The MasterChef Champion of Champions 2022 and founder of Masak Club (a Malaysian cookery school in Wiltshire) shares her rice cooking tips and explains why the humble grain sits at the heart of her new cookbook
What inspired you to write Rice?
The idea began when a friend of mine, who is French and a Master Baker, said: ‘Ping, you always think other people can cook rice as well as you. You think it’s so simple.’ But I understand it isn’t easy for everyone; not everybody can cook rice.
As a chef, my mission is simple: I only cook things I love to eat, so I wanted to create a book that reflected this. In the West, rice is often an afterthought, but in the East, rice is at the centre; it’s the gravity that holds everything together.
Why rice?
It’s a versatile grain. It’s not just rice, it’s rice cakes, rice paper, rice milk and rice bread. I want to change people’s attitude to rice through the book (which reflects my culture and the importance of the grain). My main hope is that people look at rice differently – if their mindset shifts even slightly, I’m happy. I also highlight Asian cooking techniques, so when they cook using the book, they’ll learn new skills and ways of preparing and serving rice.
What are your top tips for cooking rice?
There are so many types of rice, so you don’t need to use just one cooking method. It’s not always about a fixed rice-to-water ratio.
I would also say: don’t be afraid of reheating rice. You can safely reheat, freeze and store it. Other people batch-cook stews; I batch-cook rice. Once cooked, I portion it out, wrap and label each portion, then freeze it – I have a whole freezer drawer dedicated to rice. When I need it, I take it straight from the freezer and microwave it for three minutes. You’re basically making your own instant rice, but it’s much nicer.
Chilled and reheated rice is actually better for you. Once it’s been chilled, your body works harder to break it down, so it doesn’t spike your blood sugar in the same way.
If readers make just one recipe from the cookbook, which should it be?
The buttered mushroom rice and steak bowl recipe. The rice absorbs the fat and balances the flavour, so you get the taste of beef in every mouthful, while the soy-cured egg yolk brings everything together.
Food and memories run through the book …
There are a lot of memories in it, that range from childhood to the present day. One of my key food memories comes from a once-in-a-lifetime family trip we took to Japan. When I was writing the book, I knew I wanted to recreate the memory of us at a Matsusaka restaurant where we had the steak and rice dish. It was so simple, but so special.
Tell us about your culinary life at the moment.
Running around signing books looks glamorous, but most of the time I’m in the kitchen with my hair up. I run a meal delivery company and produce a chilli oil. I also develop recipes for other brands and manage the cookery school – all while juggling family life.
What’s next for you?
I want to write more books on things I’m passionate about. I’m also developing a chilli oil made with British beef jerky. It’s something I’ve only ever tried in China, but I want to eat more of it, so I’ve set out to recreate it and bring it to the UK.
Find Ping’s recipe for soy-cured egg yolks here. You can also find a collection of her new recipes in our spring issue of Food Lifestyle.
