Southeast Asian food is without a doubt one of the best cuisines in the World. Malaysia’s geographical location and melting pot of culture has made the country a noteworthy stop among the foodie elite.
Nestled comfortably between the financial hub of Singapore and the bustling tourist track of Thailand, Malaysia holds a strong focus on food, culture and family, and the product of this healthy combination is simply mouth-watering.
Salamat Datang! Welcome Home!
Malaysians cook a lot, and their style and enthusiasm while cooking will very rarely falter. Whether it be a home cooked meal, a meal at a small restaurant or a quick dish from a Mamak Stall – the quality of food and flavours found in Malaysian food are authentic, well combined and unbelievably delicious. Malaysians see their food stalls and restaurants as their home, they will welcome you and cook for you as such.
Street Eats
Mamak food stalls and street food stalls are one of the most popular ways to eat in Malaysia, and these little shops line the streets like trees. Leading up to any train, bus, or ferry station you will find quality rice and noodle dishes, sweet and savoury roti and Teh-tarik (Tea) or Kopi-Tarik (Coffee). If a stall has made a name for itself among the area, the Malaysian people will line up in the hot sun, in very long lines to indulge once more. Keep your eyes peeled for these stalls – the longer the line, the better the culinary reward.
Malaysia holds a strong focus on food, culture and family and the product of this healthy combination is simply mouth-watering
Do As We Do
Malaysian people believe that their food is made to be eaten with the hands. It is said that the overall experience and joy of a traditional Malaysian dish can only be achieved through the fingers. Most Malaysian dishes will come with a pancake-like bread that can be used to scoop up the delicious food. A water-pitcher will also always be supplied for before and after meal cleaning. Give it a try!
What A Dish
There are plenty of Malaysian dishes that will simply blow your mind and you can pretty much count on all dishes to be full of either chili paste, coconut milk, curry, lemon grass or dried fish – all of the good stuff! Local favourites to look out for are Nasi Lemak – coconut rice, a sambal of meat, peanuts, cucumber and ayam rendang; all varieties of Satay; spiced whole fish; slow-cooked beef rendang; Rojak – a salad of ever-changing variations usually found at a mamak stall, and of course, the Malaysian-style roti – this local favourite has a number of varieties – you will find roti telur (filled with egg), roti canai (similar to Indian flatbread), or roti pisang (filled with banana).
Guess That Flavour
When eating with the locals in Malaysia, try and have a guess at the origin of your meal. Due to the nature of Malaysian history, the country has three major cultural influences. Traditional Malay meals are often derived from either India, China or Indonesia – although almost all will come with that hearty sprinkling of Malaysian-style crushed peanuts.
Malaysia is a foodie hotspot with meals being plentiful, tasty, cheap and easily available throughout the entire country. Treat your tastebuds to Southeast Asian flavour sensations like no other with a visit to food heaven – Malaysia! TripADeal travels to Malaysia here.
