KUALA LUMPUR, March 2 -- Instead of trying to stock up on different spices for making various dishes, how about getting World of Nyonya's versatile Nyonya Paste by cookbook author Debbie Teoh that allows you the flexibility to create different dishes with just one packet.

It's a case of a universal paste that fits all, as with a few tweaks and all of the right ingredients assembled, the master paste can cook up a Melaka-style Nyonya Laksa Lemak within five minutes.

The Nyonya Paste simmered with water and coconut milk becomes the base for the laksa and all you need to do is cook the prawns, sliced fish cakes or fish balls and beancurd puffs and assemble all of it on top of boiled noodles, garnishing it with thinly sliced daun kesum.

Te...