Excellent food. Rich in taste and spices. The traditional ingredients in Malay cuisine are coconut milk, lemongrass, garlic, onions, and chilli peppers. Most Malay foods are served with rice. In Malaysia, rice is prepared in different ways to preserve particular tastes. For example, our very own national dish, nasi lemak is rice cooked in coconut milk with spicy sambal, eggs, cucumber and fried anchovies on the side.
The Malays favour savoury and creamy dishes, hence why most of the dishes are cooked with coconut milk. Other famous dishes cooked with coconut milk are curry, gulai, cendol or iced shaved desserts, and rendang.
Malay foods vary according to states in Malaysia, with each state has its signature dish. In Kelantan, the signature dish is nasi kerabu. If you ever made your way to Kelantan, do not miss to try the striking blue colour of nasi kerabu.
The state of Terengganu is well known for nasi dagang, which is a must-try whenever you are in Terengganu. Moving southwards, we have the historical state of Melaka, which is famous for its asam pedas. The spicy and sour dish is to die for and best eaten with rice. You should never leave Melaka without trying out the famous asam pedas.
The people of Negeri Sembilan is known for their high threshold of spiciness. Their signature dish is the gulai daging salai masak lemak cili api. The dish consists of beef cooked with coconut milk and lots of peppers. The spiciness is numbing, but the flavour kicks in, making you craving for more.
Kedah is famous for its creamy and sour taste of asam laksa, whereas, in Pahang, the gulai tempoyak ikan patin is a must-try. Ikan patin or catfish is cooked in coconut milk, tempoyak or fermented durian and lots of chillies.
Types of Malay Food
- Salai masak lemak cili api
This superior dish is cooked with coconut milk. The meat is usually smoked a day before cooked with the coconut milk and lots of chillies. The spiciness from the cili api is extraordinary that you need to have bottles of water next to you.
You can order this dish from Warung Salai Masak Lemak Cii Api
- Cendol
Shaved ice with jelly noodle and creamed with coconut milk. This cold dessert is best eaten during the hot day. No other shaved ice can top this only cendol.
You can order cendol from Cendol Station
- Laksa
Spicy noodle soup cooked in coconut milk. The broth varies according to states. The tasty flavoured broth is perfect with a drop of lime juice.
Laksa can be ordered from Jom Laksa
- Lemak lodeh
Vegetables cooked in coconut milk. If you are a vegan, this dish might be your soulmate. The vegetables become creamy and tasty with the enrichment of coconut milk in this dish.
Lemak lodeh can be ordered from Sajian Hayati.
- Ayam percik
The glorious grilled chicken. This grilled chicken is cooked with a special coconut sauce and sauced with nutted broth. Ayam percik is the famous chicken that can be found in many night market, especially during the Ramadhan.
Ayam percik can be ordered from Aromavillage.
Now, enjoy your Malay food by having them delivered to your door. Visit foodpanda to find out more about cuisines across the world in Malaysia.