Ranie Saidi on Malaysian cuisine, cooking as grief therapy and the debate over food authenticity

In this episode, host Samuel Goldsmith sits down with food writer Ranie Saidi to explore the deeply personal story behind his debut cookbook, The Malay Cook. What began as a journey through grief after the passing of his grandmother became a celebration of Malay food, family, and identity. Ranie opens up about how his grandmother's recipe book was stolen after her death and how he set out to recreate her dishes from taste memory, with help from his aunt and years of trial and error across Malaysian restaurants in London. He shares how therapy led him to reconnect with his happiest memories: cooking alongside his grandmother, a beloved wedding caterer in Malaysia. We dive into the foundations of Malay cooking. The "four sibling" spices, the central role of coconut, and the turmeric marinade tradition and hear the beautiful origin story of Samine Rice, a rainbow-colored dish born from monsoon season hardship. Ranie also breaks down the differences between sambal varieties, explains the distinction between Malay "gulai" and Indian-style curry, and makes a compelling case against the obsession with food "authenticity." Plus: Ranie's dream speakeasy restaurant concept, his guilty pleasure cheese and onion sandwich, and a lightning-round that includes cow's testicle, Storm from the X-Men, and the perfect crisp flavour. In this episode: • How cooking became a path through grief and identity • The stolen recipe book that inspired The Malay Cook • Key Malay ingredients: the four sibling spices, coconut, and turmeric • Samine Rice and its rainbow origin story • Ramadan, Eid, and how Malaysian food traditions mark the calendar • Sambal explained: vinegar, coconut, soy sauce, and more • Quick-fire: favourite dishes, cooking disasters, and dream restaurants Ranie Saidi, aka The Malay Cook, is a London-based recipe developer, writer and supper club host celebrating Malaysian Malay heritage through modern, accessible cooking. A 2023 Yan Kit So Award finalist, his recipes are rooted in the everyday dishes his grandmother - a wedding catering cook - made while he was growing up. He sells his Malay sauces through Delli Market and hosts supper clubs at Soho House and Boundary Shoreditch. His work has been featured in the Financial Times and Olive Magazine. Subscribe to The Good Food Podcast and download the Good Food app for more recipes and inspiration. Visit goodfood.com for the full archive. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices