KHADIJAH'S KITCHEN IN PETALING JAYA

KUALA LUMPUR: Khadijah (“Kathy”) Ibrahim, the consummate crooner, is proving she has taste in another field.

Very few people, other than those closest to her, know that she is also a consummate cook.

That is about to change as the veteran singer has decided to share her culinary talent with the Malaysian public.

At the urging of friends, Khadijah, who has just returned home after a long stint abroad, recently opened her first restaurant, Khadijah’s Kitchen, in Section 11, Petaling Jaya.

She said the restaurant has been designed as a “home away from home” and is dedicated to her many friends whom she has come to cherish over the years.

“My friends and family have been bugging me to open a restaurant for ages. So, I finally conceded and they’re really happy now,” she said.

Khadijah has created a cosy ambience for her diners, as the interior is reminiscent of a country home, with its moss-green walls and candle holder centrepieces on every table.

“I spend so much time here that it might as well serve as a home for me. So many of my friends hang out here during the day and the evenings,” she said.

Indeed, one sees little need for Khadijah to ever leave. The staff comprise relatives or close friends and she refers to all of them as “s aya n g ”.

As for the menu, it is truly Malaysian. On offer is a variety of Malay, Chinese, Indian and Baba Nyonya dishes, and in the afternoons, local delicacies such as kuih, bubur chacha and bubur gandum, to name a few.

The restaurant’s signature dishes are Laksa Johor and the house special Gula Melaka ayam pangang.

“But it takes ages to prepare, so I only serve it occassionally. The chicken has to be marinated for a whole day to get that exact taste,” said Khadijah, who is also the head chef.

As with her singing, Khadijah’s restaurant is an expression of one of her life’s passions.

“I just love cooking. I’ve loved it since I was 12 years old. My mother was always very encouraging.

She used to use this Malay phrase, air tangan, whichmeans that you put everything you’ve got into your cooking so it’s really from the heart.” When asked if she has plans to open more restaurants, Khadijah replied that she is thinking of venturing into two major European cities and perhaps New York.

“I think these are cosmopolitan centres and people are always willing to try out new things.” - nst.