Penang is a small peninsula island off the coast and at the very top of Malaysia. It’s known for its melting pot of different cultures and therefore the diversity of food and their combinations. So take a cooking class at Pickles & Spices in George Town and dive into the culinary world of Penang, Malaysia.
I couldn’t have thought of a better place to take a local cooking class, could I?
In many countries I visit, I take a cooking class. I love diving into the local culture that way. And what’s also a great bonus… You almost always get a booklet with recipes to take home!
Georgetown / Penang?
The names Georgetown and Penang are used interchangeably. The peninsula may be called Penang and the city Georgetown, yet you see that both are used to refer to the city as well.
I love the busy and cozy streets of Asia and in George Town in Penang you can’t contain your joy! What wonderful colorful streets! Throughout the entire center, you see the most wonderful old buildings from different backgrounds such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and the Muslim faith.
I find it a wonderful mix!
Want to read more about what you can see in Penang? Then check out this blog What to Do in Penang
I Took the Cooking Class at Pickles & Spices
Food is always one of the highlights when I’m traveling. To try to bring those highlights home with me, at some point I started taking cooking classes. And now too, I took a cooking class at Pickles & Spices.
At Nazlina’s in Penang, I found that local cooking class.
She is Malaysian and cooks in a traditional way and really wants to pass that on so that the cuisine isn’t lost.
We started our lesson, like most cooking classes in Asia, with a round through the local market. The market is located in an old building and that gave it a special touch. Nazlina told us that it used to be a cemetery. A large tall tree protruded from the building and this gave the whole thing a very special appearance.
She told us that this tree stood at the only grave that was still there.
There were naturally ghost stories going around. When I was back in Penang in 2023, I saw that the building was no longer in use and stood empty.
We bought some vegetables and fruit and saw all the meat lying there. That’s always something to get used to, meat that often lies on the market unrefrigerated. For that reason, it’s of course good to go early in the morning. In addition, I discovered that people here wash the meat, just like the fruit and vegetables. And that’s of course very logical when you think about it. It’s just something I’ve never done in the Netherlands and never thought about them doing. 🙂
Cooking Class at Pickles & Spices – Penang, Malaysia
When we arrived at the school, a refreshing drink was made and a local apple was cut. While enjoying this, we, the students, could get to know each other. Nazlina prepared the kitchen. I quickly saw that this was a kitchen with an open ceiling.
I had to laugh when I saw rainwater still in every pan… it had rained that night 🙂
A little later she came with different ingredients that we were allowed to cut, chop, and prepare. When all the tasks were distributed, we could get to work.
Cooking Class at Pickles & Spices
We also made a delicious sambal and I must say I really loved it!! I also made a paste from fresh coconut. I was working on that for quite a long time. Just keep pounding and scraping with the mortar and pestle until it suddenly starts to get a dark color, then oil is suddenly released from the coconut.
Strange to see!
We were well coached by Nazlina and when we were ready, we could start wok cooking 🙂 Of course, everything is prepared in a large wok. Some dishes come on time and are ready in no time, but we also made Beef Rendang and that needed some time.
You have to keep stirring it constantly and so we all took turns doing that for a while.
Did you know that the banana leaf is softened briefly over the fire so that it gets a nice color and so that it’s easy to fold?
Afterwards, we of course ate the delicious Nasi Lemak.
This is a typical Malaysian dish and it’s wrapped in a banana leaf. A portion of rice, on top some dried anchovies, some peanuts, cucumber slices, pieces of boiled egg, and sambal. Then you fold the banana leaf around it in a certain way and you have the dish in a pyramid shape on your plate.
And eating this together with the Beef Rendang is a delicious and traditional combination.
Because there was a Dutch man who stayed in Penang for a while and helped Nazlina, I talked with Peter for a while afterwards. Always nice to chat in your own language again and had a great time enjoying our self-made food!
Cooking Class at Pickles & Spices – Penang, Malaysia
There was this Dutch guy staying in Penang and helping Nazlina so I stayed for a while talking to him. Always nice to talk in your own language while enjoying the great food which you even made yourself!
Taking the Cooking Class at Pickles & Spices
When I left, I bought some recipe cards that Nazlina had beautifully compiled into a booklet. I later received the recipes we made via email!
For more information about Nazlina and her cooking class at Pickles & Spices click here
Would you rather not cook but still enjoy tasting food? Then you can also go on a culinary walking tour through Georgetown. Take a look at this culinary tour where you will taste 15 dishes.
Stay in Penang?
Book an overnight stay at Moon Tree 47, a delightful spot in the bustling centre of Penang.
Want to see more Malaysian travels?
- Kuala Lumpur City Guide
- Travel Tips for Borneo
- 2 Week Travel Itinerary Sumatra – Indonesia
- Diving at Sipadan
Or go on this adventure!