05/10/2025

ON SUNDAY October 5, 2025 theSunday Special IV

Martinez, who has spent nearly 20 years mastering international cuisines, is ěĢţϰãęØľ¾Ùÿě÷ϰŊüãϰŽ¾ŢĢŏľłϰ of Malaysian cooking.

Home cooking for hectic lives

I F time were not an issue, most of us would happily cook at home every day. Our pockets would thank us for it. Beyond saving money, home cooking lets us choose healthier methods and fresher, better-sourced in gredients. Instead of depending on take aways and fast food from the drive-thru, we can enjoy meals prepared at home that contain no additives, no processed ingredients and, most importantly, are cooked in the most hygienic way possible. The reality, however, is that setting aside time to cook daily is not easy. Work demands, tight deadlines and back-to back meetings, even while working from home, often push cooking down the priority list. Chef Evelio Martinez understands this struggle all too well. On his busiest days, Martinez keeps it simple yet nutritious. A SDQ IULHG SLHFH RI PHDW RU ¿VK WDNHV less than six minutes, served with a salad dressed in olive oil and lemon juice or one of those bottled dressings IURP WKH VXSHUPDUNHW +H RIWHQ ¿QLVKHV the meal with fresh fruit that is naturally rich in vitamins. Now based in Kuala Lumpur, the

BY HANNEF ESQUANDER Cuban chef knew from a young age that he wanted to explore the culinary world. He was inspired by watching his father prepare pizzas and pastries, and by the GHOLFLRXV VPHOOV WKDW ¿OOHG WKH KRXVH ZKHQ his mother cooked dinner. “I have been a professional chef for almost 20 years now. I have worked for UHVWDXUDQWV RI GL̆ HUHQW FRQFHSWV IURP Spanish and Italian cuisines to French and now Malaysian cuisines too. Learning to cook some of the most authentic dishes from the local cuisine has been an amazing experience for me so far,” said Martinez. Drawing from his experience, Martinez encourages home cooks to focus on read ily available staples. Ingredients such as noodles, rice, eggs, fresh vegetables, FKLFNHQ DQG OHDQ FXWV RI PHDW RU ¿VK DUH readily available and versatile. There are endless ways to use them to create quick, tasty and balanced meals. For snacks be tween breakfast and lunch while working from home, nuts and dried fruits provide a much-needed energy boost. Fresh fruits, such as oranges, bananas, mangoes, and papayas, supply vitamins, potassium, DQG DQWLR[LGDQWV WKDW PDNH D VLJQL¿FDQW GL̆ HUHQFH LQ DQ\ GLHW

Nuts and fresh or dried fruits with Greek yoghurt are perfect snacks to boost productivity at home.