Malaysia's Favorite Dishes

Malay food are very unique. It has a very strong, spicy, aromatic, combining the rich taste of many herbs and spices. Malaysia being a multi-culture so together with Chinese and Indian food, it continues to attract visitors from outside of the country. Malaysians love having gathering event so it is a common thing to see all variety type of food such as beef rending or ayam masak marah. Fun fact is that all this food is eaten by hand, not implements are needed. 

1. Nasi Lemak

Nasi Lemak is known as Malaysia’s national dish and the public’s all-time favourite. It is rice soaked in coconut milk, served with a type of spice known as ‘sambal’, fried crispy anchovies, toasted peanuts and cucumber. It is wrapped with pandan leaves to a give the nasi lemak a very fragrant taste. It is a MUST EAT in Malaysia. It is usually eaten during breakfast but don’t think that it’s uncommon to have it for lunch or dinner either. 

2. Rendang

A slow-cooked dry curry deeply spiced with ginger and turmeric, kaffir lime and chilis is ONE of Malaysia’s most favourite dish cooked with chicken. It fuses sweet, sour and savoury elements. The curry has that creamy richness from two forms of coconut and elusive tang from asam keeping slices of a sour sun-dried fruit. The difference in this curry is that it is slowly simmered to let the meat absorb the spices until the rosy liquid completely evaporates.

3. Banana Leaf

This dish is one of the great south Indian cuisine commonly served on a daily basis. It is white rice served on a banana leaf with an assortment of vegetables, chicken/meat/fish curry, pickles and papadum which is a type of flat crisp. 

4. Asam Laksa

It is a type of noodle soup, cooked with a flaky white fish, noodles at the botto, topped with cucumber and pineapple with a touch of bitter torch ginger flower placed. 

5. Satay

It’s basically like shish kebab but this is a meat skewer grilled over a wood/charcoal fire. It is served with a spicy peanut sauce dip or peanut gravy, side with slivers of onions and cucumber. So it’s a balanced of carbo, protein, fats and vegetables and it taste ever so delightful.

6. Roti Canai

It is one of the most common breakfast dish to have also eaten in the midnight with friends. It has a bit of Indian influences. It is basically a type of flatbread that has savoury and sweet variations. This is usually eaten with dhal (lentil curry) or other type of curries but sometimes depending on the person’s taste it can be dipped in condensed mild or sugar. 

7. Char Kuey Teow

This is made with flat rice noodles, one of Southeast Asia’s most popular noodle dishes. It is cooked with dark and light soy sauce, chili, de-shelled cockles, any type of vegetables and sometime mixed in with eggs or prawns. Char Kuey Teow is usually a late-night snack. It is better to have it fried over charcoal fires rather than over gas. 

8. Murtabak

This dish is a type of stuffed pancake that originates from Saudi Arabia and India. Usually sold in ‘pasar malam’ almost like a black market but for food. In Arabic, ‘Murtabak’ means ‘folded’ hence it’s a folded pancake. It is stuffd with minced meat/chicken/mutton companied with onions, eggs and garlics served with light curry.

9. Rojak

Rojak is a very unique dish which defines a mixture or a blend or something. In this case rojak is a spicy salad consisting of mixed tropical fruits and vegetables. The typical ingredients are cucumbers, jicma, pineapple, rose apple, bean curds, apple, mango and many more. Other variations may include cuttlefish, fried tofu, cruller and crispy fritters. 

10. Mee Goreng Mamak

This Indian Muslim dish is basically yellow noodles with beef/chicken/shrimp cooked with soy sauce, veggies and eggs. A bit of chilli tossed in for an irresistible jolt. Mamak is basically a very common restaurant found almost everywhere serving all Malaysia’s favourite food.