Learning Malaysian with Azalina Eusope at La Cocina

Jun Belen

Eusope (right), with students in La Cocina's kitchen.

​The best way to enjoy Malaysian food is with your hands. Messy hands are a compliment to the chef; the messier, the better, says chef Azalina Eusope. And so we did get our hands messy and had a lot of fun while making Malaysian food with Eusope at a cooking class she conducted last night at La Cocina. Eusope, a tiny lady with a big personality, is the chef and owner of Malaysian Lacy Crepes by Azalina at the Saturday Alemany farmers' market, and Friday nights at Off the Grid at Fort Mason Center.

Jun Belen

Students lending a hand.

​We cooked shrimp in a colorful and flavorful chile-tamarind sauce (sambal tumis); sliced, diced, and stir-fried vegetables (sayur campur); cooked rice and lentils in a delicious hodgepodge of spices (nasi kunvit kacang); and steamed banana cakes wrapped in banana leaves (lepat pisang).