Recently, a British journalist came under fire after describing nasi lemak as “a wickedly bad meal”.
And now, established news portal, CNN, has triggered the food monsters in all of us after attempting to whitesplain curry dishes from around the world which included our traditional dish, rendang.
CNN listed 12 types of curries from all over the globe in an article titled “From Pakistan to the Caribbean: Curry's journey around the world” based on Colleen Sen's book - 'Curry: A Global History'.
What exactly is curry? It's not a single spice, nor is it the curry tree (though the leaves are used in some dishes). Here's what it looks like in 12 places around the world: https://t.co/2oYaZgs4DJ pic.twitter.com/C3iOXZrczn
— CNN (@CNN) January 23, 2020
We’re not sure about the rest of the countries, but one thing’s for sure – beef rendang isn’t a curry dish from Malaysia and Indonesia. It’s just rendang on its own.
CNN started off by stating the diverse types of curry dishes available in Malaysia; from fish head curry to Nyonya curry but ended the whole thing on a sour note.
“Another popular dish that's enjoyed across Malaysia and Indonesia, particularly during holidays and festivals, is rendang.”
“Well known around the world, this relatively dry curry dish is made with beef or chicken braised in a sauce of coconut milk, lemongrass, ginger, and cinnamon for an ultra-tender texture.”
Naturally, a hoard of angry Malaysians bombarded CNN’s Twitter account and tried to school them.
Malaysian: We have kari Melayu, kari India, kari Cina, kari Peranakan..
— ChekMad (@TheChekMad) January 24, 2020
Malaysian: We also have gulai which is not kari..
Malaysian & Indonesian: We also have rendang which is not kari too..
CNN: All have spices, then all must be named CURRY!!!
Malaysian & Indonesian: ???
AMERICAN will call everything made of spices CURRY!
— Zaleha (@Lehahahanat) January 24, 2020
In Malaysia, curry must have these common mixed spices (powdered); dried chili, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, tumeric etc.
Common known Rendang in Malaysia doesn’t have fennel seeds & coriander seeds powder in recipe
Malaysian prepare to explain what is rendang and curry pic.twitter.com/fWcsjgzVOB
— lady syafinaz (@JamainSyafinaz) January 23, 2020
Come to Malaysia and Indonesia and tell us straight in the face that rendang is a curry, you get a slipper to the face
— Graywind (@IvanLee22247940) January 24, 2020
“Beef rendang” doesn’t use curry at all @CNN, check your facts. #FakeNews
— Fake Lecturer (@FakeLecturer) January 23, 2020
Curry and rendang a different dishes they are not the same. The taste are also different. In Malaysia we have both curry and rendang
— aqish (@balqis_atan) January 24, 2020
Curry. Rendang pic.twitter.com/ZcL0Lq1ELI
Western people will call anything with spices "curry". ????
— yuyu (@anhesya) January 24, 2020
Rendang is Rendang. It's NOT a curry. Fix that in your mind.
Next time, don't even bother translating any asian dishes into your own words. Just call the cuisine by its original name.
Perhaps the Ministry of Tourism and Culture should come up with an official 101 Malaysian food guide to prevent such things from happening again in the future.