"I shared my Malaysian food with the crew. I'm happy and I'm glad that they liked my food and I feel at home," said Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, the first Malaysian in space, in a video link-up with mission control outside Moscow.

Peggy Whitson, who is set to become the first female commander of the ISS from Friday, said the exotic offering went down well on the permanently manned station. "We really liked the Malaysian food. My favorite was dried mango," she said.

Whitson said she didn't expect to be needing a fierce-looking whip given to her as a gift just before take-off October 10 from the Baikonur base in ex-Soviet Kazakhstan.

"I haven't had to use my whip yet. These guys are great. It's been great working with them, they're true professionals," she said, laughing.