Malaysian Delicacies

Welcome to Malaysia. I bet even before you embarked in your journey to Malaysia, you would have been told much of the wonderful, enchanting and mouth watering food.

Malaysia is a country situated in South East Asia with a rich history. The earliest kingdom being founded by a Javanese price, Malacca was the most important and busy port during the 15th century. Being one major port, it attracted traders from all over including India, China, Holland, Portugal, Arabs and its surrounding kingdoms.

As time passes, other cultures and traditions were assimilated into the Malay culture and therefore, born a new identity of cultures. Malaysia, now is one country which can boast of its multinational, multiethnic, multicultural and multilingual society.

Food in Malaysia is an important aspect of life. Many Malaysians consider themselves as a people who “live to eat” rather than “eat to live”. Eateries can be found in almost every corner of every town in Malaysia ranging from Malay food to even Mexican food.

When you descend upon Kuala Lumpur, the first thing which you must do is to look for the nearest eatery. Make time for that as you will not regret your decision. Skip all the shopping and sight seeing and indulge yourself in the variety of FOOD.

Just some recommendations as to some of the basic food which Malaysians eat.

>> CHAR SIEW RICE

- This dish is a Chinese pork dish which is enjoyed by all except Malays due to religious purposes. Be careful not to offer any of these to any Malay. This pork dish is first seared at a very high temperature and later finished with a coat of sweet sauce. This dish comes with ginger rice and soup. Many Malaysians like this dish as it is economical and is served within the second you order it.
- Recommended place to visit: Hung Kee, Jalan Lok Yew, Pudu
- Recommended price: between RM 4 to RM 5

>> BANANA LEAF RICE

- Banana leaf rice is one of the staple food for Indians which is enjoyed by all races. The uniqueness of this rice is that it is served on a piece of banana leaf. It comes with a choice of 3 vegetables and also a meat dish which can vary from curry chicken to curry fish. For big eaters, this is a money back guarantee as you can go for up to 10 servings and yet pay the same exact price you pay for 1.
- Recommended place to visit: Just around Masjid Jamek
- Recommended price: Vegetarian: RM 3 to RM 4
Non-vegetarian (with a meat dish): RM 8 to RM 10

>> NASI LEMAK

- Almost all school kids can tell you that he had nasi lemak for breakfast before attending school. Nasi lemak is a favourite rice dish for all and it can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner. A typical place to find this dish is by the roadside where hawkers sell this dish wrapped in newspaper and banana leaf. The rice which is used in this dish is not any ordinary rice. The rice is cooked with coconut milk and ginger and has a strong aroma which no one can resist. This rice is served with some dried anchovies, cucumber, peanuts and also a thick “sambal” sauce which is made of chilli. This “sambal” sauce varies as to the way it is prepared. Malay sambal sauce tends to be a bit on the sweeter side while the Indian Muslim (Mamak) sambal brings a spicy flavour. You can also choose from a variety of side dishes of curry chicken, spicy squid, dry curried mutton and more.
- Recommended place to visit: DO NOT EAT THIS AT ANY HOTEL!! THE ROADSIDE ONES ARE MUCH BETTER AND MUCH CHEAPER.
- Recommended price: Plain Nasi Lemak (Hawker stalls): RM 1.50
Plain Nasi Lemak (Restaurants and Hotels): RM 5 and
above
Nasi Lemak with side-dish (Hawker stalls): RM 2 to RM 4

>> BAK KUT TEH

- Bak Kut Teh is originated from the Chinese who settled in Malaysia. It is usually eaten in the morning as breakfast or during rainy days when it is cold. This soup dish consists of meaty pork ribs which is brewed in Chinese herbs and spices. It also comes with tofu (beancurd), mushrooms and also some vegetables. Bak Kut Teh is usually eaten with rice or can be drank alone. Dipping deep fried dough in it is also a norm. For some who prefers chicken rather than pork can opt for the Chi Kut Teh which is made of chicken rather than pork. Seafood Teh can also be found in certain areas. There is also an optional dish to add on when having this dish. “Yao Choi” is boiled vegetables coated with oyster sauce, sesame oil and dried onions.
- Recommended place to visit: Petaling Street
- Recommended price: RM 10 per serving

>> ROTI CANAI

- Economic and filling are some of the features of this dish. Roti canai got its name from the way it is made. It is called “flying bread” as it is tossed and spun in the air before cooking. The ideal roti is flat, fluffy on the inside but crispy and flaky on the outside. Other rotis which can be found by the street sides are roti sardine, roti kaya, roti telur (eggs), roti bawang (onions), roti boom (oily) etc. This dish comes with a special sauce called the “dhal” which is made of chickpeas. You can also ask for a choice of chicken curry or fish curry. Some restaurants serve Indian yoghurt along with this dish. Experience this wonderful innovative dish yourself by stepping into any Indian shop and ask them for any roti you want.
- Recommended place to visit: Any Indian or Mamak restaurant
- Recommended price: RM 0.80 to RM 1.00 for each roti canai.
Roti with fillings (eggs, onions etc): RM 1.50 to RM 3.00

>> SATAYS

- Satays are small chunks of meat on bamboo sticks and grilled over charcoal. This traditional Malay dish is prepared using a variety of meat ranging from chicken to mutton and beef to fish. Satays are always eaten along with its peanut sauce which carries a spicy yet sweet taste. Raw onions and cucumber goes very well with the peanut sauce. Sticky rice called “ketupats” are also served with this dish. The preparations of ketupats is very time consuming as it involves the weaving of coconut leaves into small bags before adding the rice and sealing it. It is then boiled in thick coconut milk and “pandan” leaves. The aroma of the rice along with the sweetness of the meat chunks will make your visit to Malaysia a truly unforgettable experience.
- Recommended place to visit: Satay Kajang (there are many outlets around Kuala
Lumpur which serves this dish)
- Recommended price: RM 0.60 to RM 1.00 per stick

>> YONG TAU FOO

- There are many ethnic groups in the Chinese race. Yong Tau Foo comes from the Hakka origins and is well loved by all. Yong Tau Foo is basically stuffed tofu and vegetables. Vegetables like bitter gourd, eggplant, lady fingers, and even chilly is stuffed with either fish meat or pork and is either deep fried or boiled according to the consumer’s taste. This dish goes well with a type of sweet sauce which is made of yam and other ingredients which is slightly different at different places. Other than that, there is also a type of noodles called the Chee Cheong Fun which is literally translated as Pig’s Intestines Noodles due to it shape which is rolled up like a pig’s intestine. It is a must to try out this dish as the aroma from the sesame seeds and sesame oil is powerful enough to make you asking for more. The soupy version of Yong Tau Foo is healthier as it involves less deep frying and less oil.
- Recommended place to visit: Jalan Ipoh Yong Tau Foo
- Recommended price: RM 0.60 to RM 0.90 per piece

>> CLAYPOT CHICKEN RICE

- This typical Chinese dish is prepared by cooking the rice in a claypot first. After the rice is half done, marinated chicken, Chinese sausages, mushrooms and sometimes salted fish is added to it and left to cook till it’s done. This dish takes around 10 to 15 minutes to cook because it is cooked using the traditional way. Although preparing this dish takes such a long time, it is sure worth the wait. One can almost smell the aroma of this traditional yet innovative dish even at 2 blocks away.
- Recommended place to visit: Petaling Street (Go straight from the entrance of
Petaling Street and turn left. Then walk straight all the way.)
- Recommended price: RM 7 to RM 8 per claypot (one claypot can serve up to 2
person)

>> STEAMBOAT

- Steamboat is very similar to the Japanese shabu shabu and the Korean Jjigae. Ingredients in the Malaysian steamboat comprises of mainly seafood, some vegetables and noodles. Customers have a variety of soup such as curry, porridge, plain etc. to choose from. One of the most important components of this dish is its chilly sauce. A good steamboat will never be perfect without the sauce to enhance the flavour. Rainy days are the ideal days to eat this dish. Crabs are also provided but at a higher price as this is a delicacy among Malaysians.
- Recommended place to visit: HoHo Steamboat, Jalan Ipoh (only opens at night)
- Recommended Price: RM 15 per person

>> DURIANS

- As you walk along the roads, you may find some weird looking trucks with many horny shaped fruits. This is the King of the fruits – the durian. The aroma may be a bit too pungent for many first time foreigners. The only ideology surrounding the durians is “you either like it or hate it after your first try”. The flesh of the durian tastes almost like sweet garlic. Some people prefer the bitter ones which are the upper grade durians and cost more. Prices may vary due to the seasons but due to modern science, we are able to get this fruit almost the whole year round.
- Recommended place to visit: You will know by the smell.
- Recommended price: prices varies by grades.

>> CHINESE HERBAL DRINK

- This is a traditional Chinese drink which is served in almost every Chinese family. There’ll be a different herbal drink for different days which are prepared for various medication purposes. Herbal drink has become a part of the Chinese culture and is prepared with the maxim of “prevention better than cure”. A variety of herbs are used and sometimes, special ingredients such as reptiles, tiger penises and also bear paws are used. Dare to try it?
- Recommended place to visit: Gong Wa Tong, Petaling Street (entrance)
- Recommended price: RM 1.30 per bowl.

>> PICKLES

- Malaysians love to eat pickles. We make pickles from almost everything from onions to papayas. The method of making pickles are almost similar but each type of fruit and vegetable has a different flavour to go with the vinegar.
- Recommended place to visit: Any roadside shop
- Recommended price: n/a

>> Kuih Muih

- Kuih Muih is one unique lifestyle of Malaysians. For only RM 1 for every 3 pieces of fried banana, fried yam, fried fish cakes and many more, this economical yet filling snack is a favourite among all Malaysians. Kuih Muih stalls often sell other types of dessert delicacies such as the Curry Puffs and other Malay Kuih-s. Curry puffs are small deep fried dough made crusts filled with curry potatoes. Kuihs are bite size desserts which is enjoyed by all due to its sweetness.
- Recommended place to visit: Any roadside shop
- Recommended price: RM1 to RM 1.20 for every 3 slices.

>> TEH TARIK

- Teh Tarik is a tea base drink which is mixed with a thick layer of condensed milk. The unique part of this drink is the way this drink is prepared. By holding a cup filled with the tarik on one hand and lifted high above the head, it is then poured into another cup held by the other hand which is placed at waist level. This procedure is repeated to ensure that the condense milk is blended into the tea. This step also makes the temperature of the hot tea come down to a warm drinkable level. Other versions of this drink is the Teh Halia and Teh Masala. The Halia is Teh Tarik with added ginger. This is good for people with weak stomach as it helps digest food. The Masala is a mixture of Teh Tarik with a wide variety of spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, star anise, peppercorn and cloves. This recipe is good for flu and cough.
- Recommended price: RM 1.50 per cup
- Recommended place to visit: Almost every shop serve this drink

>> AIR SIRAP

- Air Sirap is a sugary drink which is mixed with rose syrup. This drink is one of the earliest traditional “soft-drink” before all the commercial soft drinks like Coca Cola and Pepsi.
- Recommended price: RM 0.50 per cup
- Recommended place to visit: Almost every shop serve this drink.

>> AIR BANDUNG

- This drink was recently voted as the national drink of Malaysia. This drink is made of Air Sirap and a thick and generous serving of condensed Milk which makes it sweet.
- Recommended price: RM 1.00 per cup
- Recommended place to visit: Almost every shop serve this drink