From Malaysia to China, with a plate of ‘poori’ — Matthuri Palanee

SEPT 13 — Many things become apparent only after spending considerable time away from home. When Matthuri Palanee and her colleagues relocated from Malaysia to China for educational purposes, they anticipated the usual challenges associated with living abroad—adjusting to a new lifestyle, adapting to unfamiliar routines, and getting accustomed to a different culinary landscape.

However, they were taken aback by the unexpected longing for something they had consumed frequently without ever giving it much thought. This yearning serves as a reminder that food is not merely about starvation; it often symbolises familiarity. During a casual conversation, the group of Malaysian educators working in China discovered they all shared the same craving for poori, a beloved South Asian deep-fried flatbread.

Wanting to recreate the bread using their mother's recipe, Matthuri decided to make poori at home. Poori, typically rolled into small rounds and fried until it puffs up into a light, golden, crispy delight, seems to gain newfound significance when one is far from home. The familiarity of home-cooked meals—prepared with love, authenticity, and imperfections—carries a different meaning when recreated in a foreign environment.

When Matthuri served the poori accompanied by sardine sambal to her colleagues, an unexpected phenomenon occurred. Within just 10 minutes, the entire dish was consumed. This experience highlighted the profound importance of food when one is away from home. While adapting to a new country often involves becoming comfortable with novel surroundings, it does not necessarily entail abandoning one's familiar traditions.

Food acts as a bridge, preserving memories, evoking family connections, and invoking familiar scents that transport one thousands of kilometres away. More importantly, food fosters a sense of community. It united Matthuri's colleagues not just as colleagues but as Malaysians who shared a common desire to taste home. This simple moment of shared enjoyment transcended work, responsibilities, and the unfamiliarity of being in another country.

It became a shared experience, a reminder that even when far from home, one need not feel alone. The power of food extends beyond merely satisfying hunger; it embodies the essence of home. For Matthuri, Malaysia is not just the country she once called home, but it is also the recipes, flavours, and meals she recreates. The poori, served to her colleagues, felt like a piece of Malaysia brought to the table.

For a fleeting 10 minutes, it felt as if home had accompanied them. This incident underscores the real power of food—the ability to transcend geographical boundaries and forge connections between individuals who may have never met otherwise.