According to Malaysia’s agak-agak style of cooking, all you need to make a culinary masterpiece is one part intuition, one part experience and a generous helping of common sense.
Words By Christine Leong; Art by Javed Imthiaz
I have got to admit something: I have difficulty following recipes. I’d like to say it’s because I avoid certain ingredients (like dairy) due to some health issues, but it’s really because, as a Malaysian, I grew up in a culture that cooked with the agak-agak method. It’s not a method like the art of French cooking is a method. It’s more like an anti-method.
Agak is a Malay word best translated as ‘estimate’. Instead of precise measurement of, say, ingredients and cooking time, the agak-agak style (if one can call it that) is based on guesstimation and to some extent personal preference. That is not to say it’s a hotpot of untested ideas. On the contrary, it’s a conviction of knowledge so ingrained that it becomes almost a natural reflex.
How much water do I need?
“Look at the amount of eggs and agak-agak to achieve the desired texture.”
How long do I cook it for?
“Agak-agak 10 to 15 minutes until it is firm, but not hard.”
