Topic 3: Malaysian culture (Food, Language, Currencies and Customs)

3.1 Malaysian cultural food.

The Malaysian food is principally influenced by Thai, Chinese, Indonesian and Indian cuisine. As a rustic
that brings together many various cultures, the food is very varied. Malaysian flavor are unique
combination of sweet, sour, rich and spicy, combined during a way unlike the other country’s cuisine.

Malaysian cultural foods are:

 Nasi Lemak :

Probably the foremost well-known (and well-loved) Malaysian dish is Nasi Lemak. The unofficial national
dish is what many Malaysians choose for breakfast, but it’s so popular that you’ll find it being served in
any respect times of the day. . 

Nasi lemak always starts with a little of coconut rice served with a side of sambal – the spicy condiment
that comes with most dishes in Malaysia. But beyond that, the range of sides accompanying Nasi lemak
are endless and can differ counting on the seller or region. A number of the more usual sides are
peanuts, cucumber, fried anchovies, a boiled egg, and vegetables. But you may find yours comes with a
scoop of meat curry, spicy shrimp, dried fish, a chicken drumstick, or a dish. You never know, which is an
element of the charm of Nasi lemak.

 Beef Rendang :
Beef Rendang has repeatedly won the title of World’s Most Delicious Food, and that’s a reward we’re
willing to accept as true with.

Often mistaken for a curry, Beef Rendang is truly a slow-cooked stew that takes hours to form correctly.
First, the meat (usually beef, but chicken or lamb also can be used) is added to a mix of coconut milk and
spices, including ginger, galangal, chili, turmeric, and lemongrass. This is often then left to cook for
several hours until the meat has absorbed most the juice. The tender, flavor-filled meat is then served
with rice. 

The dish came from the Sumatra region of Indonesia and was originally prepared in times of celebration.
But now that Malaysia has claimed it as its own, it’s widely available across the country and could be a
must-try while on your travels.

 Laksa :
A simple-looking bowl of noodle soup with a taste so complex that the primary spoonful often leaves you
speechless. The depth of flavor and richness that chefs manage to infuse these broths with is astounding,
and Laksa is perhaps one amongst our favorite things to dine in Malaysia.

The most challenging thing is deciding which one to travel for. First, there’s Assam Laksa, made popular
within the foodie capital that’s Penang. This one is flavored with tamarind, dried mackerel, and shrimp
paste to make a pointy, tangy, almost sour, seafood stew. It also has hints of lemongrass, ginger, and
chili. Or there’s Curry Laksa, for those that prefer creamier, thicker soups. It’s many of the identical
spices, but rather than the tamarind juice and fish pastes, you’ll find milk and fresh coriander. Both, of
course, contain the flat, wide rice noodles that are so fun to slurp, and both are equally rich in flavor and
depth.

 Murtabak :

Murtabak could be a local version of stuffed omelet pancakes which will be eaten all day long.  This
pancake, which was originally an Indian Muslim cuisine, is full of minced meat, onions and spicy sauces
before being pan-fried until golden brown.

Murtabak is eaten as a meal, but fairly often it’s taken as a snack because it’s essentially a street food
that’s easy to eat the go. The dish is often found in Southeast Asia, Asian nation, Indonesia, Malaysia,
and Singapore because it’s a dish that was dropped at these regions by early Indian Muslim settlers.

 Char Kway Teow :

Char Kway Teow is another dish of Chinese origins, but it’s become so popular in Malaysia that it’s
generally assumed to possess originated there. 

Wide flat rice noodles are stirfried in dark soy and lard, with bean sprouts, spring onions, prawns, and
Chinese sausage. As is usually the case within the food culture in Malaysia, ingredients is added freely
without changing the essential nature of the dish. Sometimes it will include egg, crab, small cockles, or
other meat, but what must not change is that the cooking method. Char Kway Teow should be cooked
properly during a wide wok at high heat to relinquish the noodles the signature smokey flavor that
characterizes this dish. 

 Popiah :

Popiah is additionally a Hokkien term and it translates to “thin crepe”, which is that the main ingredient
that’s wont to wrap this Chinese snack. It’s basically a Chinese crepe roll that’s full of shredded turnip,
bean sprouts, eggs, shallots, and meat, flavored with shrimp paste, a mixture of local sauces and chili
paste.
The taste of Popiah may be a blend of sweet and savory. Combined with the nice amount of turnip within
the roll, the snack becomes both refreshing and flavourful at the identical time. At times, people will eat
this as a meal because the ingredients are so healthy and lightweight.

 Bak Kut Teh :

Another slow-cooked wonder, now of Chinese influence, is Bak Kut Teh, literally a ‘meat bone tea’ or
stew. Usually made with pork ribs which are left to cook for hours in an exceedingly broth flavored with
herbs like ginseng, and star anise, with lots of garlic, soy sauce, shitake mushrooms, and tofu. This hearty
broth is alleged to own health benefits, and a few households may add additional medicinal herbs to the
stew. 
A popular breakfast dish in Chinese-Malay households, Bak Kut Teh is commonly enjoyed the morning
after it absolutely was made, the broth having developed even more flavor overnight. 

 Satay :

It might seem a touch silly to be including the easy satay on our list, but they’re hugely popular in
Malaysia. You won’t be able to go through a marketplace without smelling the delicious scent of charcoal-
cooked meat.

You’ll find many stalls selling skewers of beef, chicken, lamb, pork, or seafood, all wonderfully marinated
before being cooked to a T. Take only one persist with enjoy as a snack while you wander. Or sit down
and luxuriate in several as a meal with some of rice, chunks of cucumber, and many of the signature
satay sauce that creats this dish complete. 

 Roti :

Another fantastic dish available in every market is that the Indian-inspired Roti Canai. A dough of ghee,
flour, and water, is fried to make a lightweight crispy flatbread with a fluffy inside. It’s simple but tasty and
might be eaten alone or dipped into delicious curry, gravy, or spicy sauce. Some enjoy Roti Canai dipped
into unrefined sugar and eaten as a sweet breakfast.

 Cendol :

This fun dessert could be a riot of colours, textures, and weird flavors, perfect for anyone desirous to
experiment. Cendol comes in various forms but is largely a bowl or glass of shaved ice, coconut milk,
palm sirup, and strands of grass green jelly made up of rice flour. 

A variety of other toppings will be added, reckoning on how adventurous you’re feeling. These can include
other jellies, chopped fruit, sweet corn, sweetened red beans, and mashed durian. 

 Durian :

We can’t actually discuss the food culture of Malaysia without mentioning durian, the love-it-or-hate-it fruit
that divides opinion all everywhere Asia. These huge spiky green balls appear as if medieval weapons,
but it’s the smell that individuals remember. Durian fruit features a potent aroma that has been likened to
several things, including old socks, bins, and rotting meat. This pungent smell is so widely disliked that
the fruit is banned from conveyance in many Asian countries.

However, despite its stinky aroma, many folks love durian because inside the spiky green shell are thick
strips of straw flesh that melt within the mouth with a custardy texture and a taste unlike the other fruit.
Again many of us hate the taste, but people who am fond of it really like it, and you’ll find durian products
available everywhere Malaysia. 

 Pisang Goreng :
Pisang Goreng may be a local fried banana fritter snack that has survived the test of times. This can be a
snack that a lot of Malaysians grew up with, and nowdays, it’s still one in all the local favorite food from
Malaysia.

It is crispy on the surface and gaga the within. Pisang Goreng is on the market in many street stalls and
eateries. Try it as a snack or eat it as a dessert after a meal.

3.2 Malaysian cultural language :

Malay : The indigenous languages of Malaysia belong to the Mon-Khmer and Malayo-

Polynesian families. The national, or official, language is Malay which is that the natural language of the
majority Malay group. The most ethnic groups within Malaysia are the Malays, Chinese and Indians, with
many other ethnic groups represented in smaller numbers, each with its own languages. The most
important native languages spoken in East Malaysia are the Iban, Dusunic,
and Kadazan languages. English is widely understood and spoken in comission industries and may be a
compulsory subject in primary and secondary school. It’s also the important language spoken in most
private colleges and universities. English may take precedence over Malay in certain official contexts as
provided for by the National Language Act, especially within the states of Sabah and Sarawak, where it’s
going to be the official working language.

Malaysia contains speakers of 137 living languages,41 of which are found in Peninsular Malaysia. The
govt provides schooling at the primary level in each of the three major languages, Malay, Mandarin and
Tamil. Within Malay and Tamil there are variety of dialectal differences .There are variety of Chinese
languages native to the ethnic Chinese who originated from southern China, which include Yue, Min and
Hakka Chinese.

3.3 Currencies

Malaysian Ringgit : The word ringgit is an obsolete term for "jagged" within the Malay language. The
word was originally wont to sit down with the serrated edges of silver Spanish dollars. Spanish coins
circulated widely in south-east Asian area from the 16th and 17th centuries, as Spain controlled
the Philippines as a part of the Spanish colonial empire. The Portuguese also had influence within the
region, because of their control of Portuguese Malacca and because of the Iberian Union of Spain and
Portugal. In modern usage ringgit is employed almost solely for the currency. Thanks to the common
heritage of the three modern currencies, the Singapore dollar and therefore the Brunei dollar are
called ringgit in Malay (currencies like the US and Australian dollars are translated as dolar), although
nowadays the Singapore dollar is more commonly called dolar in Malay.To differentiate between the three
currencies, the Malaysian currency is referred to as Ringgit Malaysia, hence the official abbreviation and
currency symbol RM. Internationally, the ISO 4217 currency code for Malaysian ringgit is MYR.
The Malay names ringgit and sen were officially adopted because the sole official names in August 1975.
Previously they’d been known officially as dollars and cents in English and ringgit and sen in Malay, and
in some parts of the country this usage continues. Within the northern states of Peninsular Malaysia,
denominations of 10 sen are called kupang in Malay and called pua̍t (鏺/鈸) in Penang Hokkien which is
believed to be derived from the Thai word baht. e.g. 50 sen is lima kupang in Malay or 'samah' in Malay
Kelantan dialect and gōo-pua̍t (五鏺/鈸) in Hokkien. The Tamil speaking communities
in Malaysia use veḷḷi (வெள்ளி) meaning "silver" in Tamil to visit ringgit, while for sen, the word kācu (காசு)
is employed, from which the English word "cash" springs.
 Etiquette and Customs in Malaysia
3.4 Customs

Meeting and Greeting

Greetings in an exceedingly social context will rely upon the ethnicity of the person you’re meeting. In general, most
Malays are conscious of Western ways that the handshake is normal. There could also be slight differences though
and some things to bear in mind include:
Malay women might not shake hands with men. Women can in fact shake hands with women. Men can also not
shake hands with women and should bow instead while placing their hand on their heart.
The Chinese handshake is light and should be rather prolonged. Men and ladies may recognize, although the woman
must extend her hand first. Many older Chinese lower their eyes during the greeting as a indication of respect.
Indians greet hands with members of the identical sex. When being introduced to someone of the other sex, nodding
the pinnacle and smiling is typically sufficient.
Among all cultures, there’s a general tendency to introduce:

 the foremost adult to the lower ranking person.

 the older person to the younger person.
 women to men.