Malaysian Teens From Every State Had An Intense Cook-Off. Check Their Dishes Out Here!

Well, these 15 teams got the chance to do exactly that! The MAGGI Secondary School Cooking Competition (MSSCC) is an exciting cook-off that challenges Form 1 - Form 3 students to create culinary delights that are not only delicious but also nutritious.

The teams of 2 were challenged to demonstrate how they made a difference in their lives, with the help of MAGGI. They were also required to plate their final dishes as a balanced meal in accordance with the Malaysian Healthy Plate initiative or Suku Suku Separuh where a person consumes ¼ carbohydrates, ¼ proteins and ½ fibre, which is the suggested proportions of food on your place for a balanced nutritious meal.

Showcasing their gratitude for their teacher, Muhammad Dinie Asyfraf and Muhammad Faris from SMK Taman Nusa Damai chose to cook their teacher’s favourite dish, the Kelantanese nasi kerabu.

Giving their dish a personal twist, the boys cooked the rice with pandan leaves that yielded them a vibrant aromatic green coloured rice instead of the iconic blue. Served with a mixture of local herbs and salad leaves (ulam), as well as a side of grilled chicken, this dish is as nutritious to the body, as it is aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

Their winning dish: Nasi Ayam Pandan Kerabu Campur.

As an homage to their hometown, Cameron Highlands, Mohd Asyraf and Putri Aisyah cooked up a berry-licious version of our beloved Malaysian nasi lemak, served with their special sambal strawberry.

Encouraged by their families from a young age, these avid food lovers set out to push their culinary creativity by adding fresh strawberries to their sambal which gives a sweet balance to the spicy sauce. This also adds nutritional value to the dish as the fruit is known for its antioxidant properties.

Their winning dish: Nasi Lemak Ayam Berempah Strawberry.

Opting to create a more traditional dish, Mas Skadauf and Muhammad Syaqirul Alim cooked up a delicious ubi kayu parut bersama ikan bakar dan sayur campuran. The boys were inspired by local celebrity chefs, Chef Wan and Chef Fikree, as well as their families, to create this beloved Malaysian dish.

Giving it their own twist, they added in cekur and ulam raja to the dish which gave it a more peppery flavour while the ikan bakar gave a delicious smoky flavour to complement their dish.

Their winning dish: Ubi Kayu Parut, Ikan Bakar dan Salad Campuran.

14-yea-olds Nur Aiffa and Iryka took a nostalgic route and cooked this family recipe of nasi lobak bersayur that has been passed down for generations. Serving it with a side of ayam berempah and kerabu sotong elevates the dish with interesting flavours and textures.

They used grated carrots in the rice to give it a more pleasing colour and texture, as well as adding nutritional value to the dish.

Their winning dish: Nasi Lobak Bersayur with Ayam Berempah and Kerabu Sotong.

Inspired by their family to venture into the art of cooking, Maisara binti Rafidi and Nik Shahira binti Nik Mazlan innovated their Nasi Goreng Kampung, by adding fresh coconut flesh into the fried rice.

The naturally sweet coconut flesh, that is rich with fibre and potassium, gives their nasi goreng kampung a unique texture, and balances out the saltiness of the fried anchovies. As a source of protein, they served their nasi goreng with a side of black pepper lamb, and some ulam salad to add some freshness to their dish.

Their winning dish: Nasi Goreng Kampung Kelapa Pandan

Taking inspiration from their love for the popular Japanese anime, 'Kitchen Princess', Hani Jazlina and Nurin Afina created a fusion dish of sushi roll murtabak. This dish combined their favourite Japanese and Malaysian cuisines that are packed with bold flavours.  

Adding to this already delicious dish, they served their sushi roll with a hearty bowl of Indonesian pepes udang tom yam and a side of salad with their homemade ‘amazing’ sauce.

Their winning dish: Sushi Roll Murtabak served with Indonesian Pepes Udang Tom Yam and Salad with 'Amazing' Sauce.

Showing their love for sour and spicy cuisines, 15-year olds Nur Fatini and Nur Afiqah cooked up their favourite go-to meal, tom yam fried rice. To complement their dish, they also served some succulent smoky paprika chicken with a side of stir-fried veggies, to provide some dietary fiber to their dish. 

Their winning dish: Tom Yam Fried Rice with Paprika Chicken & Stir-fried Veggies

Impressing judges with a Western menu, Mohammad Hafiz and Mohamad Azrin cooked up a delicious meal of chicken ballotine with mashed potatoes, served with mix vegetables & demi glaze sauce.

Their inspiration for cooking stems from helping their mothers out in the kitchen at a young age. Keeping their dish healthy, this duo used chicken drumstick and chicken breast as their source of protein (which has less fat content) and also used a minimal amount of oil for cooking. Besides that, they also served the dish with a side of carrots, broccoli, mushrooms, and eggplant that adds to the dish's delicious flavours and textures.

Their winning dish: Chicken Ballotine with Mashed Potatoes served with Mix Vegetables & Demi Glaze Sauce.

Hazmiranatasha Syahrin and Nor Syamimi Jailani took center stage with their fusion dish, nasi jagung Nestlé ipus. Using the Hazmiranatasha's grandmother's recipe that's been passed down for generations, this dish is a fusion of the Malay cuisine, nasi jagung and ikan percik with jawa cuisine, urap sayur.

The team came up with this innovative name, Ipus, which stems from ikan percik and urap sayur.

Their winning dish: Nasi Jagung Nestlé Ipus.

Giving the humble hamburger a local twist, Nor Mashitah Rani and Khairunieha binti Khairuddin added some refreshing kerabu salad on top of their juicy beef patty.

Their Burger Nasi Kerabu was unique as the students believed it to be the first-of-its-kind in Malaysia, combining a traditional favourite of the East coast with the modern Western burger.

Their winning dish: Burger Nasi Kerabu.

Inspired to showcase Terung Dayak, a bright yellow vegetable that is unique only to Sarawak, Alycia Chiu Zi Wei and Neestyiano Ubu Anak Ambrose Grath innovatively cooked up a dish comprising of raisin pandan rice with a side of yogurt fish kerabu and beriani Terung Dayak.

Improvising their teacher's original recipe, this duo made their Fish Kerabu healthier by using yoghurt, instead of lime juice, to add to its nutritional value.

Their winning dish: MAGGI Raisin Pandan Rice with Nestlé Yogurt Fish Kerabu and Beriani MAGGI Terung Dayak.

Having known each other since the age of 9 and sharing the love for spicy food, Maisarah Syazliana and Nur Suhaila impressed the judges with their MAGGI Asam Pedas Daging dish.

They used beef instead of fish to cook their dish, making their dish unique from the traditional asam pedas. This yielded them a deeper and more hearty flavoured broth that was enjoyed with the classic stringy MAGGI noodles.

Their winning dish: MAGGI Asam Pedas Daging.

Inspired by their love for spicy Korean noodles and all things K-pop, Nur Athirah and Huda Dini whipped up a tasty dish that showcases traditional Korean cooking techniques as well as classic local flavours.

Cooking a unique dish, MAGGI Roasted Chicken Sushi served with Spicy Chicken MAGGI and Healthy Vege, this duo has successfully harmonised the flavours of two cultures in a single well-balanced dish.

Their winning dish: MAGGI Roasted Chicken Sushi served with Spicy Chicken MAGGI and Healthy Vege.

Inspired by both western and traditional Malay cooking methods, Muhammad Haziq Amsyar and Muhammad Amirul Amir innovated a fusion dish of Lemuni Rice with Spiced Mackerel served with Banana Heart and Fern Salad.

Nutritious as it is tasty, the banana heart gives the dish a boost in essential nutrients such as calcium, phosphorus, and more, while the Mackerel is known to be one of the tastiest and best sources of protein in seafood.

Their winning dish: Lemuni Rice, Spiced Mackerel served with Banana Heart and Fern Salad.

Presenting a creative dish for the judges, Najla Nafeesa and Siti Hajar Nor Ain Ismail cooked up a balanced meal of Ayam Roulade Yummy with Nasi Citarasa MAGGI.

Made with chicken breast meat and eggs, this dish is packed with protein without the extra fat and the healthy side of sauteed veggies of broccoli, carrots, baby corn, and capsicums enriched their dish with extra texture, flavour, and nutrients.

Their winning dish: Ayam Roulade Yummy with Nasi Citarasa MAGGI.