You probably say that you cannot write, or sign creatively on contest forms. Malaysia is known for its great food, so how about trying to cook some of your favourite food and win for a change? Here are some tips you can start with:

Follow the trends
Read food sections of magazines and newspapers and keep up to date on ingredients, seasonings, ethnic cuisines and nutrition concerns. Sponsors want recipes that consumers will really try, so your contest recipes should have broad appeal and not require hard-to-find ingredients.

Be creative
If "originality" is specified in the rules, the recipe must be the creation of the contestant, not one previously published. Make over an old family favorite with new seasonings or varied ingredients to make a dish all your own.

Taste Taste Taste
While simplicity, appearance and other qualities are important, the way a dish tastes is the bottom line. Try out your creation on family and friends and make use of their feedback to refine the recipe.

Follow the rules
Read the details of the contest rules and follow them carefully. Type or print your entry neatly and double check for errors or omissions. Send it in time to meet the deadline.

This is probably the most important. If you omit something because you don't think it's important, it could disqualify you. If they say to use a 3-by-5 card, don't substitute and think it will make no difference. Your entry will go right into the circular file. Use the products that are called for and make sure you get your entry in on time.

Play the name game
Naming your dish is very important. A creative and unusual name will get the judges' attention. Descriptive words that capture the feeling of your dish add to its overall interest. For instance, say you have entered a pizza contest. Instead of just submitting your recipe, think about naming it…Celebration Pizza! Winners Circle Pizza! Touchdown Pizza! Party Time Pizza! Five-minute Pizza! Look to your ingredients for ideas. Pineapples? How about Aloha Pizza! South of the Border Pizza! Think about special occasions for ideas. Anniversary Pizza! Patriotic Pizza! You get the idea. A catchy name is good except if the rules specify no catchy names, of course.

What is currently a hot food topic?
Check out some food magazines and see what everybody is talking about. If southwest flavoring is hot, then think about adding a southwest twist to your recipe. If a certain spice is the rage at all the restaurants, you may want to incorporate it into your offering. Even if you are submitting a tried-and-true family favorite, you might want to give it a trendy new twist. Judges seem to favor recipes that have a popular twist.

Keep it simple
Make sure your ingredients can be found at most markets. Complicated recipes don't often win, and if you have to go to another country to get the ingredients you can forget it.

Appearance is very important
It might taste delicious, and also look appetizing. Food presentation is an art. That is why it is called "Culinary Art". Follow art principles for a winning entry.

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