FORGET cucumber sandwiches and scones – a high tea with a difference has now been launched in York.

The UK’s first Malaysian High Tea offers exotic snacks such as Karipap, a mini Malaysian pasty with a delicately spiced vegetable filling, and Nasi Lemak, coconut rice with chilli sambal and condiments, wrapped in a banana leaf like a pyramid.

The three tier afternoon menu, offering fusion sweet and savoury cakes and snacks, has been created at celebrity chef Norman Musa’s Ning restaurant in Tower Street as part of extended weekend opening hours.

Spokesman Andy Spracklen said: “Complete with a pot of leaf tea imported from Malaysia, the Malaysian High Tea features a selection of mini cakes such as Chef Norman’s moist chocolate cake with cardamom and pistachio cream layers, and famous Malaysian sweets such as Seri Muka, a sweet, colourful layered dessert of glutinous coconut rice and pandan custard, for the sweet tooth.”

Norman said he came up with the idea while on a recent road trip around Malaysia. “It conjures up the colonial Eastern & Oriental Hotel in my hometown of Penang or Raffles Hotel in Singapore.”