Malaysia.Malaysia.Malaysia (:

In my 4 years of being here in Malaysia I have noticed that Malaysians love their food. Whenever I went out with my friends the first thing they would ask me if I was hungry, it seemed that they always were. The first bahasa word I learnt was makan, which proves the importance of food to my friends. Malaysian cuisine is something that should be shared around the world to introduce people’s taste buds to amazing flavours.

There are so many tropical fruits found in Malaysia, some have been grown locally and other have been imported. You can find a wide variety of fruits in supermarkets, village grocer and cold storage, fruits are also sold at night markets and stalls. Some fruits are seasonal, which means you can only get them during certain times of the year, like rambutan and durian. Different people prefer different ways to eat the fruits, for example banana and jack fruit can be fried and made into fritters where as mango and passionfruit are best eaten fresh. Most of the fruits can also either be made into juice or jam.

Nasi lemak is the most common dish, you will get it in all restaurants that sell Malay food. Nasi lemak, means rice cooked in cream. Most people eat Nasi lemak for breakfast, however, it can also be found on the lunch and dinner menu. You can find it at the road side stall in a cone shaped packet, or even at restaurants. Nasi lemak is usually eaten with spicy sambal gravy, fried anchovies, fried groundnuts, topped with fried or boiled egg and slices of cucumber.

Kopitiam is the Hokkein word for 'coffee shop'. In Kopitiam’s you can get locally brewed coffee and the 'kaya' toasted bread. Kaya is the rich, delicious and popular Malaysian 'jam' made of coconut milk, sugar and egg. The kaya mixture is spread over the toasted bread, together with a thick helping of butter or margarine.

Satay is made from bite size pieces of meat marinated in a variety of spices. The marinated meat is then skewered through thin bamboo strips and barbecued over charcoal fire until golden brown. A wide range of meat can be used, like chicken, beef or mutton.The sweetish and juicy 'satay' is normally served with sliced cucumbers, onions, ketupat (compressed rice cake) and a spicy sweet peanut sauce for dipping.

The Roti Canai and Teh Tarik combo is a meal for any hour of the day, and it's usually available at Mamak stalls and restaurants, which can be found almost everywhere in the city. Roti canai is the local Indian bread. It is crispy on the outside and soft in the centre aswell as normally being served with dhal. When at a Mamak stall, you are bound to hear, "Teh tarik satu" (One teh tarik) most of the times. It's that popular among the locals. Teh tarik literally means 'pulled tea'. This is a frothy milk tea which has been pulled from one mug to another to increase the aroma and hasten the cooling process. Malaysians tend to have sweet tooth and 'teh tarik' can be very sweet. A less sweet version can be found, it is called, 'kurang manis' (less sugar).

Banana leaf is made of heaps of rice piled on a banana leaf loaded with different curries, dhal, vegetables, rasam (tamarind soup) and fried papadoms and Indian crispy. Game for Indian dessert? Then try the thick and sweet payasam to complete your lunch.


Once you have tried all the different flavours and spices, you will understand the Malaysian’s love for food. Thanks for reading! :)