When venturing into the delightful world of Malay cuisine, a good grasp of cooking and kitchen-related vocabulary can greatly enhance your culinary experience, whether you’re following a recipe or conversing with a local chef. Here’s a useful list of commonly used terms that you might encounter in a Malay kitchen.

Dapur – Kitchen
This is the place where all the magic happens, where ingredients are transformed into delicious dishes.
Saya menghabiskan banyak waktu di dapur untuk menyiapkan makan malam.

Memasak – Cooking
The general term for the process of preparing food by combining, mixing, and heating ingredients.
Dia suka memasak makanan tradisional pada hujung minggu.

Menggoreng – Frying
To cook food in hot fat or oil, a common method in Malay dishes.
Kita perlu menggoreng ikan ini selama lima menit.

Periuk – Pot
A container typically used for boiling or stewing.
Isi periuk dengan air sebelum memasak spaghetti.

Kuali – Pan
A flat-bottomed vessel for frying, searing, or sautéing foods.
Panaskan kuali sebelum menumis bawang.

Pisau – Knife
An essential tool in preparing ingredients by cutting, chopping, slicing, and dicing.
Guna pisau tajam untuk memotong daging.

Senduk – Ladle
A large, deep spoon with a long handle, used for serving soup or stew.
Ambil sup ayam dengan senduk dan tuangkan ke dalam mangkuk.

Pengadun – Mixer
A kitchen device used for beating, stirring, or whipping ingredients.
Letakkan adunan kek ke dalam pengadun untuk mendapatkan tekstur yang ringan.

Papan Memotong – Cutting Board
A durable board on which to place material for cutting.
Letakkan sayur-sayuran di atas papan memotong untuk memotongnya.

Penimbang – Scale
A device used for weighing ingredients.
Gunakan penimbang untuk mengukur jumlah tepung yang tepat.

Pemanggang – Grill
A device that cooks food by applying heat from below; also a method of cooking that involves direct heat.
Ayam itu sedang dipanggang di atas pemanggang.

Blender – Blender
An electric appliance for grinding or pureeing ingredients.
Masukkan buah-buahan ke dalam blender untuk membuat smoothie.

Penutup periuk – Lid (of a pot)
Used to cover the pot when cooking to retain heat or to prevent splattering.
Tutup periuk dengan penutup periuk semasa mendidihkan air.

Sudu – Spoon
A utensil consisting of a small shallow bowl with a handle, used for eating, stirring, or serving food.
Guna sudu untuk mengacau gula ke dalam teh.

Garpu – Fork
A utensil with two or more prongs, used for holding, lifting, or piercing food.
Cucuk sepotong daging dengan garpu untuk memeriksa kematangannya.

Penapis – Strainer
A device having holes punched in it or made of crossed wires for separating solid matter from a liquid.
Tuang sup panas itu melalui penapis untuk memisahkan rempah-rempah.

Pengukus – Steamer
A kitchen devise used to cook food over boiling water, trapping the steam.
Masukkan kuih ke dalam pengukus dan tunggu selama 30 minit.

Understanding these basic terms can significantly aid you in navigating Malay recipes and kitchen interactions. So next time you’re cooking up some Malaysian specialties, you’ll find these vocabularies handy in bringing out the best flavors in your dishes. Selamat memasak! (Happy cooking!)