Indonesians and Malaysians condemn contestant’s elimination on the basis that her chicken rendang wasn’t crispy

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

Indonesians and Malaysians have criticised MasterChef UK’s decision to eliminate a contestant because her chicken rendang was not crispy.

People from the two south-east Asian nations – including the Malaysian prime minister – put aside a longstanding culinary dispute about the origins of the slow-cooked coconut curry to express outrage at what they deemed to be the cluelessness of the judges on the TV cookery show.

Gregg Wallace and John Torode sparked a storm this week by criticising Malaysian-born contestant Zaleha Kadir Olpin’s dish because the “chicken skin isn’t crispy, it can’t be eaten”.

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Rendang, which originates from West Sumatra in Indonesia, is usually chicken or beef slow cooked in spices and coconut milk for hours and is not crispy.

Olpin served her chicken rendang to accompany nasi lemak, a popular aromatic rice dish from Malaysia.

Hundreds took to social media to point out the judges’ mistake.

A Malaysian Facebook page “Justice for Chicken Rendang” featured a petition demanding an apology from Wallace and Torode.

“As a Malaysian, if I could, I would personally go to the show and rendang their head. Uncultured swine, doesn’t know variety of cuisine and claims to be Masterchef?” wrote Facebook user Jin Wee in the pages of the Star, a Malaysian newspaper.

A Jakarta-based critic added: “We should be proud of defending rendang’s dignity over ridiculous statement made by an ignorant caucasian chef that rendang should be ‘crispy’.”

The Malaysian prime minister, Najib Razak, waded into the debate, saying: “Who eats ‘crispy’ chicken rendang?”

Mohd Najib Tun Razak (@NajibRazak) Mana ada orang makan rendang ayam 'crispy'? #MalaysianFood pic.twitter.com/nWBbaVN8HY

The British high commissioner to Malaysia, Vicki Treadell – who was born in the country – also tweeted at the judges.

“Rendang is an iconic Malaysian national dish … It is never crispy & should also not be confused with the fried chicken sometimes served with nasi lemak,” she wrote.

VickiTreadell (@VickiTreadell) . @MasterChefUK @JohnTorode1 & @GregAWallace #Rendang is an iconic #Malaysian national dish not to be confused with Indonesian options

It can be #chicken #lamb or #beef

It is never #crispy & should also not be confused with the#friedchicken sometimes served with #nasilemak https://t.co/3sCBsgiwgQ

In response, Torode told his online followers: “Maybe Rendang is Indonesian!! Love this !! Brilliant how excited you are all getting … Namaste.”

But his response did little to douse the social media flames, with many users pointing out that “namaste” is a greeting used in India.

John Torode (@JohnTorode1) Maybe Rendang is Indonesian !! Love this !! Brilliant how excited you are all getting .. Namaste 🙏🏻 https://t.co/CThRmhaEAc

Despite sometimes rocky relations, neighbours Indonesia and Malaysia share an intertwined history and a number of cultural and culinary traditions.

Rendang is a popular dish in both countries and its origins are sometimes claimed by Malaysia.