Satay? Okay!

If Malaysia has a national condiment, it would be sambal. Yet as central as sambal is to Malaysia's culinary heritage, it wouldn't exist without Portugal.

As Melaka's fortunes grew, the empire attracted the envy of Europe. By the 16th Century, Portuguese merchants began trading with Melaka, introducing new products like chillis and tomatoes. But this trade partnership wasn't enough and Portuguese rulers soon wanted more from Melaka....

Would you sacrifice an ox for the sake of cinnamon? Spices were once the global currency, sometimes worth more than gold. Myths around spices kept the prices high, fuelling spice empires around the world, including in Melaka.

Modern Malaysia traces its origins to the dawn of the 15th Century. After the fall of Srivijaya, Melaka emerged as a fierce trade empire, connecting lucrative markets in India and China. Some of these foreign t...

Do you know Bella Chan? Fishing traditions gave rise to one of Malaysia's most important ingredients - belacan. Beyond cuisine though, belacan tells us a lot about Malaysia's seafaring history.

1,500 years ago, sea trading in South East Asia began to boom and from the spoils, the world's greatest maritime empire emerged - Srivijaya. Centred on the island of Sumatra, Srivijaya dominated trade in the region and extended its power to o...

Can coconuts really travel along ocean currents? Maybe, but that's probably not how they spread around the world.

We look at coconuts and Malaysia's ancient maritime history. The Malay and Indonesian archipelagos contain some 25,000 islands, home to communities that were once much more connected. These are the lands of Nusantara, a common ancestor of many South East Asian cultures.

We hear from food historian Khir Johari (@khir19) ab...

There's no such thing as Malaysian cuisine! In the very first episode, we shatter the myths surrounding Malaysia and its diverse food culture. Kicking things off with satay, we look at the mysterious origins of this classic Malaysian dish. It's a story that tells us a lot about what people know, and think they know, about Malaysia.

Hear from food writer and cultural custodian Kalsom Taib, who is older than Malaysia itself. She share...

Is durian really that controversial? Pop culture will have you believe that durian is equal parts maligned and celebrated. But there's so much more to the King of Fruits than its smell.

We take a look at durian and it's connection to the ancient lands of Malaysia. Along the way, we meet a community that many Malaysians don't even know exist - the indigenous Orang Asli peoples.

We hear from Emily Wong of Native Discovery (@discovernat...