Since we’re getting a late start to choose the book for March, we’ll be doing an abbreviated suggestion & voting cycle. But before we get to your suggestions, can you guess which country we’re adventuring to next based upon these interesting facts from Holidify?
One of the old names for this country means “peninsula of gold” & was given by a Greco-Roman geographer in 150 AD.
Pre-COVID, it was the 9th most visited country in the world (23.6+ million visitors).
Home to the world’s biggest traffic circle (total diameter of 2.2 mi/3.5 km).
Includes the world’s largest cave chamber—so vast that it could accommodate 40 Boeing 747s without the planes even having to overlap their wings to fit in.
The richest unrecovered treasure from a sunken ship lies on this country’s seafloor. Sunk in December 1511, the ship was carrying the largest treasure that the Portuguese navy had ever collected.
This country follows a unique rotating monarchy system where 9 state rulers take turns to become the king for a term of 5 years.
It includes land which is the third-largest island in the whole world.
Any guesses which land I’m referring to? If not, what if I added in:
It’s home to 1 of the world's largest populations of king cobras & the Tualang—1 of world’s tallest tropical trees (diameter of 10ft/3m & grows up to 262ft/80m) tall.
It’s the 3rd-largest natural rubber producer & the largest rubber glove supplier.
The famous shoe designer Jimmy Choo was born there.
The word “ketchup” is believed to have been derived from the Hokkien word “ke-tsiap,” which refers to a dish of fermented sauce. This sauce was brought to this country by Chinese traders which is where Europeans first came across it.
The ethnic [group] make up only 1/2 this country’s population. The rest comprises other groups including the Chinese, Indians, & other indigenous people.
It’s the only country in the world to include territory on the mainland of Southeast Asia as well as on the islands that stretch between Asia & Oceania.
So what country are we reading?
It’s Malaysia! I first learned about this country from scuba dive buddies who were drawn to the pristine coral reefs there along excellent shipwreck dives. I haven’t visited it yet, but adore Malaysian food & was happy to discover a cookbook from Malaysia’s first-ever official Food Ambassador to the US which is packed full of “irresistible Malaysian recipes for the American home cook, including noodle bowls, stir-fries, curries, street foods, and more.”
A delicious and informal mashup of Southeast Asian and European influences, Malaysian cooking is full of flavor and easy to love. Malaysian cuisine borrows from the traditions of Thailand, India, China, and Portugal for dishes as varied as Fragrant Coconut Rice, Chili Prawns, Hainanese Chicken Rice, Grilled Lamb with Rosemary Pesto, and Salmon Tandoori. Christina gives recipes for authentic Malaysian favorites like Traditional Stir-fried Noodles, Authentic Ayam Goreng (turmeric fried chicken), Beef Rendang, and Char Kway Teow Noodles, while also sharing her own modern iterations, such as Wok-Fried Spaghetti with Kale. An assortment of sambals and sauces—simply thrown together in a blender—get you started on your way to these dishes but are so tasty and versatile you’ll find yourself using them in the rest of your everyday cooking. Vivid on-location photography takes the reader into the spice markets, coffee houses, fishing villages, and gardens that inspired each recipe.
“A mouthwatering introduction to Malaysian cooking, this book offers home cooks a wealth of delicious everyday meals sure to delight.” −Publishers Weekly
”Approachable but not oversimplified, these recipes will expose home cooks to an impressive range of spices and Asian ingredients as well as multiple techniques for making spice pastes and condiments. This standout introduction to Malaysian cooking will call to adventurous eaters and armchair travelers.” −Library Journal
Yum!
HAVE ANY BOOK SUGGESTIONS?
Just let us know your Malaysian suggestions by Tues., March 1 11PM ET. (That’s NYC time. See it converted to your time below.)
You can comment with your suggestion below or in our online book club in Facebook.
We'll use 1 suggestion from each moderator, 1 suggestion from an admin, & 2 suggestions from book club members to compile a list of 6 books. The book judged as best will then be read.
Please note - We're specific in our books, they must:
Largely occur in the location specified unless the world/situation described is not specific to a country (e.g., sci fi, fantasy, some poetry, philosophical books, etc.)
Be written by an author born there who has spent a good portion of their life there
Exist in paperback & ebook available on both Amazon & Kindle at least in the US & hopefully elsewhere
Also, we love it when folks suggest books which are also available in audio format. While we know this isn’t always possible so it is not a requirement, it is more inclusive & something for which all of us should strive.