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Malay Cuisine
Malaysian cuisine reflects the multicultural aspects of Malaysia. Various ethnic groups in Malaysia have their own dishes, but many dishes in Malaysia are derived from multiple ethnic influences. Food preparation differs from place to place, although many of the foods used are alike. Spices, aromatic herbs and roots are all used in Malaysian cuisine.
INGREDIENTS • Staple foods 1) Rice: A popular dish based on rice in Malaysia is nasi lemak: rice steamed with coconut milk to give it a rich fragrance, and served with fried anchovies, peanuts, sliced cucumber, hard boiled eggs and a spicy chilli paste known as sambal. Of Malay origin, nasi lemak is often called the national dish.
2) Noodles: Noodles are another popular food. Many noodles and others provide a source of carbohydrate besides the ubiquitous serving of rice that accompanies every meal. 3) Bread: Indian style bread such as roti, canai, dhosai and puri are commonly eaten by most Malaysians as part of breakfast. • Meat 1) Poultry: Malaysian poultry is handled according to Halal standards, to conform with the country's dominant and official religion, Islam.
2) Beef: Beef is common in the Malaysian diet. It can be commonly found cooked in curries, stews, roasted, or with noodles. Malays generally eat beef that is halal. 3) Pork: Pork is largely consumed by the non-Muslim community in Malaysia. All Malaysian Malays are Muslim and therefore do not consume pork. 4) Mutton: Mutton generally refers to goat meat rather than sheep. The meat is used in dishes such as goat soup, curries, or stews. It is a popular ingredient in Malaysian Indian food.
Seafood Many types of seafood are consumed in Malaysia, including shrimp or prawn, crab, squid, cuttlefish, clams, cockles, snails, sea cucumber and octopus. In general, members of all ethnic communities enjoy seafood, which is considered halal by Malaysian Muslims. • Vegetables Vegetables are usually available year round as Malaysia does not have four seasons. During the rainy season, sometimes vegetable yield decreases but does not stop altogether. • Fruits Malaysia's climate allows for fruit to be grown all year round. Most tropical fruits are either grown in Malaysia or imported from neighbouring countries. Some notable fruits include: durian (King of the Fruits), rambutan, mangosteen, lychee, mango and longan.
FOOD TYPES Malay cuisine bears many similarities to Indonesian cuisine. It has also been influenced by Chinese, Indian, Thai and many other cultures throughout history, producing a distinct cuisine of their own. Many Malay dishes revolve around a Rempah, which is a spice paste or mix similar to an Indian Masala. • Malay food Malay cuisine includes many dishes such as apam balik, ayam percik, ikan bakar, ikan pari, keropok lekor, nasi lemak, nasi dagang, soto, redang, sayur lodeh, tempoyak, etc.
Malaysian Indian food Malay Indian cuisine of the ethnic Indians in Malaysia is similar to its roots in India, especially South India. Food found in Malaysian Indian cuisine includes banana leaf rice, chapati, idli, naan, paneer, pongal, putu mayam, rasam, sambar, upma, biryani or nasi beriani, etc. • Malaysian Chinese food Malaysian Chinese food is derived from mainland southern Chinese cuisine but has been influenced by local ingredients and dishes from other cultures. Some dishes are bakkwa, char kway teow, curry mee, duck noodle soup, hakka cuisine, kway chap, pao, wonton mee, yau zha gwai, duck roaster, etc.
Desserts • Sarawak Indigenous cuisine Sarawakians tend to have a distinct cuisine from their Peninsula counterparts. Among the cuisine unique to Sarawak are laksa sarawak, umai, linut, selorot, nasik aruk, tomato noodle, tuak, kelupis, murtabak corned beef, suman, etc. Desserts in Malaysia tend to make use of generous amounts of coconut milk. Some common desserts include cendol, ais kacang, bubur cha cha, honeydew sago, pineapple tart, etc. A huge variety of tropical fruits are commonly served as desserts in Malaysia. The most famous is possibly the durian.
