MALAYSIAN FOOD: DIVERSITY AT ITS BEST!

OKTOBER 09, 2010BYLIFESTYLE, TRAVEL0

By: Melissa Lin

Malaysia offers infinite varieties of different cuisines. It is here the gastronomic

adventure begins. Indian curries, Chinese soups and Malay desserts tantalize the taste
buds and ignite the food lover’s imagination. Malaysian people are known for their
passion for food. This love extends beyond the enjoyment of eating a well-cooked
meal. The sharing of a meal with one’s friends and family is symbolic of harmony and
unity.

To sample and taste the infinite varieties of cuisine in Malaysia is to unravel the
story of Malaysian culture and tradition. The appreciation for food in Malaysia extends
beyond enjoying the infinite varieties of food offered by the different cultures that make
up Multi cultural Malaysia.

The passion and attitude many Malaysians have about food is summed up in
the common greeting and question “Have you eaten?”

The Malay Muslim in Malaysia, in the month of Ramadan fast from before dawn
to breaking fast at sunset. This allows them to practice empathy for the less fortunate
and self-discipline. For the Chinese, eating together, with family and friends, creates
the context for peace. The Chinese character for harmony, combines rice and mouth.

Malaysian Chinese Food

Chinese cuisine in Malaysia includes Cantonese, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainanese or
Teochew dishes, offering different provincial styles of cooking. Some popular dishes
include the Hokkien Bak Kut Teh, a herbal broth with pork ribs, the Cantonese Dim
Sum, Hainanese chicken rice, Teochew congee and the Hakka Yong Tau Foo, bean
curd patties stuffed with meat or fish.

The Chinese employ the ancient science and knowledge of the properties of Yin and
Yang in cooking. Some foods, such as Durian, beef, egg or leeks are considered Yang
(Heaty to the body). Yin foods, such as crab, mushroom, shrimp or soya beans are
considered cooling to the body. It is believed that balance of both Yin and Yang foods
when eating contribute to maximum health.

Malaysian Indian Food

Indian Cuisine in Malaysia is defined by the North Indian and South Indian styles of
cooking. North Indian cuisine’s staple foods are breads made from wheat flour,
Chapatis, Paratas and Rotis. These breads are eaten together with aromatic curries
and kurmas (a blend of spices and coconut milk). Grilled meat kebabs, roasted lamb
and chicken are also a feature of North Indian cooking.

South Indian food concentrates on fish, seafood and vegetables cooked in coconut
milk. Staples include breads such as Vadais, Dosais and Idlis as well as rice.

Some Malaysian Indian dishes unique to this land are Roti Telur, (pancake with egg),
Roti Canai, (plain pancake) and Murtabak, (pancake filled with egg and meat).

Malaysian Malay Food

Malay cooking is influenced by Thai cooking, Indonesian food and Chinese cuisine.
Rice and noodles are staples of the Malay diet.

Dishes are created with the use of aromatic herbs and roots, common ones being
chilies, lime and ginger. The pungent shrimp paste,Belacanand coconut milk are also
common ingredients.
Meat, fish or vegetables are often cooked in a base of either coconut milk, hot and fiery
chilies, tamarind, thick black soya sauce or tomato sauce. Some favorite Malay dishes
are Satay, meat skewered on sticks, Grilled stingray, Nasi (rice) Tomato, Nasi Lemak
(rice cooked in coconut milk and served with anchovies and chilie paste).

Other delights
Some other culinary delights of Malaysia include Nonya dishes such Mee Siam and
Assam Laksa, the Eurasian Devilled curry and Sarawakian dish Mee Kolok. The
adventure begins with the tantalizing of taste buds, the ignition of imagination and a
happy stomach.
Hokien Bak Kut curries
Teh Satay
Mee Siam
kurmas

Cantonese Dim grilled meat

Malaysia
Sum Malaysia
kebabs Malaysia
meat skewered
n Chinese nroasted
Indian lamb
n on
Malay
sticks Nyonya
Food
Hainanese
Food
and chicken Food Assam Laksa

chicken rice
Vadais
Grilled stingray
Dosais
Teochew
congee Eurasian
idlis Devilled curry

nasi tomato
Hakka Yong Tau roti telur
Foo

roti canai
Sarawakian
bean curd dish Mee Kolok
nasi lemak
patties stuffed
with meat / fish murtabak