn off heat. Stir 1-2 tablespoons of Tanjong Sauce directly into the curry broth - the nutmeg integrates into the gravy instead of sitting on top. Ladle everything into a serving dish.
6. Tip: Don’t stir the pot once the fish is in. Tilting the pot to baste the fish with broth is cleaner and won’t break the flesh.

04

SUP UDANG ASAM MELETOP

Prep 10 min | Cook 15 min | Serves 2-3

Tamarind prawn soup with okra. Tanjong Sauce added tableside so each person controls their own heat level.

Ingredients

• - 5-6 large prawns, shell-on, deveined
• - Small handful dried shrimp, pounded or shredded
• - 2-3 tbsp tamarind paste, dissolved in 1/2 cup warm water
• - 4-5 shallots, sliced- 4-5 okra, sliced diagonally
• - 3 cups water- Salt to taste
• - Tanjong Sauce, for serving

Method

1. 1. Bring water to a boil. Stir in tamarind liquid.
2. 2. Add shallots and dried shrimp. Simmer 3-4 minutes.
3. 3. Drop in prawns and okra. Cook 5-7 minutes until prawns turn pink. Season with salt.
4. 4. Ladle into bowls. Set the Tanjong Sauce bottle on the table - each person adds their own. A few drops into the soup changes the whole profile from sour-clean to sour-warm-spicy.
5. Tip: Keeping prawn shells on during cooking is non-negotiable. The shells are where the flavor lives. Peel at the table.

05

AYAM KATSU GOLDEN

Prep 15 min | Cook 10 min | Serves 1-2

Crispy chicken katsu with a two-sauce setup. Tanjong Sauce mixed into the tonkatsu sauce itself, not poured over.

Ingredients

• - 1 large chicken breast, halved horizontally into cutlets
• - Coarse salt and black pepper- 1/2 cup flour- 2 eggs, beaten
• - 1 cup panko- Oil for deep frying
• - Hot white rice- 3 tbsp tonkatsu sauce
• - 1 tsp Tanjong Sauce
• - Extra Tanjong Sauce, optional

Method

1. 1. Season chicken with salt and pepper.
2. 2. Dredge in flour, dip in egg, press into panko. Get full coverage.
3. 3. Fry at 170-180C for 4-5 minutes until deep golden. Rest on a wire rack 1 minute, then slice.
4. 4. Mix tonkatsu sauce and Tanjong Sauce together. The nutmeg adds warmth behind the sweet-savoury katsu sauce base.
5. 5. Serve chicken over rice with the mixed sauce in a side dish. Add extra Tanjong Sauce if you want more heat.
6. Tip: Wire rack, not paper towels. Paper towels steam the bottom crust.

06

KUPANG PERAP

Prep 10 min | Cook 5 min | Serves 2-3

Grilled green mussels with garlic-chili topping. Tanjong Sauce mixed into the chili paste before cooking so the heat blooms.

Ingredients

• - 10-12 fresh green mussels, scrubbed clean
• - 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• - 4 tbsp sweet chili sauce- 1 tbsp finely chopped red chili
• - 1 tbsp Tanjong Sauce- Fresh cilantro leaves
• - 2 limes, wedged

Method

1. 1. Grill or steam mussels for 3-4 minutes until shells open. Discard any that stay closed. Remove top shells and arrange on a platter.
2. 2. Mix garlic, sweet chili sauce, chopped chili, and Tanjong Sauce together in a small bowl. This is your dressing.
3. 3. Spoon the mixture onto each mussel. Return to the grill (or under a broiler) for 1 minute just to warm the topping.
4. 4. Top each with a cilantro leaf. Serve with lime wedges on the side.
5. Tip: The Tanjong Sauce gets cooked into the chili-garlic mix here. The heat activates the nutmeg’s aromatic oils - much better than pouring raw sauce on cold seafood.

07

SUP IKAN MASAM MANIS

Prep 15 min | Cook 20 min | Serves 3-4

Ingredients - 1 whole red snapper, cleaned and scored - 1 inch ginger, sliced into rounds - 3 stalks scallions, cut into 2-inch sections - 1 large tomato, cut into wedges - 3 cups water - 2 tbsp light soy sauce - 1 tbsp soy sauce - 1 tsp sugar - 1 tbsp Tanjong Sauce - Fresh chives, chopped for garnish

Ingredients

Method

1. 1. Score fish on both sides. 2. In a clay pot or heavy pot, layer ginger at the bottom, then half the scallions and tomato wedges. 3. Mix water, both soy sauces, sugar, and Tanjong Sauce. Pour into the pot. Bring to a boil. 4. Lower the fish into the broth. Ladle liquid over the top. Cover and simmer 10-12 minutes. 5. Garnish with remaining scallions and chives. Serve straight from the pot.
2. Tip: Adding Tanjong Sauce early lets the nutmeg infuse into the broth. The sweet-sour base from the tomatoes and the warm spice from the nutmeg become one thing, not two separate layers.