Azalina's Malaysian Simmer Sauce

I want to kick myself for not trying Azalina Eusope's outstanding Malaysian sauces until now. A few night ago I used the Azalina's Star Anise Curry Simmer Sauce ($6.99) to make a last minute dinner. Azalina told me that the recipe has been in her family for generations and I feel lucky to be able to taste her culinary magic.

I got the spicy one to test out and LOVED it. I threw in a bit of chicken stock, veggies, chicken, and most of the sauce, then let it simmer in the Dutch oven for about 45 minutes. The sauce had such big flavor but it was very balanced. It's not so spicy that it burns off your mouth. The hint of mint at the end was so unexpected and lovely. I think I'll use the remainder of the sauce for a hot noodle soup.

Her Peanut Sauce ($4.99) is also a delight. You can use it as a marinade, on a cold salad, mixed in with soba noodles and even on scrambled eggs. I found myself eating it straight from the container. This sounds cheesy but you can really feel the love she infuses into each product.

For the sweet tooth, you gotta try the Coconut Jam ($5.99). This traditional kaya recipe is a result of many hours of backbreaking work. Azalina literally spends at least 5-10 hours at the stove stirring the jam over and over to reach that rich yet delicate consistency. Smear it on crepes, pancakes, cupcakes, waffles, or anything you can get your hands on, and you'll end up with a huge smile on your face.

If you live in the SF Bay Area, do check out her awesome food at the SF Street Food Festival on Saturday, August 20. She will be selling her Curry Bomb, which is something you'll gobble up within seconds.

To learn more about Azalina head over to azalinas.com.

For editorial consideration, review samples were provided for this post.

Comments

[Kika]

Azalina's Malaysian is definitely a must-try! The flavors are wonderfully complex and refined and one can certainly taste the love she puts into it. Yes, it sounds cheesy but yes, it is true! :)

[Carolyn Jung]

I've read how laborious coconut jam is to make. I have yet to muster the courage to try my hand at it, myself. But sounds like Azalina has saved me the trouble by selling her version, which I'm sure is way better than any I could ever make. Yum!

[Tami]

Oh, I'd never try to make it at home. Way too much work! Azalina is literally at the stove for those 5 hours stiring and stiring until it's perfect. Insane.