Author Biography

Born in Perlis, a state in the northern-most part of Malaysia, Koh Sai Ngo has held a strong interest toward cooking since she was young. She is also blessed with an excellent cook for a mother, who also happens to be very picky with food. This has sharpened Sai Ngo’s sense for good food and tuned her taste palate towards perfection.

When she was younger, her neighbors included Malays, Indians and Nyonya, giving her the chance to learn the cuisines of various ethnic groups. Adding to the fact that Sai Ngo loves to travel, which gives her the chance to discover special dishes all over Malaysia and the world. After separation the wheat from the chaff, she has blended the strengths of what she has learned into her own recipes, resulting in dishes that are outstanding with her own characteristics.

Sai Ngo is a culinary expert with some 50 years of experience, and the author of more than ten cookbooks on authentic north Malaysian cuisine. The feature dishes are largely sour and spicy, and can bring out the original taste of the ingredients.

Sai Ngo specializes in traditional Chinese dishes, Malaysian spicy cuisine and Nyonya dishes. At the same time, she can handle home-style Chinese steamed buns, dim sum, Nyonya kueh, simple Western food, cakes and biscuits.

Sai Ngo believes that home-cooked dishes are the best. Besides the advantages of better hygiene and healthier food, the taste of the dishes can also be adjusted according to the family’s preference, whether you like it more sour, sweet, spicy or savoury. This is the charm of home-cooked dishes.