Malaysian Cuisine

The history and geography of Malaysia had created cultural diversity in the country that has profound influence on the culinary environment there.

Apart from the contribution of the three major racial groups of Malay, Chinese and Indian living there, the food of Portuguese, Dutch and British which once ruled the country had also impact on the traditional Malaysian cuisine. Furthermore, the culinary scene is enriched by the Peranakans (descendants of Chinese migrants with Malay wives) have their own Nyonya style cooking and the Muslim Indian communities who offered their own specialties. Thus a Malaysian meal is often a fusion of food of different culinary culture.

Malaysian cuisine is indeed a melting pot of east and west culinary expertise. In general, there are five distinct variety of dishes - Malay, Chinese, Indian, Nyonya and Eurasian. The mainstay of most Malaysian meal is rice. At each meal, a generous helping of steamed rice accompanies a selection of dishes, including fish, seafood, vegetables, and poultry. Individual recipes vary widely from state to state. Although the basic ingredients may be the same, but the method of cooking and accompanying dishes changes with each state's own tastes, special produce and tradition.

Malay Dishes

Malay food is mainly rich and spicy arising from the usage of dry and wet spice mixture used to favour the dish. The dry spices are coriander, cummin, aniseed, cloves, cinnamon and cardamom. The wet spices include shallots, ginger, garlic, fresh chillies and fresh turmeric. However, each Malaysian region has its native specialties. For example, the popular Malay Satay, which is actually marinated skewered chicken, pork or beef that is grilled and eaten with peanut dipping sauce, has different favour that varies from state to state of the country.

Malay curries are delicately flavoured with various herbs and leaves, such as lemongrass, galangal, lime leaf coriander leaf and curry leave.

Nasi Lemak, rice cooked in coconut milk and served with anchovies, squid, eggs, cucumber and sambal (chili paste), is a popular Malay food. In the East Coast, nasi dagang, fragrant unpolished glutinous rice steamed with coconut milk and served with tuna fish curry. Nasi kerabu, another rice-based dish native to Kelantan, is served with local herbs and salted fish.

Chinese Dishes

Among the popular styles of cooking are those of the Cantonise, Hokkien, Hainanese, Hakka and Szechuan communities. Generally, Chinese cooking here is a skillfull blend of subtle flavour with local influenced slightly spicier taste. Some of the popular dishes are Char Kway Teow, Hainanese Chicken Rice, Hokkien Mee, and Wonton Mee. The Cantonese dim sum is a favourite among locals and many tourists

Indian Dishes

Indian cuisine can be divided into two mainstreams, Northern and Southern Indian cuisine. North Indian cuisine is rich in meat and uses spices and ingredients such as yogurt and ghee in dishes that are elaborate without being overly spicy. Here, bread and chapati (wheat-flour pancakes) replaces rice, which is the main staple of most South Indian meals. Coconut milk, mustard seeds, and chilies are also widely used in the Southern India.

Spices are the heart and soul of Indian cooking. Cooks carefully chooses their spices to enhance the flavour of the main ingredients. Fresh spices are grounded and added in many different combinations. Spices commonly used are coriander, turmeric, cumin, chilies, fennel, and fenugreek. Fragrant spices such as cardamom, clove, cinnamon and star aniseed are added to enrich the appeal of the food.

Local Malaysians of Indian racial group have created unique versions of local dishes, which are not found in India. For example, "mee goreng" is a combination of fresh Chinese yellow noodles, tofu, bean-sprouts, and dried shrimp paste. "Nasi Kandar", which is basically a combination of Malay and Indian cuisine offers a taste that is more robust.

Tandoori dishes are the most popular main courses in restaurants serving North Indian food. Tandoori chicken is always a favorite, where a whole baby chicken or chicken quarters are roasted in the clay oven for several hours in advance and then finished off on the barbecue.

Nyonya Dishes

Chinese traders started to go to Malaysia in the fifteen Century. Some of them decided to stay there permanently and took Malay wives. The descendants of these Sino-Malay marriages are called Straits Chinese or Peranakan. They developed unique life style of language, food, custom and clothing. In Maalysia, the female Peranakans are called Nyonyas and the men Babas.

The basic ingredients in Nyonya cooking are lemon grass, galangal, coconut milk, glutinous rice flour and pandan leaves. In Malaysia, the style of Nyonya cooking in Penang is different from the practice in Malaka. Nyonya cooking in Penang is influenced somewhat by Thailand because of its proximity to the country. On the other hand, the proximity of Malaka to Indonesia resulted in an Indonesian influence on Nyonya food there. Malaka Nyonyas prepare food that is generally sweeter, richer in coconut milk, and with the addition of more Malay spices like coriander and cumin.

One of the hot Nyonya favorites is otak-otak (fish marinated in spice, then wrapped in banana leaf and grilled). Another great dish is the itik tim (duck with salted vegetables). Nyonya cakes are rich and varied, made from ingredients like sweet potato, glutinous rice, palm sugar, and coconut milk.

Eurasian Dishes

Eurasian food is an exotic blend of East and West. They have spiced up much of their food with both fresh and dried chillies, tarmarind and vinegar. Their curries are adaptation of both the Malay and Indian versions.

Devil Curry and Vindaloo are very popular. Both are cooked in a mix of spices and chillies, and flavoured with vinegar.