ASEAN And Malaysia Food Products Festival Held At The Embassy Of Malaysia In Dublin
The ASEAN and Malaysia Food Products Festival was held at the Embassy of Malaysia in Dublin on October 19, 2024. This was the first time it took place in the heart of Dublin and was a one of a kind celebration of Southeast Asian flavours, with a special emphasis on Malaysia and the culinary heritage of ASEAN.
Local communities, diaspora members and food lovers came together to enjoy the rich diversity of the ASEAN cuisine, as well as encourage the economic link between ASEAN and Ireland through small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
The ASEAN and Malaysia Food Products Festival was an initiative led by the Embassy of Malaysia in partnership with Tapau House, Malay Kitchen and My Kitchen by Sham – two of which are based in Cork and Roscommon.
To promote Malaysian food and culture while building goodwill between Malaysian and ASEAN communities in Ireland, these Malaysian owned businesses shared their signature food pastes and sauces.
Welcoming Remarks, Cultural Significance, and Thoughts
The Chargé d’affaires, Ms. Intan Nadia Ramli, delivered a friendly welcoming speech to start the ASEAN and Malaysia Food Products Festival, underlining the economic wealth of ASEAN countries, highlighted today especially through their diverse cultures.
She spoke of the value such events bring to promoting community ties and ASEAN’s shared heritage. Also taking the opportunity to highlight Malaysia’s upcoming ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025 that was handed over to Malaysia in recent weeks. Malaysia will now focus on expanding economic partnership beyond ASEAN.
She pointed out that an ASEAN-GCC + China Summit in 2025 would serve to further deepen regional cooperation. The Malaysian Ambassador His Excellency Yusri Wan Abdul Rashid confirmed that the ASEAN member states are confident in their efforts to showcase Southeast Asia as a peaceful, stable, and prosperous space.
The festival also sought to promote ASEAN food products to the local community in Ireland, and nurture closer ties between the Malaysian and ASEAN diaspora in Ireland. It also highlighted the ‘Malaysia Madani’ concept,
especially in relation to racial harmony, diversity and inclusivity.
A Flavourful Feast Of Malaysian and ASEAN Cuisine
The food was, of course, at the heart of the ASEAN and Malaysia Food Products Festival. A mouth watering array of authentic Malaysian dishes were served alongside a special creation of cuisines from other ASEAN nations.
The festival boasted irresistible aroma of nasi lemak, and savoury flavours from apam balik, as well as refreshing sweetness from kueh bakar.
Some of the standout dishes included:
- Nasi Lemak: A local Malay dish of rice cooked in coconut milk accompanied by sambal, deep fried anchovies, sliced boiled egg, peanuts and cucumber.
- Apam Balik: Beloved Malaysian street food favourite: A soft sweet pancake full of sugar, peanuts, and corn.
- Pasembur: Drenched in a spicy, nutty sauce, this is a Malaysian salad made from a mixture of shredded vegetables, tofu, potatoes and crispy fritters.
- Kueh Bakar: The sweet treats of Malaysia, a green cake that is pandan flavoured, with a custard like texture and hardly a caramelised top.
However, apart from these Malaysian delicacies, other food from the ASEAN member countries came in to add tastes to the food menu. Also, the ASEAN and Malaysia Food Products Festival went beyond ASEAN’s border with Moroccan tea and dates, Turkish delights and even Japanese sushi which were nods to Malaysia and the rest of ASEAN’s international connexions.
Promoting the ASEAN SMEs and Social Responsibility
Highlighting ASEAN SMEs and their food products was one of the major objectives of the festival. Two Malaysian entrepreneurs stood at the forefront of this initiative, representing the nation’s local businesses: My Kitchen by Sham, located in Roscommon, and Malay Kitchen, in Cork.
The two businesses demonstrated their homemade food pastes and sauces that were pulled in by festival goers by the rich and authentic taste of Malaysia.
The ASEAN and Malaysia Food Products Festival focused heavily on giving back to the community, which was demonstrated from a touching gesture of goodwill, as My Kitchen by Sham donated all proceeds from the sale of its homemade sauces to Islamic Relief Ireland.
About Cultural Interchange and Community Relations
The ASEAN and Malaysia Food Products Festival wasn’t just a bunch of vendors who got together and sold food; it was about how people coming together can bring the world closer.
To achieve its objectives, the Embassy of Malaysia aimed at enhancing the relationship between the Malaysians and other ASEAN citizens in Ireland society. This event was a public one and more than 150 people attended the event.
These include Malaysia and other ASEAN member countries residents and anyone in the country who wishes to learn more about Malaysian and ASEAN cultures with the shared language of food. It was not just a food festival celebrating the Asian palate; it also helped the attendees to have a taste of ASEAN culture and warmth.
A Sneak Peek at Malaysia’s Leadership in ASEAN
Besides introducing ASEAN food culture, the festival also allowed Malaysia to present their ideas of the future under the theme of ASEAN 2025 Malaysia upcoming ASEAN Chairmanship in the coming year.
The Malaysian ambassador to Ireland, His Excellency Yusri Wan Abdul Rashid, said he was proud the country was taking a proactive part in leading ASEAN towards a new phase of cooperation in terms of expanding economic opportunities. The highly anticipated ASEAN-GCC + China Summit that is set to take place in 2025 is set to define ASEAN’s economic relations with extra-regional partners.
Social relations are created through events such as the ASEAN and Malaysia Food Products Festival since they help in enhancing business ventures and cultural relations.
Final Words
More than being an event showcasing the ASEAN and food products of Malaysia, it was the event that signified unity, diversities and togetherness of ASEAN nations.
In this event, the Malaysian and ASEAN culture was showcased successfully and at the same time new business opportunities were created for ASEAN SMEs in Ireland.
The ASEAN and Malaysia Food Products Festival proved how food unites people, whether ethnic or not, and opens a door to building a strong relation between different cultures.