Back again after April’s off-the-chain Fat Rice supper club, this dinner is Chef Rocheller Batuigas’ is a love letter to his experiences in Malaysia and discovering its huge culinary roots. From the street vendors hawking food at the markets and beautiful sea-side restaurants serving fresh fish and curries, to the pasar malam night markets smelling of the intoxicating aroma of stinky tofu and durian, this is an ode to Malaysia, its people, their cuisine, and as well to his partner. A colourful, contemporary mashup of contemporary Asian cuisine, old-school nonya vibes, and traditional rijsttafel flavours. Not to be missed.
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Eagle and the Snake aka Yee Sang/Prosperity Toss Salad
This fresh and bountiful dish is often made for the lunar new year in Malaysia, where it is a festive centrepiece to the family table. Each of its many ingredients has some sort of symbolism: carrots symbolize gold, daikon for moving up in life, cucumber for good returns, scallions for fresh ideas, and thin fried croutons represent gold bars. In modern dishes, salmon is often featured to symbolize abundance, and the plum dressing represents the sweet things in life. The holiday banquet begins when everyone simultaneously reaches in with their chopsticks to toss the salad together, shouting their LNY wishes. The louder you shout and higher you toss, the more prosperity and good fortune you will have in the new year!

Chef Roche’s version combines julienned carrots, daikon, cucumber, mango, green papaya, green onion, cabbage, red onion, fried taro, crispy lumpia wrapper with a salted plum vinaigrette. It is served with salmon tartare, marinated in dark soy, gula melaka (coconut palm sugar), shallots, calamansi, finger chillies, sesame oil, grated ginger, and fish sauce. It comes with crispy prawn crackers and sambal belacan, a spicy, slow-cooked shrimp & chili paste.

Nasi Ulam
Northern-style rice salad with grated fresh coconut, galangal, ginger, chillies, shallots, market lime leaves, lemongrass, and fresh Asian herbs.

Beef RenDANG
Crazy soft lemongrass braised beef simmered in coconut fat and herbs and spices. Sweet, savoury, with an intense gravy. Garnished with fresh herbs.

Chicken Satay
Marinated for 3 days with turmeric and spices. Grilled slowly and served with proper peanut sauce. Dip it with fresh cucumbers and ketupat (compressed rice cakes).

Kangkung and Brinjal
Stir fried morning glory and eggplant in a spicy shrimpy sambal.

Kuih Bingka Ubi
Rich & gooey cassava and coconut cake with ice cream and a gula melaka and pineapple rum butterscotch.

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Rocheller Batuigas has worked as a chef for nearly 15 years working under Brad Long at Evergreen Brickworks at Cafe Belong and as well as the current Executive Chef at York University Student Centre. Currently traveling around the city on his days off with his friends and partner as FAT RICE, a hilarious group of people who love food and sharing those experiences at your next market or pop-up. @fatrice.to
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Every weekend The Depanneur invites an amateur or professional guest chef to host a fun, informal dinner party. @thedepanneur