KUCHING: Civil servant Nurjehan Salleh, 41, emerged as the grand prize winner of the MAGGI® Jom Masak dan Menang competition at the finale held at Vivacity Megamall here today (Aug 16).
Nurjehan, who had taken part in the contest more than 20 times, said her inspiration to start cooking came from her mother, whose cooking inspired her to prepare delicious dishes like hers.
As one of the eldest daughters in a large family, she regularly cooked for her parents and younger siblings out of necessity.
Nurjehan said she decided to join the MAGGI® competition because MAGGI® was a staple food brand that was always available at home.
“When MAGGI® organised the competition, I decided to join just for fun. Then, I was selected as a finalist, and Alhamdulillah, I was very grateful,” she said.
She said the most challenging part of cooking was getting the taste right, as what one person considered delicious might not necessarily taste good to another.
“So, we have to find the right balance in our cooking,” she said.
For the finale, Nurjehan prepared Nasi Goreng Tepus with Terung Asam, served with Sambal Tepus and Terung Asam, using MAGGI® paste.
She said she prepared for the finale by visiting the MAGGI® website and reading about MAGGI®, as well as learning about Sarawakian cuisine, particularly because the competition was related to Gawai.
Nurjehan said she also hoped to gain courage and confidence from the finale, particularly in cooking in front of a large crowd.
“Standing in front of a large crowd and cooking in front of people you do not know requires courage. I also wanted to build my confidence in cooking in front of an audience,” she said.
She said she was nervous when she found out that terung asam was the secret ingredient, despite it being one of her mother’s favourite ingredients.
“I often cook with it at home. However, I had never cooked with it in front of a large crowd before, so I was nervous,” she said.
After winning the grand prize, Nurjehan expressed her gratitude to Allah for allowing her to win the competition.
She said her previous rewards had only been vouchers and e-wallet rewards, making the Ford Ranger XL her first grand prize.
Nurjehan said she liked MAGGI® Curry and MAGGI® Soup, and also usually bought MAGGI® CukupRasa seasoning.
She said she planned to use her Ford Ranger XL to take her family out and go on trips together.
