Malaysia Cuisines, Discover The Soul of Malaysia

Discover the Soul of Malaysia

Undoubtedly the soul of Malaysia is reflected in its multiracial population of 25 million living together harmoniously amidst a colourful diversity of cultures and lifestyles. Its three major races, the Malays, Chinese and Indians, along with the ethnic traditions of the KadazanDusun, Iband and many more in Sabah and Sarawak make up the delightful multicultural fabric of Malaysia. The potpourri is enriched further with the influence of British, Dutch, and Thais.

o     Asia’a Finest Cuisine
Food is a popular conversational topic in this country and visitors will discover that Malaysians enjoy eating out. Savour a variety of items at different times of the day. Malaysia offers Asia’s best variety of cuisine given the wide array of cooking styles and traditions. Eating out here is a gastronomic adventure ranging from automatic Malay dishes to piping hot Chinese delicacies and spicy Indian fare. The unique Peranakan, also known as Nyonya, cuisine is a fusion of Chinese and Malay styled foods.

Ø Natural, home-grown ingredients figure prominently in Malay food. Coconut, chili, lemon grass, lime leaves, spicea and turmeric are basic ingredients cooked wish fish, meat and vegetables.

Try Malaysia’s signature dish, satay, consisting of skewers of thick, succulent marinated meat barbecued over charcoal fire and served with peanut dip.

Ø The Chinese enjoy rice as a staple served with meat or vegetable dishes but noodles feature prominently in great variety and combination. Indian cooking is one of Malaysia’s distinctive foods with both southern and northern styles available. A popular Indian Muslim dish is nasi kandar. It is a rice meal eaten with chicken, meat or fish in rich, thick gravies and curries.

Ø In Sarawak, rice and meat are placed in hollow bamboo tubes and cooked over a fire while in Sabah pickled dishes are a local specialty.

Ø Popular dishes among locals include roti canai, a light crispy pancake made from wheat flour and cooked on a griddle. Try it with a cup of teh tarik - tea pulled from one mug to another to give it a smoother flavour.

Ø Malaysia has a great variety of refreshing tropical fruits. Some are seasonal while others are available throughout the year. Mangosteen is loved for its sweet, juicy white flesh while the adventurous should try the durian. Controversial for its smell, the locals call it the ‘king of fruits’.

Ø For a truly Malaysian experience dine out in an open-air food court where visitors can enjoy delicious food at affordable prices. Elsewhere, small restaurants televise popular football matches on big screen televisions to pull in the crowd. Kopitiams otherwise known as coffee shops are interesting to dine in. Also look out for vendors selling snacks or drinks on push carts.

Ø The interesting potpourri of local cuisine has been complemented with cosmopolitan influences and Italian, French, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese and Middle Eastern cuisine is available in selected restaurants. Vegetarian restaurants can be found in major cities in the country mainly serving either Chinese or Indian style dishes.

Visitors should be aware that Muslims only consume halal food (permissible by Muslim law) and only dine in restaurants which are certified halal. Pork and alcohol are not consumed by Muslims. Visitors are encouraged to check the local dailies and hotel ‘what’s on guides’ for current listings on the best dining spots around the country.