Malaysia's cuisine is a unique and flavorful blend of Malay, Chinese,
Indian, and other ethnic cultures.
The dishes often feature chilies, Indian spices, and coconut milk, creating
rich and diverse flavors.
Malaysian food is known for its bold, spicy, sweet, and savory flavors,
combining influences from multiple cultures.
It’s a must-try for food lovers around the world!
Nasi lemak is a fragrant rice dish cooked in coconut milk, originating from Malaysia and commonly found in neighboring countries like Singapore and Southern Thailand. It is considered the national dish of Malaysia. The rice is typically flavored with pandan leaves, and the dish is served with a variety of accompaniments, most notably sambal (a spicy chili paste), fried anchovies, peanuts, cucumber slices, and a hard-boiled or fried egg.
Ingredients:
- Coconut milk rice
- Sambal (chili paste with anchovies)
- Fried anchovies (ikan bilis)
- Roasted peanuts
- Hard-boiled egg
- Cucumber slices
- Optional: Fried chicken/rendang
Preparation:
1. Cook rice with coconut milk and pandan leaves
2. Prepare sambal by blending chilies, shallots, garlic, and frying with anchovies
3. Fry anchovies and peanuts separately
4. Serve all components together
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/20230309-NasiLemak-MichelleYip-Option1-8d0b9468c998495f91ef4ff6d3b5ab6b.jpg)
Roti canai, or roti prata (in Singapore), also known as roti chanai and roti cane, is a flatbread dish of Indian origin found in several countries in Southeast Asia, especially Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. It is usually served with dal or other types of curry but can also be cooked in a range of sweet or savoury variations made with different ingredients, such as meat, eggs, or cheese.
Ingredients:
- Flour
- Water
- Ghee (clarified butter)
- Egg (optional)
- Curry or dhal for dipping
Preparation:
1. Knead dough with flour, water and ghee
2. Rest dough for several hours
3. Stretch and flip dough to make it thin
4. Fold and cook on griddle with ghee
5. Serve with curry or dhal
Satay is a Southeast Asian dish, popular in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand, consisting of seasoned, skewered, and grilled meat, typically served with a sauce. The meat is often marinated and grilled over an open flame, resulting in a flavorful and slightly charred exterior. Peanut sauce is a common accompaniment, adding a rich, nutty flavor to the dish.
Ingredients:
- Chicken/beef/lamb cubes
- Turmeric
- Lemongrass
- Cumin
- Coriander
- Peanut sauce
- Ketupat (rice cakes)
Preparation:
1. Marinate meat in spices for hours
2. Skewer meat onto bamboo sticks
3. Grill over charcoal fire
4. Serve with peanut sauce and ketupat
Char kway teow is a popular Southeast Asian stir-fried noodle dish, particularly prevalent in Malaysia and Singapore, known for its bold, savory flavors and smoky aroma. It typically features flat rice noodles stir-fried with ingredients like prawns, cockles, Chinese sausage, eggs, bean sprouts, and chives, all tossed in a flavorful sauce. The dish is characterized by its high heat cooking method, which imparts a distinctive "wok hei" flavor, a slightly charred taste from the wok.
Ingredients:
- Flat rice noodles
- Prawns
- Chinese sausage
- Bean sprouts
- Chives
- Eggs
- Dark soy sauce
- Chili paste
Preparation:
1. Heat oil in wok
2. Stir-fry garlic, then prawns and sausage
3. Add noodles and sauces
4. Push aside to cook eggs
5. Mix everything with bean sprouts and chives
Laksa is a spicy noodle dish popular in Southeast Asia. Laksa consists of various types of noodles, most commonly thick rice noodles, with toppings such as chicken, prawns or fish. Most variations of laksa are prepared with a rich and spicy coconut curry soup or a broth seasoned with a souring ingredient like tamarind or asam gelugur. Originating from Peranakan Chinese cuisine,laksa recipes are commonly served in Singapore,Indonesia, and Malaysia.
Ingredients (Lemak version):
- Rice noodles
- Coconut milk
- Laksa paste (lemongrass, galangal, turmeric)
- Prawns
- Fish cakes
- Bean sprouts
- Hard-boiled egg
Preparation:
1. Make broth with laksa paste and coconut milk
2. Poach seafood in broth
3. Blanch noodles and beansprouts
4. Assemble with broth and toppings
Nasi goreng is a significant fried rice dish within Brunei, Malaysian and Singaporean cuisine, known for its versatility and diverse flavor profiles. It is commonly enjoyed at various mealtimes, including breakfast and dinner, and is appreciated for its filling nature and affordability, making it a popular choice among many. Similar to its Indonesian counterparts, nasi goreng in these countries are typically prepared using cooked rice that has been cooled and stir-fried with a small amount of cooking oil or butter.
Ingredients:
- Cooked rice
- Shallots
- Garlic
- Chili
- Sweet soy sauce
- Egg
- Chicken/shrimp
- Cucumber/tomato garnish
Preparation:
1. Fry shallots, garlic and chili
2. Add protein and cook
3. Add rice and sauces
4. Push aside to fry egg
5. Mix everything together
Hainanese chicken rice is a dish of poached chicken and seasoned rice, served with chilli sauce and usually with cucumber garnishes. It was created by immigrants from Hainan in southern China and adapted from the Hainanese dishes of Wenchang chicken and Wenchang chicken rice.
Ingredients:
- Whole chicken
- Chicken fat rice
- Ginger paste
- Chili sauce
- Cucumber garnish
- Chicken broth
Preparation:
1. Poach whole chicken
2. Cook rice with chicken fat and broth
3. Make ginger and chili dipping sauces
4. Serve with sliced chicken and soup
Bak kut teh, literally "meat bone tea" in Hokkien, is a pork rib dish cooked in a broth of herbs and spices, popular in Malaysia and Singapore. It's a hearty, flavorful dish believed to have originated in China, particularly Fujian province, and brought to Southeast Asia by Hokkien immigrants. There are different variations, such as the peppery Teochew and the more herbal Hokkien styles.
Ingredients:
- Pork ribs
- Garlic
- Chinese herbs (star anise, cinnamon, dang gui)
- Soy sauce
- Mushrooms (optional)
- You tiao (fried dough)
Preparation:
1. Blanch pork ribs
2. Boil with garlic and herbs for hours
3. Add seasonings
4. Serve with rice and you tiao
Cendol is a popular Southeast Asian dessert, especially in countries like Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia. It's a refreshing, iced treat featuring green jelly noodles made from rice flour and flavored with pandan, topped with coconut milk and palm sugar syrup. Other common additions include red beans, glutinous rice, or even durian.
Ingredients:
- Coconut milk
- Palm sugar syrup
- Green rice flour jelly
- Shaved ice
- Red beans (optional)
Preparation:
1. Make green jelly strands
2. Prepare palm sugar syrup
3. Layer ingredients in bowl
4. Top with coconut milk
Nasi Briyani is a flavorful rice dish with Indian origins, popular in Malaysia and Singapore. It features fragrant basmati rice cooked with various spices, often including cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon, and is typically served with a side of meat (chicken, mutton, beef, or prawns) and sometimes vegetables. The dish is known for its aromatic flavors and rich taste, with the meat and rice often prepared separately.
Ingredients:
- Black tea leaves
- Condensed milk
- Evaporated milk
Preparation:
1. Brew strong tea
2. Mix with milks
3. "Pull" by pouring between cups to aerate
4. Serve hot or iced
These dishes represent just a fraction of the rich and diverse culinary heritage of Malaysia. Each dish tells a story of the country's history, culture, and the fusion of different culinary traditions.
Whether you're a local or a visitor, exploring Malaysian food is an adventure that tantalizes the taste buds and warms the heart.