See also: List of Malaysian dishes
Street food a cook preparing murtabak at a mamak stall

Malaysian cuisine consists of cooking traditions and practices found in Malaysia, and
reflects the multiethnic makeup of its population.[1] The vast majority of Malaysia's
population can roughly be divided among three major ethnic groups: Malays, Chinese and
Indians. The remainder consists of the indigenous peoples of Sabah and Sarawak in East
Malaysia, the Orang Asli of Peninsular Malaysia, the Peranakan and Eurasian creole
communities, as well as a significant number of foreign workers and expatriates.
As a result of historical migrations, colonisation by foreign powers, and its geographical
position within its wider home region, Malaysia's culinary style in the present day is
primarily a melange of traditions from its Malay, Chinese, Indian, Indonesian and ethnic
Bornean citizens, with heavy to light influences from Thai, Portuguese, Dutch, and British
cuisines, to name a few. This resulted in a symphony of flavours, making Malaysian cuisine
highly complex and diverse.
Because Peninsular Malaysia shares a common history with Singapore, it is common to find
versions of the same dish across both sides of the border regardless of place of origin, such as
laksa and chicken rice. Also because of their proximity, historic migrations and close ethnic
and cultural kinship, Malaysia shares culinary ties with Indonesia,[2] as both nations often
share certain dishes, such as satay, rendang and sambal.
Contents
1 Food and ingredients

o 1.1 Pantry essentials
o 1.2 Rice
1.2.1 Nasi lemak
1.2.2 Congee
o 1.3 Noodles
o 1.4 Bread
o 1.5 Meat
o 1.6 Vegetables
o 1.7 Fruit
2 Kuih
3 Structure of meals
4 Food establishments
5 Cuisines of Malaysia
o 5.1 Malay cuisine
5.1.1 Javanese-influenced cuisine
o 5.2 Malaysian Chinese cuisine

o 5.3 Malaysian Indian cuisine
o 5.4 East Malaysia
5.4.1 Sabahan food
5.4.2 Sarawakian food
o 5.5 Cross-cultural adaptations and mixing cultures
5.5.1 Nyonya food
5.5.2 Eurasian food
6 Desserts and sweets
7 Vegetarianism in Malaysia
8 See also
9 References
10 External links
Food and ingredients

Pantry essentials
This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding
citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
(October 2015) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
Sambal belacan, made with mixed toasted belachan, ground chili, kaffir leaves, sugar and
water
Chilli peppers are indispensable to Malaysian kitchens, and both fresh and dried chilies are
used. Chillies come in several sizes, shapes and even colours. As a general rule, two type of
chilli cultivars are the most commonly available: the bird's eye chili (cili padi), although
small in size are extremely pungent and very hot, and longer varieties which tend to be a lot
milder. Green chillies are more peppery in taste while red chillies, green chillies which have
been left to ripen, have a slightly sweeter heat. If a milder flavour is preferred, the seeds and
membranes would be removed from the chili pods before it is cut, or the chillies would be left
whole and removed prior to serving. Some common uses include but are not limited to
grinding the chillies into a paste or sambal, chopping fresh chillies as a condiment or garnish,
and pickling whole or cut chillies.
Belacan is essential to Malaysian cooking. It is a type of shrimp paste which is pressed into a
block and sun-dried. In its raw form it has a very pungent, and some would say awful, smell.
Once cooked however, the shrimp paste's aroma and flavour mellows out and contributes an
inimitable depth of flavour to any dish. To prepare belacan for use, a typical method involves
wrapping a small amount of the shrimp paste block in foil, which is then roasted over a flame
or placed into a pre-heated oven. Belacan is most commonly pounded or blended with local
chilli peppers, shallots and lime juice to make the most popular and ubiquitous relish in
Malaysia, sambal belacan. Belacan is also crumbled into a ground spice paste called rempah,
which will usually include garlic, ginger, onions or shallots, and fresh or dried chilli peppers.
A rempah paste is similar in form and function to an Indian wet masala paste or Thai curry
paste, and is often browned and caramelised (Malay: tumis) to mellow the raw flavours of its
component ingredients and produce a harmonised finish.
The coconut (Malay: kelapa) is another quintessential feature of Malaysian cuisine, and
virtually all parts of the plant are used for culinary purposes. The white fleshy part of the
coconut endosperm is grated, shredded and used as it is; dried to make desiccated coconut; or
toasted until dark brown and ground to make kerisik. Grated coconut flesh is also squeezed to
obtain coconut milk, which is used extensively in savoury dishes and desserts throughout the
country. Coconut oil is used for cooking and cosmetic purposes, and may be obtained either
from processing copra (dried coconut flesh) or extracted from fresh coconuts as virgin
coconut oil. Coconut water, the clear liquid found inside the cavity of each coconut, is a
popular cooler in Malaysia's hot and humid climate. Gula melaka is unrefined palm sugar
produced from the sap of the coconut flower. It is the most traditional sweetener in Malaysian
cooking and imbues a rich caramel-like flavour with a hint of coconut. Coconut fronds are
traditionally used to wrap food, hollowed out coconut husks and shells may be used as a
source of charcoal fuel for barbecued meats and traditional pastry making, and even the
apical bud or growing tip of the coconut palm is a popular delicacy served in rural
communities and specialist restaurants.
Soy sauce is another important ingredient. Different varieties are used: light soy sauce
contributes its pleasantly salty flavour to a variety of stir-fries, marinades and steamed dishes.
In some hawker establishments, freshly sliced or pickled chillies arrive immersed in light soy
sauce to be used for dipping. Dark soy sauce is thicker in consistency, more intense in flavour
and less salty. It is often used when a heartier flavour is desired, particularly with masak
kicap (a style of braising with a blend of soy sauce varieties as the primary seasoning) dishes,
and also to provide a darker shade of colour to a dish. Kicap manis, Sweetened soy sauce
sometimes flavoured with star anise or garlic, is also a popular seasoning for cooking. The
sweet and savoury taste of kicap manis also functions as a substitute to approximate the
combination of dark soy sauce and thick caramel sauce, which is primarily used to colour and
season stewed dishes.
Common herbs include lemongrass (Malay: serai), a type of grass with a lemony aroma and
flavour. Young, fresh stems are more desirable as older stems tend to acquire a woody
texture: the tender white part closest to the base of the stem is thinly sliced and eaten raw in
salads, or pounded with other aromatics to make a rempah. It is also used whole in boiled and
simmered dishes. The pandan (screwpine) leaf is the Asian equivalent of vanilla in Western
cuisine. The subtle aroma is released when the leaves are bruised by tying one or two long
leaves into a knot, and used for cooking curries, rice and desserts. The leaves can also be used
to wrap items like rice, chicken or fish for cooking. Pandan leaf is also available in liquid
essence or powdered form to flavour and colour cakes. Turmeric (Malay: kunyit) is a rhizome
popular for its flavour as well as colouring properties. The leaves and flowers of the turmeric
plant are also used in cooking or eaten raw.
Tofu products, specifically fried tofu, are widely used as cooking ingredients and as side
accompaniments. While fried tofu can be bland in flavour on their own, its main contribution
is texture and especially with tofu puffs, the ability to soak up the flavour of whatever they
are cooked in. Fried tofu products are found as a versatile component ingredient for dishes
like stir fried noodles, rojak (fruit and vegetable salad), noodle soups, and stews. A popular
way of serving fried tofu on its own is a salad with bean sprouts, shredded cucumber and
spring onions, covered in a thick sweet and spicy dressing and dusted with roasted ground
peanuts. Fried tofu may also be stuffed with a mixture of ground meat or shredded
vegetables.
Dried seafood products contribute a savoury depth of flavour to some Malaysian dishes.
Small dried anchovies, known as ikan bilis, are very popular. It acquires a very crispy texture
when deep-fried, and is served as an accompaniments or prepared as a sambal relish in this
capacity. Ikan bilis is also boiled to make fish stock; in fact, instant ikan bilis stock granules
are a popular seasoning in modern kitchens. Dried shrimp and salted dried fish are also used
in various ways.
Other essential seasoning and garnishes include tamarind (Malay: asam jawa), specifically
the paste-like pulp extracted from the fruit pod which contributes a tart flavour to many
dishes. Candlenuts (Malay: buah keras) are similar in appearance to macadamia nuts, being
round, cream coloured and have a high oil content. Candlenuts are normally ground to
thicken sauces. Lup cheong is a type of dried Chinese sausage made from pork meat and
spices. Mainly used by the Malaysian Chinese community, these sweet sausages are usually
sliced very thinly and added for additional flavour and texture. Recent studied have shown
that there are 62 commonly consumed Malaysian foods that include biogenic amines.
Rice
Nasi lemak as served in a Malaysian restaurant in Sydney, Australia

Rice (Malay: nasi) was and still is the most important staple food in Malaysia. According to
Indonesian-born food and cookery writer Sri Owen, there is some evidence for rice
cultivation found in the state of Sarawak in Malaysian Borneo dated 2300 BC, and about 900
years of history for the state of Kelantan in West Malaysia. Today Malaysia produces about
seventy percent of the amount of rice it needs to support itself, and the rest is imported.[3] This
is a matter of policy as the government believes that national resources can be used more
profitably instead of attempting to achieve self-sufficiency with rice production; the prevalent
attitude is that revenue generated from its industries enables the country to import up to half
the rice it needs.[4] Nevertheless, the government is fully committed and involved in planning,
allocating resources and managing subsidies for the rice farming industry. The state of Kedah
is considered the "rice bowl"[5][6] (Malay: jelapang padi) of the country, accounting for about
half of Malaysia's total production of rice.
Plain steamed white rice, to be served with side dishes of meat or vegetables, is typically
prepared with an electric rice cooker at home. Some households and food establishments
prefer to cook rice on a stove top with the absorption method or the rapid-boil method.
Compressed rice, called nasi himpit, is another method of preparing and cooking rice: the rice
is wrapped with fronds or leaves and compressed into the form of a cylinder, which is then
cooked by boiling. The rice would compress and merge during the cooking process.
Compressed rice is usually eaten cold with some sort of gravy, although it may be served
warm in a broth or soup. A notable variant of compressed rice prepared by the Bugis
community is burasak: rice is precooked with coconut milk before it is wrapped in banana
leaves and steamed until fully cooked.
Besides the ubiquitous white rice, there are different types of locally grown and imported rice
available in the market, and each type has a specific cooking method to bring out optimal
results.[7] Glutinous rice (Malay: pulut) is one example: because of its low amylose and high
amylopectin content which results in a sticky texture after cooking, glutinous rice is prepared
with different measurements and techniques and is not a suitable substitute for normal rice or
vice versa. It is typically used for making snacks and desserts, but glutinous rice is also
prepared as a savoury staple by indigenous peoples like the Orang Asli as well as the Dayak
people of Borneo. Lemang is glutinous rice roasted in a hollowed bamboo tube, and is
prepared for festive occasions like Ari Gawai, Hari Raya Aidilfitri, and Hari Raya Aidiladha.
[citation needed]
Nasi lemak
A popular dish based on rice in Malaysia is nasi lemak, rice steamed with coconut milk and
pandan leaves to give it a rich fragrance. Of Malay origin, nasi lemak is frequently referred to
as the national dish.[8] It is customarily served with ikan bilis, peanuts, sliced cucumber, hard
boiled eggs and sambal. Although it is often considered a breakfast dish, because of the
versatility of nasi lemak in being able to be served in a variety of ways, it is commonly eaten
at any time of the day. For a more substantial meal, nasi lemak may be served with fried
chicken, curries, or a spicy meat stew called rendang.
Congee
Congee is a type of rice porridge or gruel popular among Malaysia's ethnic communities. It is
eaten primarily as a breakfast food or late supper. It is also considered particularly suitable for
the sick as a mild, easily digestible food.[9] Congee is called bubur in Malay; written in
Chinese, pronounced as zhou in Mandarin Chinese and juk in Cantonese; and kanji () in
Tamil. It may be served plain with little embellishment, or cooked with ingredients like fish
slices, seafood, chicken, beef, pork, vegetables, and even spices. The importance and
popularity of congee in the Malaysian diet is such that bubur ayam or chicken congee is a
permanent fixture on the menu of Malaysian McDonald's restaurants.[10]
Noodles
(December 2015) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
Noodles are another popular staple, particularly in Malaysian Chinese cuisine, but used by
other groups as well. Noodles such as bi hoon (, Hokkien: b-hn, Malay: bihun; rice
vermicelli), kuay teow (, Hokkien: ke-tiu) or ho fun (, Cantonese: ho4 fan2; flat
rice noodles), mee ( or , Hokkien: m, Malay: mi; yellow noodles), mee suah ( or
, Hokkien: m-sa; wheat vermicelli), yee meen ( or , Cantonese: ji1 min6;
golden wheat noodles), dongfen(, Hokkien: tang-hn, Cantonese: dung1 fan2;
cellophane noodles), Lao Shu Fen (, Cantonese: lou5 syu2 fan2; silver needle
noodles), and others provide an alternative source of carbohydrate to a serving of rice that
accompanies every meal. Stir-fried noodle dishes (Malay: mee goreng) are ubiquitous
throughout Malaysia's cities, towns and villages, with numerous localized variants prepared
by various ethnic communities according to their culinary traditions and preferences.
Bread
Roti canai
Malaysia does not produce wheat, and all supplies are imported from wheat-producing
countries. Nevertheless, Western style white bread and Indian breads made with wheat flour
like roti canai are fairly common foods in the modern Malaysian diet today. A very typical
way of serving white bread in Malaysia is having it toasted and spread with kaya, a sweet
spread made from a base of coconut milk, eggs and sugar. Reflecting the British colonial
influence in Malaysia, kaya toast or roti bakar is a popular breakfast staple and afternoon tea
snack. It is typically paired with a cup of local brewed coffee or tea, and soft-boiled eggs to
be seasoned to taste by the diner with soy sauce & ground white pepper. Roti kahwin is a
variation where butter is sandwiched along with a layer of kaya between slices of untoasted
white bread.
Traditional wheat-based pleated steamed bao or pao (Chinese : ) is a Chinese staple which
has become tightly woven into Malaysias gastronomic fabric. Pao are found in restaurants
doing brunch dim sum trade, as well as specialist Chinese kopitiam. Sweet fillings may
include tausa, lotus seed paste, kaya, pandan, ground peanuts, and custard; savoury fillings
may consist of delicious stewed char siu (Chinese : ), chicken or pork. Malay versions
(pau) may be found in night markets (pasar malam) and they are always halal, with fillings
of curried potato, chicken or beef. Some variants have a quail egg in the middle in addition to
the curry.
Oven-baked bread buns are also available in specialist bakeries, kopitiam, and restaurants.
One local speciality in particular - a bun with a buttery core and topped with a crispy and
fragrant coffee pastry crust - has achieved iconic status in Malaysia, and franchises like
Rotiboy and Pappa Roti which specialise in these coffee buns have successfully expanded
abroad to multiple nations and spawned hundreds of outlets. However, the popular buns that
remain a favourite among Malaysians are the buns that are filled with a deliciously sweet
shredded coconut filling, kaya (coconut jam), pandan kaya (screwpine with coconut jam),
sweet corn, chocolate, red bean paste and butter buns.
Meat
Tanks of fresh seafood at a seafood restaurant in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia

Malaysian poultry is handled according to Halal standards, to conform with the country's
dominant and official religion, Islam.[11] Imported poultry is available at major hypermarkets,
supermarkets and speciality stores especially in affluent areas where a significant expatriate
community can be found.
Fish, both freshwater and sea, features prominently in the Malaysian diet. Most local fish is
purchased soon after it is caught, while frozen fish is generally imported. Such fish, namely
salmon and cod, are well received on the Malaysian table but are not found in Malaysian
waters.[citation needed]
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 (and indeed all
other Muslims), though some species of crabs are not considered Halal as they can live on
both land and sea. Sea cucumbers are considered halal.[citation needed]
Beef is common in the Malaysian diet, though it is notable that the consumption of beef is
proscribed by some followers of Hinduism and certain Chinese folk religious sects. Beef can
be commonly found cooked in curries, stews, roasted, or eaten with noodles. Malays
generally eat beef that is halal. Australian fresh beef which is prepared under supervision of
the Government Supervised Muslim Slaughter System (AGSMS) is imported into Malaysia
and that beef is halal.[12]
Malaysian Malays, who form about half of Malaysia's population, are Muslim and therefore
do not consume pork since Islam forbids it. This does not prohibit others from producing and
consuming pork products, and thus pork can be found in wet markets, supermarkets and
hypermarkets, usually displayed with a non-halal disclaimer. Pork is consumed by
communities the Chinese, the Iban, the Kadazan, the Orang Asli, and expatriates.[citation needed]
In Malaysia, the term "mutton" refers to goat meat; lamb, or the meat of a young sheep, is
always imported from countries like Australia and New Zealand. In the past mutton was
primarily associated with the cooking of the Malaysian Indian community, and was not as
widely eaten due to health concerns as well as its perceived gamey flavour. Today, dishes like
whole spit roast of mutton, mutton briyani and mutton soup are now a common sight at
banquets and events. Today, the demand for mutton during the fasting month and Hari Raya
period has now far exceeded that for Deepavali and Christmas combined.[13]
Vegetables
Kangkung belacan
Locally grown vegetable produce is available year round as Malaysia is a tropical country
and does not have four seasons. During rainy seasons, vegetable yields may decrease (which
may result in an increase on market price), but rarely if ever stop altogether. Imported
produce have also made inroads into the market in recent years, either to supplement local
demand for essential ingredients like garlic and potatoes, or to supply produce which do not
grow well in Malaysia's climate and soil conditions. A few regions in Malaysia, like Cameron
Highlands and the foothills adjacent to Mount Kinabalu provide the appropriate mean
temperatures and soil conditions for the cultivation of temperate produce like Camellia
sinensis or tea.
Malaysian-grown greens, tubers and vegetables commonly found nationwide include but not
limited to: amaranth (bayam), bean sprouts (taugeh), brinjals (terung), bitter gourd (peria),
bok choi (sawi), cabbage (kobis), choy sum, cucumber (timun), Chinese celery (daun sup),
coriander (daun ketumbar), ginger (halia), green beans, kangkung, "lady's fingers" (bendi),
leeks, lettuce, lotus root, maize (jagung), napa cabbage (kobis cina), sweet potatoes (ubi
keledek), spring onions (daun bawang), cekur manis or sayur manis, pumpkin (labu), shiitake
mushrooms (cendawan), stink beans (better known as petai), tapioca (ubi kayu), taro or yam
(ubi keladi), tomatoes, yambean or turnip, turmeric (kunyit), and yardlong beans (kacang
panjang).[14]
In some areas in Malaysia local produce is grown on a small scale, and many rural
communities like the Peninsular Orang Asli and certain tribal peoples of Sarawak still forage
wild edible ferns or vegetables to supplement their diet. Diplazium esculentum, better known
as pucuk paku pakis, is perhaps the most widely available fern and is found in eateries and
restaurants throughout the nation. Stenochlaena palustris is another type of wild fern
popularly used for food. Endemic to East Malaysia, it is called midin in Sarawak, and is
prized for its fiddleheads by locals and visitors alike. Stenochlaena palustris is also known by
the native peoples of Sabah as lemiding, lembiding or lombiding, where both the leaves and
the fiddleheads of the plant are eaten. The young shoots of plants like bamboo and coconut
are popularly harvested as food by communities outside urban areas.
A popular way to cook leafy vegetables like kangkung and sweet potato leaves is stir frying
with a pungent sauce made from belacan (shrimp paste) and hot chilli peppers. Other
vegetables popularly cooked this way include bean pods and fiddlehead ferns like paku pakis
and midin. Vegetables like carrots, cucumbers, onions and yardlong beans are used to make a
localised variety of pickle called acar. Various vegetables and herbs are also popularly served
undressed and often raw in some rural indigenous communities as ulam. An ulam spread may
include items such as banana blossoms, cucumber, winged beans, pegaga leaves, petai, and
yardlong beans, typically eaten with a pungent dipping sauce like sambal belacan.
Fruit
This section relies largely or entirely upon a single source. Please help improve
this article by introducing citations to additional sources. (December 2015)
Malaysia's tropical climate allows for fruit to be grown all year round. A huge variety of
common and obscure fruits, either locally grown or imported are available throughout the
country. While the vast majority of fruits grown in Malaysia naturally thrive in the tropics, a
few areas in the country like Cameron Highlands or Kundasang in Sabah have a different
climate zone which enables the cultivation of temperate fruits like strawberries. Fruit are
commonly served after a meal as desserts, and fruit juices are highly sought after as drinks of
choice in a climate that is hot and humid all year round. Pickled fruits or jeruk are popular
and widely available, whether sold from street stalls or specialist shops. Many localities are
named after native fruits, most notably Alor Setar (buah setar) and Malacca (buah melaka).
Penang Rojak in Malaysia.

Fruits are used to make a popular salad dish called Rojak (Chinese: ). Pieces of
fruit and vegetable bound with a viscous dark sauce made from shrimp paste, sugar, chili, and
lime juice. The Penang version is particularly popular and well regarded. The dish is usually
topped with a generous sprinkling of toasted ground peanuts.
Notable fruits which are cultivated in Malaysia include:
Durians in rack sold in Kuala Lumpur
The banana, or pisang in Malay. Many different cultivars are available on the market,
and plantain is used for pisang goreng. Other parts of the banana plant may be used
for culinary purposes.
The calamansi lime, or limau kasturi in Malay. Widely used as a souring agent in
Malaysian cooking, the juice of the calamansi lime is also savoured on its own with
ice and secondary flavourings like green apple juice, pandan leaves and dried
preserved plums.
The cempedak, a fruit with a large and rough pod like body. The edible flesh coating
each pod is sweet in taste, and has a soft texture that is custard-like.
The durian, a fruit with a spiky outer shell and a characteristic odour is a local
tropical fruit that is notable because it provokes strong emotions either of loving it or
hating it. It is also known as the "King of the Fruits". Several species of durian exist
throughout Malaysia - common cultivars come with pale cream or yellow coloured
arils, whereas some varieties found in Borneo are naturally bright red, orange or even
purple in colour.
The guava, called jambu or jambu batu in Malay. It is a crunchy fruit often eaten
plain or garnished with a tart seasoning mix.
The honeydew, or tembikai susu in Malay. This aromatic green melon is often cut up
and served with cooked sago pearls in chilled coconut milk as a dessert.
The jackfruit, or nangka in Malay. It is an enormous fruit similar in appearance to

cempedak, but quite different in taste and texture. The fleshy covering of each pod is
firm and sweet. Unripe jackfruit is occasionally used for cooking savoury meals.
The langsat, a fruit which are borne in clusters similar to grapes and resemble tiny
potatoes, with a taste likened to a sweet and tart combination of grape and grapefruit.
A second, larger variety known as duku generally bear fruit which are large, generally
round, and have somewhat thick skin that does not release sap when cooked. The
seeds are small with thick flesh, a sweet scent, and a sweet or sour alin.
The longan, which means "dragon eye" in Chinese. A related species called mata
kucing (literally "cat's eye" in Malay) has a virtually identical taste to commercially
cultivated longan. However, the mata kucing fruit (Euphoria malaiense) is smaller,
the fleshy aril is thinner, and the yellow rind is bumpy and leathery like a lychee fruit.
The mango, or mangga in Malay. The state of Perlis is famous for its Harumanis
variety (from the mangifera indica cultivar), which is registered as a product of
geographical indication (GI) with the Malaysian Intellectual Property Organisation
(MyIPO).[15] Another notable species of mango found only in Borneo and used
extensively in local cookery is the mangifera pajang, known in Sabah as bambangan
and Sarawak as buah mawang.
The mangosteen, or manggis in Malay. In contrast to the durian, mangosteen is often

called the "Queen of the Fruits".
The papaya, or betik in Malay. Another common fruit available year round in
Malaysia, and widely eaten to conclude a meal.
The pineapple, or nanas in Malay. It is widely eaten as a fruit and used extensively in
local cooking, such as a curried pineapple dish called pajeri nanas.
The pitaya, better known locally as dragon fruit. Dragon fruit is available in red and
white fleshed varieties.
The pomelo, or limau bali in Malay. Pomelos grown in the Sungai Gedung area in the
state of Perak has been granted GI status. It is also called limau tambun, after the town
of Tambun which is also famed for its pomelo produce. As pomelos are associated
with traditional Chinese festivities, most farms harvest twice a year in conjunction
with Chinese New Year and Mid Autumn Festival.
The rambutan, as the name suggests, have fleshy pliable spines or 'hairs' on its outer
shell which is usually red or yellow in colour. Once the hairy exterior is peeled away,
the tender, fleshy, sweet and sour tasting fruit is revealed.
The rose apple, called jambu air or jambu merah in Malay, which is not to be
confused with jambu batu or guava. The term refers to various Syzygium species
which are grown for their fruit. The fruit may be eaten on its own, or tossed through a
rojak salad.
The sapodilla, better known locally as buah ciku. Its flesh has a grainy texture akin to
ripened pear with a sweet malty flavour.
The soursop, known as durian belanda in Malay and lampun to the Dusun people of
Borneo. The fruit is commonly made into juice and smoothies, and the leaves of the
soursop plant are boiled and taken as a herbal infusion.
The starfruit, or belimbing in Malay. Malaysia is a global leader in starfruit

production by volume and ships the fruit widely to Asia and Europe.[16]
The tarap, also called marang, is a fruit that is native to Borneo and is related to
cempedak and jackfruit. While the fruits are about the same size and shape as a durian
and also emits a noxious odour, the spines of the tarap are soft and rubbery compared
to the durian's hard, thorny spines. The fruit itself is smooth, soft and creamy, and the
flavour is reminiscent of sweet custard apple with a hint of tartness.
The watermelon, or tembikai in Malay. This popular fruit comes in red and yellow
varieties.
Kuih
A selection of Nyonya kuih
Kuih (plural: kuih-muih) are usually, but not always, bite-sized foods associated with the
Malay and Min-speaking Chinese communities of Malaysia. In the context of the term being
cultural as opposed to being physically descriptive, the concept of kuih may refer to a
selection of cakes, cookies, confections, pastries and sweetmeats. Kuih may be eaten
throughout the day for light breakfast, afternoon tea (a tradition adopted from the British), as
a snack and increasingly as an after meal course.
More often steamed or fried and based on rice or glutinous rice, kuih items are very different
in texture, flavour and appearance from Western oven-baked cakes or puff pastries. Most kuih
items are sweet, and may be classified and eaten as desserts, but some are also savoury. Kuih
is an important feature for festive occasions and is traditionally made at home, but are now
available for purchase from home caterers, street hawker vendors, market stallholders and
specialist cafes, shops and restaurants. It is difficult to distinguish between kuih of Malay or
Peranakan (also known as "Straits Chinese") origin because the histories of traditional kuih
recipes have not been well-documented, and cross-cultural influencing over the centuries
were commonplace. Even the word kuih itself is derived from the Hokkien/Teochew word
(pronounced kueh or kway).
Examples of notable kuih-muih include:
Ang koo kueh (Chinese: ) - a small round or oval shaped Chinese pastry with
red-coloured soft sticky glutinous rice flour skin wrapped around a sweet filling in the
centre.
Apam balik - a turnover pancake with a texture similar to a crumpet with crisp edges,
made from a thin flour based batter with raising agent. It is typically cooked on a
griddle and topped with castor sugar, ground peanut, creamed corn, and grated
coconut in the middle, and then turned over. Many different takes on this dish exist as
part of the culinary repertoire of the Malay, Chinese, Peranakan, Indonesian, and
ethnic Bornean communities; all under different names.
Bahulu - tiny crusty sponge cakes which come in distinctive shapes like button and
goldfish, acquired from being baked in moulded pans. Bahulu is usually baked and
served for festive occasions.
Cucur - deep-fried fritters, sometimes known as jemput-jemput. Typical varieties

include cucur udang (fritters studded with a whole unshelled prawn), cucur badak
(sweet potato fritters), and cucur kodok (banana fritters).
Curry puff - a small pie filled with a curried filling, usually chicken or potatoes, in a
deep-fried or baked pastry shell.
Cincin - a deep fried dough pastry-based snack popular with East Malaysia's Muslim
communities.
Jelurut - also known as kuih selorot in Sarawak, this kuih is made from a mixture of
gula apong and rice flour, then rolled with palm leaves into cones and steam cooked.
Kapit, sapit or sepi - crispy folded coconut-flavoured wafer biscuits, colloquially

known as "love letters".
Kochi - glutinous rice dumplings filled with a sweet paste, shaped into a pyramid-like
and wrapped with banana leaves.
Niangao (Chinese : ) or kuih bakul - a brown sticky and sweet rice cake
customarily associated with Chinese New Year festivities. It is also available year
round as a popular street food treat, made with pieces of niangao sandwiched between
slices of taro and sweet potato, dipped in batter and deep-fried.
Pie tee - this Nyonya speciality is a thin and crispy pastry tart shell filled with a spicy,
sweet mixture of thinly sliced vegetables and prawns.
Onde onde - small round balls made from glutinous rice flour coloured and flavoured
with pandan, filled with palm sugar syrup and rolled in freshly grated coconut.
Or Kuih (Chinese : ) - a steamed savoury cake made from pieces of taro

(commonly known as "yam" in Malaysia), dried prawns and rice flour. It is then
topped with deep fried shallots, spring onions, sliced chilli and dried prawns, and
usually served with a chilli dipping sauce.
Pineapple tart - flaky pastries filled with or topped with pineapple jam.
Pinjaram or penyaram - a saucer-shaped deep fried fritter with crisp edges and a
dense, chewy texture towards the centre. It is widely sold by street food vendors in the
open air markets of East Malaysia.
Putu piring - a round steamed cake made of rice flour dough, with a palm sugar
sweetened filling.
Seri Muka - a two-layered kuih with steamed glutinous rice forming the bottom half
and a green custard layer made with pandan juice.
Wajid or wajik - a compressed Malay confection made of glutinous rice cooked with
coconut milk and gula melaka.
Structure of meals
There is no standard breakfast (Malay: sarapan) menu due to Malaysia's multi-ethnic social
fabric as well as the advent of modern influences. Western-style breakfast like breakfast
cereal, cooked eggs and toast have become commonplace in homes and when dining out, but
heartier traditional fare based predominantly on noodles and rice dishes are still very popular.
One may choose to start the day with the ubiquitous nasi lemak or kuih; venture for Chinese-
style congee, dim sum and noodle soups; or settle for Indian-influenced fare such as roti
canai, idli (Tamil: itli /l/), thosai (Tamil: tcai /tt osaj/), and upma. In the state
of Kelantan, the term nasi berlauk refers to a breakfast meal which consists of a small serve
of rice and complementary dishes or lauk.
For lunch and dinner, food is not customarily served in courses but rather concurrently. A
meal may consist of a single dish for solitary diners, or rice with many complementary dishes
shared by all. At restaurants where food is cooked to order, there is often no distinction
between appetizers/starters and main courses, and food will arrive at the table whenever it is
ready. At some traditionally-run eateries where pre-cooked food is served, diners are meant to
help themselves by starting with a plate of plain rice and choose from a buffet spread of
assorted dishes. Like the Indonesian Nasi Padang, this is not an all-you-can-eat for a fixed
price dining experience. The cost of the meal would depend on what the diner selects and
how many different items were placed on the plate for consumption. In Malay-run warung (a
small family-owned casual eatery or caf) or restaurants (kedai makan), this style of dining is
known as nasi campur which means "mixed rice". A similar concept exist at some eateries
serving home-style Malaysian Chinese food, where it may be known as economy rice
(Chinese: ).
A practice known as "open house" (Malay: rumah terbuka) is popular during festive seasons,
and even as an elaborate occasion to celebrate birthdays and weddings. Open house events
are traditionally held at the home of the host: well-wishers are received and that everyone,
regardless of background, is invited to attend. Home-cooked or catered food is provided by
the host(s) at their own expense, and while it is acceptable for guests to bring along gifts for
the host, they are expected to help themselves to the food as much as they like. Open house
events may also be held at restaurants and larger public venues, especially when hosted by
government agencies or corporations.
Food establishments
A kopitiam or kopi tiam is a traditional coffee shop patronised for meals and beverages,
predominantly operated by Chinese proprietors and especially members of the Hainanese
community. The word kopi is a Malay/Hokkien term for coffee and tiam is the Hokkien and
Hakka term for shop (Chinese : ). A common sight in Malaysia and neighbouring
Singapore, menus often feature offerings like nasi lemak, boiled eggs, roti bakar, noodle
dishes, bread and kuih. The owners of some kopitiam establishments may lease premise space
to independent stallholders, who sometimes offer more specialised dishes beyond standard
Chinese kopitiam fare. Typical beverages include Milo, a malted chocolate drink considered
iconic to Malaysians of all ages, as well as coffee (kopi) and tea (teh). Diners would use slang
terms specific to kopitiam culture to order and customise drinks to their taste.
The omnipresent Mamak stall is a Malaysian institution. Available throughout the country
and particularly popular in urban areas, Mamak stalls and restaurants offer a wide range of
food and some are open 24 hours a day. The proprietors of these establishments are members
of Malaysia's Tamil Muslim community, who have developed a distinct culinary style and
wield an enormous influence on Malaysian food culture disproportionate to their numbers. A
type of meal served buffet-style at some Mamak eateries is called nasi kandar, which is
analogous to the Malay nasi campur where you pay for what you have actually eaten. The
diner is to choose from a variety of curried dishes made with chicken, beef, mutton, or
seafood. A mixture of curry sauces is then poured on the provided rice: this is called banjir
(literally means "flooding").
Cuisines of Malaysia
Malay cuisine
Main article: Malay cuisine
For a traditional Malay meal, rice is considered the centerpiece of a meal, with everything
else considered as an accompaniment, relish or side for the rice. Malay cuisine bears many
similarities to Indonesian cuisine, in particular some of the regional traditions from Sumatra.
It has also been influenced by Chinese, Indian, Thai and many other cultures throughout
history, producing a distinct cuisine of their own. Some regional Malay dishes, such as arisa
and kacang pool, are examples of influence from Arab cuisine due to longstanding historical
and religious ties. Many Malay dishes revolve around a rempah, which is usually sauteed in
oil (tumis) to draw out flavours to form the base of a dish. A dipping relish called sambal is an
essential accompaniment for most Malay dishes.
Air bandung.
Air bandung - a cold milk drink flavoured with rose cordial syrup, giving it a pink
colour. Despite the name, there is no connection to the city of Bandung in Indonesia.
Bandung within this context refers to anything that comes in pairs or is mixed from
many ingredients.
Asam pedas - a sour and spicy stew of meat, with the core ingredients being tamarind
and chili. Depending on region, tomatoes, lady's fingers, shredded torch ginger bud
and Vietnamese coriander (Malay: daun kesum) may also be added. Usually cooked
with fish like mackerel or stingray, although some recipes use chicken and even
oxtail.
Ayam goreng - a generic term for deep fried chicken, typically marinated in a base of
turmeric and other seasonings prior to cooking.
Ayam masak merah - this dish literally means red-cooked chicken in English. Pieces
of chicken are first fried to a golden brown then slowly braised in a spicy tomato
sauce. Peas are sometimes added to the dish, and it is garnished with shredded kaffir
lime leaves as well as coriander. It is often paired with nasi tomato - rice cooked with
tomato sauce or paste, milk, dried spices, and a sauteed rempah base of garlic, onions,
ginger.
Ayam percik - also known as ayam golek in some states, ayam percik is grilled
marinated chicken basted with a spiced coconut milk gravy.
Bubur lambuk - a savoury rice porridge consumed during the fasting month of
Ramadhan, made with a mixture of lemongrass, spices, vegetables, and chicken or
beef. It is usually cooked communally at a local mosque, which is then distributed to
the congregation as a meal to break the fast every evening. In the state of Terengganu,
bubur lambuk is prepared with wild herbs, budu, sweet potatoes, and seafood.
Gulai - the Malay term for a curried stew. The main ingredients for gulai may be
poultry, beef, mutton, various kinds of offals, fish and seafood, and also vegetables
such as cassava leaves and green/unripe jackfruit. The gravy is usually yellowishbrown in color due to the sauteed and browned rempah which forms its base, and the
addition of ground turmeric. The gravy's consistency may vary in thickness depending
on the cook.
Ikan bakar in Muar, Johor.
Ikan bakar - barbecued or char grilled fish, usually smeared with a sambal-based
sauce. It may also be accompanied with air asam, a dip made from shrimp paste,
onion, chillis and tamarind juice.
Ikan goreng - a generic term for shallow or deep fried fish, which is almost always
marinated prior to cooking. There are countless recipes and variants for what is
arguably the most popular and typical method of cooking fish in Malaysia.
Kerabu - a type of salad-like dish which can be made with any combination of
cooked or uncooked fruits and vegetables, as well as the occasional meat or seafood
ingredient. There are many kerabu recipes, which often have little common in
preparation: kerabu taugeh is made with blanched bean sprouts and quintessentially
Malay ingredients like kerisik, while preparations like kerabu mangga (shredded
green mango salad) resemble a Thai-style yam salad in taste profile.
Keropok lekor - a speciality of the state of Terengganu and other states on the east
coast of Peninsula Malaysia, keropok lekor is a savoury fritter made from a
combination of batter and shredded fish. Sliced and fried just before serving, it is
eaten with hot sauce.
Ketupat - a variant of compressed rice, wrapped in a woven palm frond pouch. As the
rice boils, the grains expand to fill the pouch and the rice becomes compressed. This
method of cooking gives the ketupat its characteristic form and texture. Usually eaten
with rendang (a type of dry beef curry) or served as an accompaniment to satay,
ketupat is also traditionally served on festive occasions such as Eid (Hari Raya
Aidilfitri) as part of an open house spread.
Laksam or Laksang - a different variant on laksa found in the northern and

northeastern states of the Peninsular. Laksam consists of thick flat rice noodle rolls in
a full-bodied, rich and slightly sweet white gravy of minced fish, coconut milk and
shredded aromatic herbs.
Masak lemak is a style of cooking which employs liberal amounts of turmericseasoned coconut milk. Sources of protein like chicken, seafood smoked meats and
shelled molluscs, perhaps paired with fruits and vegetables such as bamboo shoots,
pineapples and tapioca leaves are often cooked this way. Certain states are associated
with a specific variant of this dish: for example, masak lemak cili api/padi is an iconic
speciality of Negeri Sembilan.
Nasi dagang
Nasi dagang - rice cooked with coconut milk and fenugreek seeds, served with a fish
gulai (usually tuna or ikan tongkol), fried shaved coconut, hard-boiled eggs and
vegetable pickles. Nasi dagang ("trader's rice" in Malay) is a staple breakfast dish in
the northeastern states of Kelantan and Terrenganu. It should not be confused with
nasi lemak, as nasi lemak is often found sold side-by-side with nasi dagang for
breakfast in the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia.
Nasi kerabu
Nasi goreng - a generic term for fried rice, of which there are many, many different
permutations and variations. Variants includes Nasi goreng kampung, Nasi goreng
pattaya, and Nasi paprik.
Nasi tumpang - rice packed in a cone-shaped banana leaf. A pack of nasi tumpang
consists of an omelette, meat floss, chicken or shrimp curry and sweet gravy. It is
traditionally served as a meal of convenience for travelers on the road.
Nasi ulam - rice salad tossed with a variety of thinly shredded herbs and greens
(daun kaduk, daun cekur, daun kesum and so on) as well as pounded dried shrimp,
kerisik and chopped shallots. A variant popular in the eastern coast states of
Peninsular Malaysia is called nasi kerabu, which is blue-coloured rice served with
various herbs, dried fish or fried chicken, crackers, pickles and vegetables.
Rendang - a spicy meat and coconut milk stew originating from the Minangkabau
people of Indonesia, many of whom have settled in the state of Negeri Sembilan.
Buffalo meat is the most traditional choice for this dish, but beef and chicken are by
far more commonly used for rendang in restaurants and home cooking. The common
addition of kerisik is another distinctively Malaysian touch. Rendang is traditionally
prepared by the Malay community during festive occasions, served with ketupat or
nasi minyak.
Raw (l) and cooked (r) sambal tempoyak.
Roti jala - The name is derived from the Malay words roti (bread) and jala (net). A
special ladle with a five-hole perforation used to form its lacy pattern. Roti jala is
usually eaten as an accompaniment to a curried dish, or served as dessert with a sweet
dipping sauce.
Roti john - a spiced meat omelette sandwich, popularly eaten for breakfast or as a
snack.
Sate
Sambal - the term sambal not only refers to a relish-like sauce made from chili
peppers pounded together with secondary ingredients like belacan and thinned with
calamansi lime juice, it also refer to a cooking style where meat, seafood, and
vegetables like brinjal (Malay: sambal terung) and stink bean (Malay: sambal petai)
are braised in a spicy sambal-based sauce.
Satay- one of Malaysia's most popular foods, Satay (written as sate in Malay) is made
from marinated beef and chicken pieces skewered with wooden sticks and cooked on
a charcoal grill. It is typically served with compressed rice cut onions, cucumber, and
a spiced peanut gravy for dipping. The town of Kajang in Selangor is famous for its
satay; Sate Kajang is a term for a style of sate where the meat chunks are bigger than
that of a typical satay, and the sweet peanut sauce is served along with a portion of
fried chilli paste.
Serunding - spiced meat floss. Serunding may also refer to any dish where the
primary meat or vegetable ingredient is shredded and pulled into thin strands. In
Indonesia, this term strictly refers to a dry-toasted grated coconut mix instead.
Sup kambing - a hearty mutton soup slow simmered with aromatic herbs and spices,
and garnished with fried shallots, fresh cilantro and a wedge of calamansi lime.
Variants include soups cooked with beef (Malay: daging), beef ribs (Malay: tulang),
or oxtail (Malay: buntut/ekor), all seasoned with the same herbs and spices.
Tempoyak - fermented durian, traditionally stored in an urn. Tempoyak may be eaten

as relish, or it can be added to braised dishes and stews as a primary flavouring
(masak tempoyak).
Javanese-influenced cuisine
Main article: Javanese cuisine
Soto ayam, (chicken soto). Note the transparent yellow broth, the emping and fried shallot
There are certain Malaysian dishes with overt Javanese influences or are direct adaptations
from Javanese cuisine, brought to Malaysia by Javanese immigrants who have been
assimilated or integrated into the wider Malay community to various degrees. Javanese
cuisine is highly distinct from mainstream Malay cooking, being noted for its simplicity and
sweeter flavours, as opposed to mainstream Malay cuisine which is predominantly based on
the complex and spicy regional cuisines of Sumatra. A popular way of serving Javaneseinfluenced food in the southern part of Peninsular Malaysia is termed nasi ambang, which
consists of shared platters of white rice served with accompaniments like chicken cooked in
soy sauce or curried gravy, stir fried noodles, sambal goreng, fried shredded coconut pieces,
egg, vegetables and so on. .
Ayam penyet - deep fried chicken which is smashed prior to serving. The other key
component to this dish is a spicy sambal. Other accompaniments include cucumbers,
fried tofu and tempeh.
Begedil - spherical fritters made from mashed potato and occasionally ground meat. It
is called perkedel in Indonesia.
Botok botok - steamed banana leaf parcels of sliced fish seasoned with ground spices
and shredded herbs.
Lontong - vegetables stewed in a lightly spiced coconut milk soup, usually served
with compressed rice and additional condiments added either during cooking or in
individual servings. It is eaten during festive occasions, and also as a breakfast meal.
In Indonesia this dish would be called sayur lodeh, and the compressed rice lontong.
Nasi kuning - rice cooked with coconut milk and turmeric. A common breakfast dish
in certain regions like the east coast of Sabah, where it is typically served with
sambal, eggs, coconut-based serundeng, and spiced fish. Not to be confused with the
Peranakan nasi kunyit, which uses glutinous rice.
Mee rebus - a dish which consists of egg noodles drenched in a spicy aromatic sauce
thickened with cooked and mashed tuber vegetables. Versions of mee rebus found in
other parts of Malaysia are sometimes called mee jawa, perhaps as a nod to its likely
Javanese origin.[17]
Pecal - pecal is a vegetable salad with cucumber slices, long beans, beansprout, fried
tofu, blanched kangkung and tempeh dressed in a peanut sauce.
Rempeyek - deep-fried savoury cracker made from flour (usually rice flour) with
other ingredients (such as peanuts) bound or coated by crispy flour batter.
Soto - Meat broth, typically served with plain rice, lontong, or noodles depending on
regional variation as well as personal preference.
Telur pindang - marbled eggs boiled with herbs and spices. Commonly seen in
Javanese Malaysian wedding feasts and festive occasions, particularly in Johor.
Tempeh - a staple source of protein in Javanese cuisine, made by a natural culturing

and controlled fermentation process that binds soybeans into a cake form, similar to a
very firm vegetarian burger patty, which can then be cooked and served in a variety of
ways.
Malaysian Chinese cuisine
This article is part of the series
Chinese cuisine
Regional cuisines
Four Great Traditions
Cantonese
Huaiyang
Shandong
Sichuan
Eight Great Traditions
Anhui
Cantonese
Fujian
Hunan
Jiangsu
Shandong
Sichuan
Zhejiang
Beijing and the vicinity
Beijing
Imperial
Aristocrat
Tianjin
Other regional styles
Chaozhou
Guangxi
Guizhou
Hainan
Hakka
Henan
Hong Kong
Hubei
Jiangxi
Macanese
Manchu
Northeastern
Shaanxi
Shanghai
Shanxi
Xinjiang
Tibetan (Xizang)
Yunnan
Burma
Canada
Overseas cuisine
Caribbean
Philippines
India
Indonesia
Japan
Korea
Malaysia
Pakistan
Peranakan
Per
Puerto Rico
Singapore
Taiwanese
United States
Religious cuisines
Buddhist
Islamic
Ingredients and types of food
Main dishes
Desserts
Noodles
Preparation and cooking
Stir frying
Double steaming
Red cooking
See also
Customs and etiquette

List of Chinese desserts
List of Chinese restaurants
List of restaurants in China
China portal
Main article: Malaysian Chinese cuisine

Malaysian Chinese cuisine is derived from the culinary traditions of Chinese Malaysian
immigrants and their descendants, who have adapted or modified their culinary traditions
under the influence of Malaysian culture as well as immigration patterns of Chinese to
Malaysia. Because the vast majority of Chinese Malaysians are descendants of immigrants
from southern China, Malaysian Chinese cuisine is predominantly based on an eclectic
repertoire of dishes with roots from Cantonese cuisine, Hakka cuisine, Fujian cuisine and
Teochew cuisine.[citation needed]
As these early immigrants settled in different regions throughout what was then British
Malaya and Borneo, they carried with them traditions of foods and recipes that were
particularly identified with their origins in China, which gradually became infused with the
characteristics of their new home locale in Malaysia while remaining distinctively Chinese.
For example, Hainanese chicken rice is usually flavoured with tropical pandan leaves and
served with chilli sauce for dipping, and tastes unlike the typical chicken dishes found in
Hainan Island itself. Some of these foods and recipes became closely associated with a
specific city, town or village, eventually developing iconic status and culminating in a
proliferation of nationwide popularity in the present day.
Chinese food is especially prominent in areas with concentrated Chinese communities, at
roadside stalls, hawker centres and kopitiam, as well as smart cafes and upmarket restaurants
throughout the nation. Many Chinese dishes have pork as a component ingredient, but
chicken is available as a substitution for Muslim customers from the wider community, and
some Chinese restaurants are even halal-certified.[citation needed]
A sample of representative Malaysian Chinese dishes found nationwide include:
Bak Kut Teh
Bak Kut Teh (Chinese : ) (pork ribs soup). The root meaning for the dish,
"Bak Kut" (Hokkien dialect) is the term for meaty ribs, at its simplest cooked with
garlic, dark soy sauce and a specific combination of herbs and spices which have been
boiled for many hours. Popularly regarded as a health tonic, this soup is historically
eaten by hard working Chinese coolies working on the wharfs at Port Swettenham
(now Port Klang) and clearing estates, accompaniment with strong tea ("Teh") on the
side. There are some differences in seasoning amongst other Chinese communities;
the Teochew prefer a clear broth which is heavier on garlic and pepper, while the
Cantonese may include additional varieties of medicinal herbs and spices. Variations
include the so-called chik kut teh (made with chicken and a version that is gaining
popularity with Muslim diners), seafood bak kut teh, and a "dry" (reduced gravy)
version which originated from the town of Klang.
Bakkwa (Chinese : ) - literally "dried meat", bakkwa is better understood as

barbecued meat jerky. While this delicacy is especially popular during the Chinese
New Year celebration period, it is available everywhere and eaten year round as a
popular snack.
Cantonese fried noodles (Chinese : ) refers to a preparation of noodles which

are shallow or deep fried to a crisp texture, then served as the base for a thick egg and
cornstarch white sauce cooked with sliced lean pork, seafood, and green vegetables
like choy sum. A variation called yuen yong (Chinese : ) involves mixing both
crisp-fried rice vermicelli as well as hor fun to form a base for the sauce. A related
dish called wa tan hor (Chinese : ) uses hor fun noodles, but the noodles are
not deep fried, merely charred.
Chai tow kway (Chinese : ) - a common dish in Malaysia made of rice flour.
It also known as fried radish cake, although no radish is included within the rice
cakes, save perhaps the occasional addition of preserved radish (Chinese: )
during the cooking process. Seasonings and additives vary from region, and may
include bean sprouts and eggs.
Char Kway Teow in Penang
Char kway teow (Chinese: ). Stir fried rice noodles with bean
sprouts, prawns, eggs (duck or chicken), chives and thin slices of preserved Chinese
sausages. Cockles and lardons were once standard offerings, but mostly relegated to
optional additions these days due to changing taste preferences and growing health
concerns. Penang-style char kway teow is the most highly regarded variant both in
Malaysia as well as abroad.
Chee cheong fun (Chinese: ) is square rice sheets made from a viscous
mixture of rice flour and water. This liquid is poured onto a specially made flat pan in
which it is steamed to produce the square rice sheets. The steamed rice sheets is rolled
or folded for ease in serving. It is usually served with tofu stuffed with fish paste. The
dish is eaten with accompaniment of semi sweet fermented bean paste sauce, chilli
paste or light vegetable curry gravy. Up north in the city of Ipoh, certain stalls serve
the dish with a red sweet sauce, thinly sliced pickled green chillies and fried shallots.
Hainanese chicken rice balls in Muar, Johor, Malaysia
Chicken rice (Chinese: ) - chicken rice is one of the most popular Chineseinspired dishes in Malaysia. Hainanese chicken rice (Chinese :
) is the best
known version: it is prepared with the same traditional method used for cooking
Wenchang chicken, which involve steeping the entire chicken at sub-boiling
temperatures within a master stock until cooked, to ensure the chicken meat becomes
moist and tender. The chicken is then chopped up, and served with a bowl or plate of
rice cooked in chicken fat and chicken stock, along with another bowl of clear
chicken broth and a set of dips and condiments. Sometimes the chicken is dipped in
ice to produce a jelly-like skin finishing upon the completion of the poaching process.
In Malacca, the chicken rice is served shaped into balls.
Curry Mee (Chinese: ). A bowl of thin yellow noodles mixed with bihun in a
spicy curry soup enriched with coconut milk, and topped with tofu puffs, prawns,
cuttlefish, chicken, long beans, cockles and mint leaves, with sambal served on the
side. It is often referred to as curry laksa.
Heong Peng (Chinese: ) - these fragrant pastries, which resemble slightly

flattened balls, are a famed speciality of Ipoh which are now widely available in
Malaysia and are even exported overseas. It contains a sweet sticky filling made from
malt and shallots, covered by a flaky baked crust and garnished with sesame seeds on
the surface.
A bowl of Penang Hokkien Mee
Hokkien Mee (Chinese: ). A dish of thick yellow noodles braised and fried
with thick black soy sauce and crispy lardons. Originally developed in Kuala Lumpur,
Hokkien mee can be found in many towns and cities with a substantial Chinese
community. In Penang however, this dish is always known as Hokkien Char; instead,
Hokkien mee is the local term for a completely different dish, which is known in other
parts of Malaysia as Hae mee or Prawn Mee (Chinese : ). One of Penang's most
famous specialties, it is a noodle soup with bihun and yellow noodles immersed in an
aromatic stock made from prawns and pork (chicken for halal versions), and
garnished with a boiled egg, poached prawns, chopped kangkung and a dollop of
spicy sambal.
Ipoh white coffee (Chinese: ). A popular coffee drink which originated in

Ipoh. Unlike the robust dark roast used for typical Malaysian-style black coffee
("Kopi-O"), "white" coffee is produced with only palm oil margarine and without any
sugar and wheat, resulting in a significantly lighter roast. It is typically enriched with
condensed milk prior to serving. This drink inspired the OldTown White Coffee
restaurant chain, and instant beverage versions are widely available throughout
Malaysia and even in international markets.
Claypot chicken rice
Lor mee (Chinese: ). A bowl of thick yellow noodles served in a thickened gravy
made from eggs, starch and pork stock.
Ngah Po Fan or Sha Po Fan (Chinese : or ) - seasoned rice cooked in

a claypot with secondary ingredients, and finished with soy sauce. A typical example
is rice cooked with chicken, Chinese sausage, and vegetables. Claypots are also used
for braising noodles, meat dishes and reducing soups.
Ngo hiang or lor bak (Chinese: or ) - a fried meat roll made from spiced
minced pork and chopped water chestnuts rolled up in soya bean curd sheets, and
deep fried. It is usually served with small bowl of Lor (a thick broth thickened with
corn starch and beaten eggs) and chili sauce. The term also extends to other items sold
alongside the meat rolls, like tao kwa (hard tofu), pork sausages, tofu skin sheets etc.
Pan Mee
Oyster omelette or O-chian (Chinese: ) - a medley of small oysters is sauteed on

a hot plate before being folded into an egg batter, which then has moistened starch
mixed in for thickening, and finally fried to a crisp finish. Unlike other versions of
oyster omelettes found throughout the Hokkien and Teochew diaspora, a thick
savoury gravy is never poured onto Malaysian-style oyster omelettes; a chilli sauce is
provided on the side for dipping instead.
Pan mee (Chinese: ) - noodle soup with hand-kneaded and torn pieces of
noodles or regular strips of machine-pressed noodles, with a toothsome texture not
unlike Italian pasta. A variant popular in the Klang Valley is known as "Chilli Pan
Mee", and which of cooked noodles served with minced pork, a poached egg, fried
anchovies and fried chili flakes which are added to taste. Chilli Pan Mee is
accompanied with a bowl of clear soup with leafy vegetables.
Popiah (Chinese : ) - Hokkien/Teochew-style crepe stuffed and rolled up with

cooked shredded tofu and vegetables like turnip and carrots. The Peranakan version
contains julienned bangkuang (jicama) and bamboo shoots, and the filling is seasoned
with tauchu (fermented soybean paste) and meat stock. Another variation consists of
popiah doused in a spicy sauce. Popiah can also be deep fried and served in a manner
similar to the mainstream Chinese spring roll.
Wonton Mee
Wonton Mee (Chinese : ) - thin egg noodles with wonton dumplings

(Chinese : ), choy sum and char siu. The dumplings are usually made of pork or
prawns, and typically boiled or deep fried. The noodles may be served in a bowl of
broth with dumplings as in the traditional Cantonese manner, but in Malaysia it is
more commonly dressed with a dark soy sauce dressing, with boiled or deep-fried
wonton dumplings as a topping or served on the side in a bowl of broth. Variations of
this dish are usually in the meat accompaniments with the noodles. These may include
roast pork (), braised chicken feet, and roast duck ().
Yau Zha Gwai or Eu Char Kway or You Tiao (Chinese: or ) - a version

of the traditional Chinese crueller, which is a breakfast favourite. It can be eaten plain
with a beverage like coffee and soy milk, spread with butter or kaya, or dipped into
congee. It is shaped like a pair of chopsticks, stuck together.
Yong tau foo (Chinese : ) - tofu products and vegetables like brinjals, lady's
fingers, bitter gourd and chillies stuffed with fish paste or surimi. Originally
developed in Ampang, Selangor, Malaysian yong tau foo is a localised adaptation of a
Hakka dish called ngiong tew foo (stuffed tofu with ground pork paste) and is usually
served in a clear broth, with or without noodles.
Yusheng
Yusheng (Chinese : ) - a festive raw fish salad, also pronounced yee sang in the
Cantonese manner. While raw fish preparations are thought to have existed in China
during antiquity and can be found in the Chaoshan region of Guangdong province in
modern times, yusheng was created and developed in Singapore in 1964 when the
republic was still a member state of the Federation of Malaysia.[citation needed] It consists
of strips of raw fish tossed at the dining table with shredded vegetables, crispy tidbits
and a combination of sauces and condiments. Yusheng literally means "raw fish" but
since "fish ()" is commonly conflated with its homophone "abundance ()",
Yshng () is interpreted as a homophone for Yshng () meaning an
increase in abundance. Therefore, yusheng is considered a symbol of abundance,
prosperity and vigor. As a result, the mixing and tossing of yusheng with chopsticks
and the subsequent consumption of the salad has become ritualised as part of the
commemoration of Chinese New Year festivities in Malaysia and Singapore.
Zongzi (Chinese: ) - a traditional Chinese food made of glutinous rice stuffed

with savoury or sweet fillings and wrapped in bamboo, reed, or other large flat leaves.
They are cooked by steaming or boiling, and are a feature of the Duanwu festival,
which is still celebrated by the Chinese communities in Malaysia.
Malaysian Indian cuisine
This article is part of the series
Indian cuisine
Regional cuisines
North India
Awadhi
Bhojpuri
Punjabi
Kumauni
Kashmiri
Rajasthani
Uttar Pradeshi
Bihari
South India
Main article
Telugu
Karnataka
Kerala
Tamil
Hyderabadi
Udupi
Mangalorean
Saraswat
Mangalorean Catholic
East, North East India
Arunachalese
Assamese
Bengali
Jharkhand
Meghalayan
Manipuri
Naga
Odia
Sikkimese
Tripuri
West India
Goan
Gujarati
Marathi
Malvani & Konkani
Sindhi
Parsi
Other
Indian Chinese
Nepali
Jain (Satvika)
Anglo-Indian
Chettinad
Fast food
Malaysian Indian cuisine

Indian Singaporean cuisine
Ingredients, types of food
Main dishes
Desserts
Bread
Drinks
Snack foods
Spices
Condiments
Preparation, cooking
Handi
Karahi
Tava
Tandoor
Uruli
Other
See also
History
Etiquette
Indian chefs
Cookbook: Cuisine of India
Related cuisines
Nepalese cuisine
Sri Lankan cuisine
Bangladeshi cuisine
Pakistani cuisine
Bhutanese cuisine
Tibetan cuisine
Afghani cuisine
India portal
Food portal
Main article: Malaysian Indian cuisine

Malaysian Indian cuisine, or the cooking of the ethnic Indian communities in Malaysia
consists of adaptations of authentic dishes from India, as well as original creations inspired
by the diverse food culture of Malaysia. As the vast majority of Malaysia's Indian community
are mostly ethnic Tamils who are descendants of the modern Indian state of Tamil Nadu and
Sri Lanka's Northern Province, much of Malaysian Indian cuisine is predominantly South
Indian inspired in character and taste. A typical Malaysian Indian dish is likely to be redolent
with curry leaves, whole and powdered spice, and contains fresh coconut in various forms.
Ghee is still widely used for cooking, although vegetable oils and refined palm oils are now
commonplace in home kitchens. Before a meal it is customary to wash hands as cutlery is
often not used while eating, with the exception of a serving spoon for each respective dish.
Food served in the traditional South Indian manner is termed banana leaf rice. Plain white or
parboiled rice would be served with an assortment of vegetable preparations, lentil gravy,
pickles, condiments, and papadum crackers on a banana leaf, which acts as a disposable plate.
Banana leaf meals are eaten to celebrate special occasions such as festivals, birthdays,
marriages, or to commemorate funeral wakes. It is customary to consume banana leaf meals
by hand and to show appreciation for the food by folding the banana leaf inwards, though less
ritual and etiquette is observed when the meal isn't part of a formal occasion, such as the
Malayalee community's elaborate Sadya feasts. Boiled eggs, meat or seafood dishes are
available at banana leaf restaurants which are not exclusively vegetarian or vegan.
Some notable Malaysian Indian dishes include:
Chapati - a North Indian style flatbread. It is made from a dough of atta flour (whole
grain durum wheat), water and salt by rolling the dough out into discs of
approximately twelve centimetres in diameter and browning the discs on both sides on
a very hot, dry tava or frying pan without any oil. Chapatis are usually eaten with
curried vegetables. and pieces of the chapati are used to wrap around and pick up each
bite of the cooked dish.
Fish head curry - a dish where the head of a fish (usually ikan merah, or literally
"red fish"), is braised in a thick and spicy curried gravy with assorted vegetables such
as lady's fingers and brinjals.
Idli served with typical accompaniments.
Fish molee - originally from the Indian state of Kerala, this preparation of fish in a
spiced coconut milk gravy is perhaps the Malaysian Malayalee community's best
known dish.
Idli - made from a mashed mixture of skinned black lentils and rice formed into
patties using a mould and steamed, idlis are eaten at breakfast or as a snack. Idlis are
usually served in pairs with vadai, small donut-shaped fritters made from mashed
lentils and spices, chutney, and a thick stew of lentils and vegetables called sambar.
Lassi - a yogurt-based drink which comes in savoury and sweet varieties. A common
drink of Tamil origin which is similar to lassi but is thinner in consistency is called
moru. It is seasoned with salt with flavoured with spices like asafoetida, curry leaves
and mustard seeds.[18]
Maggi goreng in George Town, Penang
Maggi goreng - a unique Mamak-style variant of mee goreng or stir-fried noodles,

using reconstituted Maggi instant noodles instead of yellow egg noodles. The noodles
may be wok-tossed with bean sprouts, chilli, greens, eggs, tofu, and meat of choice,
although no recipe at any Mamak eatery are ever the same. It is usually accompanied
with a calamansi lime.[19]
Murtabak - a savoury dish of stuffed roti canai or flatbread eaten with curry gravy. A
typical recipe consists of a minced meat mixture seasoned with garlic, onions and
spices folded with an omelette and roti canai. Murtabak is popularly eaten with a side
of sweet pickled onions during the fasting month of Ramadan.
Murukku - a savoury snack of spiced crunchy twists made from rice and urad dal
flour, traditionally eaten for Deepavali.
Nasi Beriani or Biryani - a rice dish made from a mixture of spices, basmati rice,
yoghurt, meat or vegetables. The ingredients are ideally cooked together in the final
phase and is time-consuming to prepare. Pre-mixed biryani spices from different
commercial names are easily available in markets these days, which is meant to
reduce preparation time.
Pasembur.
Pachadi - a traditional South Indian side accompaniment or relish made with

vegetables, fruits or lentils. The Malaysian Telugu community celebrate the Telugu
New Year or Ugadi by preparing a special dish called Ugadi Pachadi, which blends
six taste notes as a symbolic reminder of the various facets of life. It is made with
green chilli (heat), unripe mangoes (tangy), neem flowers (bitter), jaggery (sweet),
tamarind juice (sour) and salt.[20]
Pasembur - a salad of shredded cucumber, boiled potatoes, fried bean curd, turnip,
bean sprouts, prawn fritters, spicy fried crab, and fried octopus. This Penang Mamak
speciality is served with a sweet and spicy nut sauce, and variants of this dish are
found in other states as Mamak rojak.
Pongal - a boiled rice dish which comes in sweet and spicy varieties. It shares the
same name as the harvest festival which is celebrated every January; the name of the
festival itself is derived from this dish. The sweet variety of pongal, prepared with
milk and jaggery, is cooked in the morning. Once the pongal pot has boiled over
(symbolism for an abundant harvest), it is then offered as a prasad to the gods as
thanksgiving.
Poori - an unleavened deep-fried bread made with whole-wheat flour, commonly

consumed for breakfast or as a light meal. A larger North Indian variant made with
leavened all-purpose flour or maida is called bhatura.
Puttu - a speciality of the Ceylonese Tamil community, puttu is a steamed cylinder of

ground rice layered with coconut. It is eaten with bananas, brown sugar, and side
dishes like vendhaya kolumbu (tamarind stew flavoured with fenugreek seeds and
lentils) or kuttu sambal (relish made from pounded coconut, onions, chilli and spices).
[20]
Putu Mayam - the Indian equivalent of rice noodles, also known as idiyappam.
Homemade versions tend to be eaten as an accompaniment to curried dishes or dal.
The street food version is typically served with grated coconut and orange-coloured
jaggery. In some areas, gula melaka is the favoured sweetener.
Roti tisu served as a savoury meal, pictured here with a glass of teh tarik.
Roti canai - a thin unleavened bread with a flaky crust, fried on a skillet with oil and
served with condiments. It is sometimes referred to as roti kosong. A host of
variations on this classic dish may be found at all Mamak eateries, either at the
creative whim of the cook or by customers' special request. A few examples include:
roti telur (fried with eggs), roti bawang (fried with thinly sliced onions), roti bom (a
smaller but denser roti, usually round in shape), roti pisang (banana), and so on.
Roti tissue - a variant of roti canai made as thin as a piece of 4050 cm round-shaped
tissue in density. It is then carefully folded by the cook into a tall, conical shape and
left to stand upright. Roti tissue may be served with curry gravy, dal and chutneys, or
finished off with sweet substances such as caramelised sugar and eaten as a dessert.
Teh tarik - literally meaning "pulled tea", teh tarik is a well-loved Malaysian drink.
Tea is sweetened using condensed milk, and is prepared using outstretched hands to
pour piping hot tea from a mug into a waiting glass, repetitively. The higher the
"tarik" or pull, the thicker the froth. The pulling also has the effect of cooling down
the tea. Teh tarik is an art form in itself and watching the tea streaming back and forth
into the containers can be quite captivating. Similar drinks and variants include kopi
tarik, or "pulled coffee" instead of tea; teh halia, tea brewed with ginger, and with or
without the tarik treatment; and teh madras, which is prepared with three separate
layers: milk at the bottom, black tea in the middle and foam at the top.[21]
Thosai, dosa or dosai - a soft crepe made from a batter of mashed urad dal and rice,
and left to ferment overnight. The batter is spread into a thin, circular disc on a flat,
preheated griddle. It may be cooked as it is for (which results in a foldable and soft
crepe), or a dash of oil or ghee is then added to the thosai and toasted for crispier
results.
Vadai, vada or vades - is a common term for many different types of savoury frittertype snacks originated from South India with a set of common ingredients. The most
common ingredients are lentils, chillis, onions and curry leaves.
East Malaysia
Across the sea from Peninsular Malaysia on Borneo island, lie the states of Sabah and
Sarawak. Traditional lifestyles and limited roads still predominate outside of the major cities,
especially in Sarawak, where rivers are the only major highways for much of the inland
population. The jungles of Borneo are teeming with wild plants, fungi, and fruits, and its
sweeping coastlines and many large rivers provide an abundance of seafood and freshwater
fish fit for the dinner table. A rich variety of traditional food has been developed by Borneo's
many tribes and indigenous groups over the centuries; much of it is healthy food, consisting
of foraged (now increasingly cultivated due to modernisation) and fermented foods. Because
much of the region was once under the Brunei Sultanate's thalassocracy, the Bruneian Malay
people have left a lasting culinary influence, particularly on the cookery of the coastal
Muslim communities of East Malaysia. According to the source paper written in 2006, the
Malaysian food industrial sector accounted for about 14% of the total manufacturing energy
consumption.[22]
Like Peninsular Malaysia, rice is the undisputed staple food for the majority of the people of
Sabah and Sarawak. Rice is central to Kadazandusun culture, and its paramount importance is
reflected in the annual Kaamatan festival, as well as traditional beliefs and customs since
antiquity which revolve around the veneration of rice spirits. But for other ethnic
communities throughout Sabah and Sarawak, cassava or tapioca tubers as well as sago starch
are also popular staples. The tapioca tuber is just as important as rice to the Bajau people of
Sabah, while the Dayak peoples of Sarawak make extensive use of both the tuber and leaves
of the tapioca plant in their cooking. Sago starch is derived from the pith extracted from the
sago palm, and is the staple food for the Melanau and the Penan peoples of Sarawak.[23]
Sago starch is prepared as a gooey and sticky paste by the Bisaya and Kedayan communities
called ambuyat, and is called linut by the Melanau. It is eaten by rolling the paste around the
prongs of a bamboo fork, and dipped it into soup, sambal, or other varieties of gravies and
dipping sauces. Aside from being the source for sago pith, the sago palm is a source of
another delicacy for the indigenous peoples of Borneo: the sago grub. Called butod in Sabah
and ulat mulong in Sarawak, sago grubs are typically eaten raw but also served deep fried,
roasted or sauteed.[citation needed]
Historically speaking, fresh produce is often scarce for hunter-gatherer nomadic tribes around
the world, thus it is usually preserved out of necessity for important events and festivals. The
tribal peoples of Sabah and Sarawak are no different - most of them have developed age-old
techniques for curing, fermenting or preserving their supplies of fresh meat, fruit and
vegetables. For example, during festive occasions the Murut people of Sabah would serve
tamba (jeruk or jaruk in the Malay language) made from fresh raw wild boar or river fish,
which is stuffed in bamboo tubes along with rice and salt and left to ferment for a few weeks,
a technique which is also practised by the Lun Bawang people across the border in Sarawak.
Fermented products are also frequently used as a cooking ingredient besides eaten on its own.
Dayak households in Sarawak may saute their version of fermented meat with garlic and
tapioca leaves (either fresh or pickled), and fermented tempoyak is a popular cooking
seasoning.[citation needed]
The production and consumption of traditional liquor plays an important cultural role for the
non-Muslim peoples of East Malaysia. Alcoholic drinks made from rice is the most common
form, as well as the widely available. In Sabah, the Penampang Kadazan lihing is perhaps the
most well known. Yet due to the historical lack of a standardised Kadazandusun language
used and understood statewide, ethnic groups from other districts in Sabah have very
different names for similar fermented rice-based drinks: hiing (certain Dusun languages),
kinomol, segantang, kinarung, kinopi, linahas, and even tapai[24][25] To add to the confusion,
tapai proper as understood by most Peninsular Malaysians is a fermented sweet and sour rice
paste served as a snack or dessert, although further fermentation of the tapai to produce
alcoholic drinks is possible. The preferred party drink of the Murut, made from the tuber of
the cassava or tapioca plant, is also called tapai.[25] The Iban of Sarawak call their rice wine
tuak, which must not be confused with Sabahan talak, which is a hard liquor made from rice.
To the native peoples of Sarawak, tuak may also refer to any alcoholic drink made from
fermenting any carbohydrate-rich substance besides rice.[citation needed]
Sabahan food
Sea grapes, known as latok by the Bajau people.

The food of Sabah reflects the ethnic diversity of its population and is very eclectic.
Traditional Kadazandusun cuisine involves mostly boiling or grilling and employs little use
of oil. From simple appetizers of seasoned unripe mango to a variety of pickled foods
collectively known as noonsom, tangy and pungent flavours derived from souring agents or
fermentation techniques is a key characteristic of traditional Kadazandusun cooking.[citation

needed]
Rice wine accompanies all Kadazandusun celebrations and rites, and at a Murut event
there will be rows upon rows of jars with fermented tapioca tapai.[25] Presently few eateries in
Sabah serve traditional indigenous dishes, although it will always be found during festive
occasions like weddings and funerals, as well as the Kaamatan and Kalimaran cultural
festivals. Chinese-influenced dishes like northern Chinese potstickers and Hakka stuffed tofu,
along with many original creations developed in Sabah's interior settlements by immigrants
from both northern and southern China throughout the 20th century, feature prominently on
the menus of many kopitiam establishments and upscale restaurants.[citation needed]
Sabah is notable for its excellent seafood, temperate produce and tea (Sabah tea has GI status)
grown in the highlands of Mt. Kinabalu, and a small coffee plantation industry with Tenom
coffee considered the best produce in the region. Local ingredients like freshwater fish, wild
boar (bakas in native dialects), bamboo shoots, wild ferns, and various jungle produce still
figure prominently in the daily diet of the local population. As a significant portion of rural
communities still subsist on agriculture as their primary source of income, small scale
festivals are even held each year at certain towns to celebrate produce vital to the livelihoods
of the local people: the Pesta Jagung of Kota Marudu, the Pesta Rumbia (sago) of Kuala
Penyu, and Pesta Kelapa from the town of Kudat.[26] Sabah vegetable, also known as cekuk
manis or sayur manis (Chinese : ), can be found on the menus of many eateries and
restaurants throughout the state of Sabah. It is one of the local terms used for a variety of
Sauropus albicans developed in Lahad Datu, which yields crunchy edible shoots in addition
to its leaves.[citation needed] The flavour is reminiscent of spinach but more complex, "as though it
had been fortified with broccoli and infused with asparagus",[27] and is typically stir-fried with
eggs or seasonings like sambal belacan.
Whether grilled, cured, deep-fried, steamed, stir-fried, braised, served raw, or made into
soups, Sabahs seafood is famed for its freshness, quality, and good value for money. A vast
variety of fish, cephalopods, marine crustaceans, shellfish, sea cucumbers and jellyfish have
become mainstays on lunch and dinner menus at kopitiam, restaurants, and humble food
shacks all over Kota Kinabalu and other coastal towns like Sandakan, Tawau, Lahad Datu
and Semporna. Seafood paired with noodles also figure prominently for breakfast, for each
day locals flock to speciality eateries where they may be served an assortment of fish-based
products to start the day. Examples include: poached patties handmade with fresh fish paste;
deep-fried fish cakes wrapped in tofu skin sheets; and noodle soups with toppings like sliced
fish fillet, fish balls, prawn balls, and fish innards. A few eateries even serve "noodles" rolled
out with fresh fish paste.[citation needed]
Edible seaweed is a traditional food for certain seaside communities throughout Sabah and
also possess GI status.[28] Latok is similar in appearance to clusters of green-hued fish eggs or
grapes, and is typically prepared as a salad by the Bajau people. Coral seaweed is another
popular seaplant product; in recent times it is marketed as a gourmet health food to both
locals and tourists, and is given the moniker of "sea bird's nest" (Chinese : ) as coral
seaweed acquires a similar gelatinous texture when dissolved in water.[citation needed]
Amplang.
Swordfish hinava served with sandwich bread

Among the foods and beverages particular to Sabah are:
Amplang is a type of cracker made from Spanish mackerel, tapioca starch and other
seasonings, and then deep fried.[29]
Bahar or baa is the Kadazandusun variant of palm wine made with sap collected
from the cut flower bud of a young coconut tree and a special type of tree bark called
rosok, endemic to the Tuaran district. Pieces of the rosok is dipped into the coconut
nectar during the fermentation process, which contributes a reddish hue to the final
product.[30]
Beaufort Mee (Chinese: ) is a speciality of Beaufort town. Handmade

noodles are smoked, then wok-tossed with meat (usually slices of char siu and
marinated pork) or seafood and plenty of choy sum, and finished off with a thick
viscous gravy.[31]
Bosou, also called noonsom or tonsom, is the Kadazandusun term for a traditional
recipe of tangy fermented meat. Smoked and pulverised buah keluak (nuts from the
Kepayang tree (Pangium edule) which grows in Malaysia's mangrove swamplands),
or pangi is a key ingredient and acts as a preservative. Combined with rice, salt and
fresh meat or fish, the mixture is then placed into a sealed jar or container for
fermentation. Contemporary variants for bosou add bananas and pineapples to the
mixture.[32] Pinongian is a variant where rice is omitted to produce a final product
which is much less tangy in taste; however, unlike bosou, "pinongian" must be cooked
before serving.
Hinava is a traditional Kadazandusun dish of raw fish cured in lime juice. Typically,
firm fleshed white fish like mackerel (hinava sada tongii) is marinated with lime
juice, sliced shallots, chopped chilli, julienned ginger and grated dried seed of the
bambangan fruit. Optional additions may include sliced bitter gourd. Hinava may also
be made with prawns (hinava gipan).
Lihing is a rice wine made exclusively from glutinous rice and natural yeast called
sasad. Bittersweet in taste profile, lihing is a speciality of the Kadazan Penampang
community, where it is still commonly brewed at home. Lihing can be used to make
chicken soup (Sup Manuk Lihing), used in marinades, or even as an ingredient for
meat pastries and stir-fried dishes. Commercially produced lihing, much pricier then
the homebrewed version but consistent in quality, is also available in select souvenir
shops. Lihing and similar rice wine variants from other Kadazandusun communities
may also be distilled to produce a hard liquor called montoku or talak.
Linongot is a type of leaf parcel (usually irik or tarap leaves) filled with a
combination of cooked rice and root vegetables like sweet potatoes and yam.[33]
Alternate names known by Kadazandusun communities in other districts include
linopod and sinamazan.[34]
Nasi kombos is a rice dish from the Lotud community.[34] Glutinous rice is first
cooked with young coconut water, and then mixed with the grated tender flesh of a
young coconut. The rice is traditionally served in a hollowed out coconut shell.[35]
Nonsoom bambangan is a pickle made from half ripe bambangan fruit mixed with
grated dried bambangan seed and salt, sealed in a tightly covered jar and left to
ferment for weeks.[36]
Ngiu chap () is a Chinese-influenced dish of beef or buffalo broth served with

noodles, usually immersed in the soup with slices of poached beef or buffalo meat,
meatballs, stewed brisket, tendon, liver and various offal parts. An iconic Sabahan
dish, ngiu chap has many different variations, from the lighter Hainanese style to
heartier Hakka-influenced flavours, and even village-style ngiu chap adapted for
indigenous tastes.[37]
Piaren Ah Manuk is a chicken curry made from a sauteed rempah base and grated
coconut, then braised in coconut milk. This dish is very popular in the Iranun
community.[38] Variants include fish (Piaren Ah Sada) and unripe jackfruit (Piaren Ah
Badak).
Pinasakan or Pinarasakan is a home-style Kadazandusun dish of fish simmered with

takob-akob (dried skin of a mangosteen-like fruit which functions as a souring agent)
or slices of unripe bambangan, as well as fresh turmeric leaves and rhizome.[39]
Sagol or sinagol is a Bajau speciality of fish which is first blanched and minced, then
sauteed with turmeric, garlic, ginger, onions and crushed lemongrass. Traditionally
the oil used is rendered fish liver oil, usually from the same fish used to prepare this
dish. This dish may be prepared with shark, stingray and even puffer fish.[28]
Sang nyuk mian (Chinese : ) is a dish of noodles served with pork broth,
originating from Tawau. Very popular with the non-Muslim communities of Sabah, it
is named after the poached-to-order slices of tender marinated pork served in pork
broth which is flavoured with fried lard bits. The noodles (usually thick yellow
noodles) are either dressed in dark soy and lard, or dunked into the soup along with
the aforementioned pork slices, vegetables, meatballs and offal.[40]
Sinalau refers to Kadazandusun style smoked meat, which is usually wild boar or
bakas. Barbecued on a char grill and eaten with rice and dipping sauces, sinalau bakas
can be found and purchased in rural areas and towns. Halal versions substitute wild
boar for other game meats like deer.[24]
Tinonggilan is a slightly sparkling alcoholic drink made from maize. Tinonggilan is a

Rungus specialty and is usually served during festive occasions, or as refreshments
for guests during the performance of a ritual dance called Mongigol Sumundai.[41]
Tompek is a Bajau food made from grated tapioca, eaten as an alternative starchy
staple to rice. The grated tapioca is squeezed to dry out mixture and crumbled, then
fried or toasted until golden brown.[42] Grated tapioca may also be packed into
cylindrical shapes and steamed until it forms into a chewy tubular cake called putu,
another traditional Bajau staple.[28]
Tuaran mee (Chinese: ) is a speciality of Tuaran town. This dish of wok

fried fresh handmade noodles is well known in the nearby city of Kota Kinabalu as
well as in neighbouring Tamparuli town, where the localised adaptation is called
Tamparuli mee (Chinese: ). The noodles must first be toasted with
oil in the wok to prevent it from clumping together, then blanched to reduce the stiff
crunchy texture from toasting. The final step involves stir frying the noodles to a dry
finish with eggs, vegetables, and meat or seafood.[31]
Tuhau (Etlingera coccinea) is a type of wild ginger, specifically the stems of the
same plant popularly served as a relish by the Kadazandusun community. The stems
are typically chopped up and served fresh with lime juice, or mixed with local chives
and chilli peppers then cured with salt and vinegar. A more recent recipe called
serunding tuhau involves slicing tuhau stems into thin floss-like shreds, which is then
sauteed until it becomes golden and crisp. It has a distinctive scent which is said to
have a polarising effect even among indigenous Sabahans.[39]
Sarawakian food
Sarawakian is quite distinct from the regional cuisines of the Peninsular. It is considered less
spicy, lightly prepared and with more emphasis on subtle flavours. The most important spice
in Sarawakian cuisine is pepper. Pepper is commercially produced on an industrial scale as a
cash crop, and the preferred choice by local cooks when heat is wanted in a dish. Granted GI
status by MyIPO, Sarawak black pepper is highly regarded by international culinary figures
such as Alain Ducasse.[43]
While the Iban comprise the largest Dayak subgroup as well as the most populous ethnic
group in Sarawak, much of the ethnic Iban population is still concentrated away from
Sarawak's main urban areas, congregating instead within longhouse communities scattered all
over the interior regions of the state. The traditional cookery of the Iban is called pansoh or
pansuh, which is the preparation and cooking of food in bamboo tubes. Ingredients like
poultry, fish, pork, vegetables or rice are mixed with fragrant herbs like lemongrass, tapioca
leaves and bungkang leaves (a species of myrtle from the Eugenia genus), then sealed within
the bamboo tubes and placed directly over an open fire. Cooking food this way will infuse it
with aroma and flavour from the bamboo tubes while keeping it moist.[citation needed]
During Dayak festivals or Gawai, the Iban would slaughter locally reared pigs. The pig would
be cleaned thoroughly after the slaughter, have its head and stomach removed, and the rest of
the pig would be cut into smaller pieces in preparation for barbecuing. The head and stomach
of a pig are usually put aside and prepared separately as they are considered the choicest parts
of the animal; hence pig's heads are a common edible gift brought by visitors to an Iban
longhouse, and dishes such as pork stomach cooked with pineapples are a must for Gawai.
[citation needed]
Sarawak is notable for its rice; currently three varieties grown in Sarawak has been granted
GI status by MyIPO.[44][45] Among the foods and beverages particular to Sarawak are:
Kolo mee
Laksa Sarawak
Teh C Peng Special
Belacan bihun is rice vermicelli dressed in a gravy made from ground chillies,
belacan, tamarind, and dried shrimp. It is garnished with cured cuttlefish, julienned
cucumber, bean sprouts and century egg wedges.[46]
Bubur pedas is a type of rice congee cooked with a specially prepared spice paste, or
rempah made from turmeric, lemon grass, galangal, chillies, ginger, coconut and
shallots. A fairly complex and spicy dish compared to most typical congee
preparations, Bubur Pedas is often prepared during the month of Ramadan and served
during the breaking of fast.[47]
Daun ubi tumbuk or pucuk ubi tumbuk is a preparation of cassava leaves (known
as empasak by the Iban) which has the consistency of pesto, and is widely eaten
among Sarawak's native communities.[48] The pounded leaves may be sauteed with
seasonings like anchovies and chilli,[49] stuffed into a bamboo tube and roasted over an
open fire, or simply boiled with shallot, fat and salt.
Ikan terubuk masin is salt-preserved toli shad, which is endemic to the coastal
waters of Sarawak, stretching from Sematan to Lawas.[50] It is considered an iconic
delicacy in Sarawak, and thus a prized edible gift.[51]
Kasam ensabi is a fermented vegetable pickle made from an indigenous cultivar of

mustard greens (ensabi) and is traditional to the Iban community.[52]
Kolo mee or mee kolok (Chinese: ) is a dish of springy egg noodles tossed in
a sweet and savoury shallot, lard and vinegar dressing, and topped with seasoned
minced pork and char siu. It is similar to Peninsular-style Hakka mee or wonton mee
in concept, but differs significantly in taste profile. A popular variant uses rendered oil
from cooking char siu to flavour kolo mee instead of plain lard, which gives the
noodles a reddish hue. Halal versions of kolo mee replace the pork components with
beef (earning the moniker of mee sapi) or chicken, and lard with peanut or vegetable
oil. Additional toppings can include mushrooms, chicken and crab meat. Kampua mee
(Chinese: ) is a similar dish from Sibu of Fuzhou origin.
Laksa Sarawak or Kuching Laksa (Chinese : ) is noodles (usually rice

vermicelli) served in an aromatic spiced coconut milk soup, topped with shredded
chicken, shredded omelette, bean sprouts, prawns, and garnished with coriander.[53]
Manok kacangma is a Chinese-influenced dish, traditionally taken by local women

for confinement after giving birth. It consists of chicken pieces cooked with ginger
and kacangma (Chinese: ), often seasoned with some Chinese wine or tuak by
non-Muslim cooks.[54]
Manok pansoh is the most typical Iban pansoh preparation of chicken seasoned with
bungkang leaves, lemongrass, ginger, and tapioca leaves, then stuffed into a bamboo
tube and roasted in the Uma Avok (traditional fireplace).[53] A related Bidayuh dish is
Asam Siok, with the addition of rice to the chicken mixture. These dishes are not
commonly found in urban eateries and restaurants due to the practicality of roasting a
bamboo tube over an open fire within a typical commercial kitchen.
Nasi goreng dabai is rice stir-fried with dabai (canarium odontophyllum), an

indigenous fruit found only in Sarawak.[55] It is often compared to an olive, due to
their similarity in appearance as well as taste.[56] As dabai is highly perishable and
seasonal in nature, this dish is also prepared with preserved dabai paste.
Nuba laya is cooked Bario rice which is mashed and wrapped in leaves of the
phacelophrynium maximum plant. It is considered the centerpiece of a meal for the
Lun Bawang and Kelabit people.[57] Accompaniments may include a small bowl of
porridge (kikid), shredded beef cooked with wild ginger and dried chilli (labo
senutuq), deboned shredded fish (a'beng), wild jungle vegetables prepared in various
ways, and so on.[58]
Sup Terung Dayak is a popular soup dish made with a native cultivar of wild
eggplant,[48] which is spherical in shape and slightly larger than a navel orange. Also
called terung asam due to its natural tart flavour, this eggplant species comes in bright
hues ranging from yellow to orange. Other ingredients for the soup may include fish,
prawns, or fish products (dried, salted or smoked fish).
Tebaloi is a sago biscuit snack which is traditionally associated with the Melanau
people of Sarawak.[59]
Three layer tea or Teh C Peng Special is an iced concoction of brewed tea,
evaporated milk and gula apong (nirah palm sugar) syrup, carefully presented un-
stirred in three or more layers.[53] Originally from Kuching, its popularity has spread to
other areas of Sarawak as well as neighbouring Sabah.
Tuak is a type of liquor traditional to Sarawak's Dayak communities. It is most

commonly made from fermented normal or glutinous rice, but there is no accepted
convention or definition on what constitutes tuak. Tuak is essentially an alcoholic
drink produced by fermenting anything that contains carbohydrates, as long as it is
made in Sarawak by Sarawakians.[60] with The Bidayuh in particular are known for
their skill and expertise in brewing tuak: ingredients for tuak variants include
sugarcane (tepui), tampoi (a wild fruit with a sweet and tart flavour), pineapples and
apples. Tuak is normally served as a welcoming drink to guests, and as an important
component for ritual events and festive occasions like Gawai and Christmas. Tuak
may also be distilled to make a spirit called langkau.
Umai is a traditional Melanau food, accompanied with a bowl of baked or toasted

sago pearls. There are two different versions of umai the traditional sambal campur
and a more contemporary variation called sambal cecah jeb. The former is a raw
seafood salad which consists of raw sliced seafood (anything from freshwater and
seawater fish, prawns and even jellyfish) cured in calamansi lime juice, tossed with
ground peanuts, sliced onions and chilies. For umai jeb, the raw sliced seafood is
undressed, and is simply dipped into a spicy sauce for consumption.[61]
White Lady is a chilled drink made with milk, mango juice, longan and pineapple.
Invented in 1975 by a Kuching hawker, multiple variations can be found in various
hawker stalls throughout the city.[62]
Cross-cultural adaptations and mixing cultures

Being a multicultural country, Malaysians have over the years adapted each other's dishes to
suit the taste buds of their own culture. For instance, Malaysians of Chinese descent have
adapted the Indian curry, and made it more dilute and less spicy to suit their taste. Chinese
noodles have been crossed with Indian and Malay tastes and thus Malay fried noodles and
Indian fried noodles were born. Malaysians have also adapted famous dishes from
neighbouring countries, or those with strong cultural and religious ties, and in the absence of
an established community from said countries have made it completely their own, A notable
example being tom yam, one of Thailand's most well known dishes.
After migrating south of the border, Thai tom yam takes on the visual characteristics of a
Malaysian assam gravy with a flavour profile of sweet, sour and spicy. It is thickened with
pounded chile paste which also turns it a vivid orange-red. Tamarind is often used instead of
lime juice as its souring agent, and dried instead of fresh chilies are used to provide a fiery
kick. Malay-style tom yam soup tends to be heavily seafood-based, whereas in Chinese-style
eateries the broth's spiciness is toned down and usually serves as a base for noodle soup.
Nyonya food
Peranakan cuisine, also called Nyonya food, was developed by the Straits Chinese whose
descendants reside in today's Malaysia and Singapore. The old Malay word nyonya (also
spelled nonya), a term of respect and affection for women of prominent social standing (part
"madame" and part "auntie"), has come to refer to the cuisine of the Peranakans. It uses
mainly Chinese ingredients but blends them with Malay ingredients such as coconut milk,
lemon grass, turmeric, tamarind, pandan leaves, chillies and sambal. It can be considered as a
blend of Chinese and Malay cooking, with influences from Indonesian Chinese cuisine (for
the Nyonya food of Malaccan and Singaporean) and Thai cuisine (for Penang Nyonya
cuisine). Traditional Nyonya cooking is often very elaborate, labour-intensive and time
consuming, and the Peranakan community often consider the best Nyonya food is to be found
in private homes.
Main article: Peranakan cuisine
A bowl of Asam laksa

Examples of Nyonya dishes include:
Asam Laksa (Malay: ). Considered one of Penang's three signature dishes,

Asam laksa is similar to the Malay laksa utara, which consists of a bowl of
translucent al dente rice noodles served in a spicy soup made of minced fish (usually
mackerel), tamarind, asam gelugur, and daun kesum. Toppings differ considerably,
and may include onion, mint, chopped torch ginger flower, and slices of pineapple
and cucumber. A dollop of pungent, viscous shrimp paste is usually served on the
side.
Ayam buah keluak, a chicken stew cooked with the nuts from the Kepayang tree
(Pangium edule). For this recipe, the contents of the buah keluak is dug out and
sauteed with aromatics and seasonings, before it is stuffed back into the nuts and
braised with the chicken pieces.
Ayam/Babi Pongteh, a stew of chicken or pork cooked with tauchu or salted

fermented soy beans, and gula melaka. It is usually saltish-sweet and can be
substituted as a soup dish in Peranakan cuisine.
Babi assam, a pork stew cooked with tamarind juice. The Kristang community also
cook a similar dish of pork in tamarind gravy.
Enche Kabin, deep fried chicken pieces marinated in a paste of coconut milk and
rempah.
Itik Tim or Kiam Chye Ark Th'ng is a soup of duck, preserved mustard greens and
cabbage flavoured with nutmeg, Chinese mushrooms, tomatoes and peppercorns.
Jiu Hu Char is a dish made up mainly of shredded vegetables like turnip or jicama,
carrot, and cabbage and fried together with thinly shredded dried cuttlefish.
Kari Kapitan is a Penang Nyonya speciality, where kaffir lime leaves and deep fried
shallots are among the key ingredients for this mild curry.
Kerabu Bee Hoon is a salad dish consisting of rice vermicelli mixed with sambal
belacan, calamansi lime juice, and finely chopped herbs and spices.
Kiam Chye Boey is a mixture of leftovers from Kiam Chye Ark Th'ng, Jiew Hu Char,
Tu Thor Th'ng and various other dishes. "Boey" literally means "end".
Laksa lemak is a type of laksa served in a rich coconut gravy, served with prawns,
cockles, lime and a dollop of sambal belacan.
Masak titik is a style of vegetable soup that makes liberal use of white peppercorns.
One version uses watermelon rind as the main ingredient. Another makes use of green
or semi ripe papaya.
Nasi kunyit - glutinous rice seasoned with turmeric powder, coconut milk and asam
gelugur. It is usually served with a chicken curry, ang koo kueh, and pink-dyed hardboiled eggs as gifts in celebration of a child of friends and family turning one month
old.
Nyonya chap chye - the Nyonya take of this Chinese Indonesian classic incorporates
tauchu and dried or fresh prawns.
Otak-otak - a dish involving fish pieces wrapped in banana leaves. Two very
different variations exist: one consists of a mixture of fish pieces and spice paste
wrapped in banana leaves and char grilled. This version is particularly associated with
the state of Malacca and the town of Muar, Johor. Penang-style otak-otak takes the
form of a delicate steamed parcel, and the robust red-hued spice paste is eschewed in
favour of a base of a spiced custard as well as aromatic herbs like daun kaduk.
Perut ikan - a spicy stew (similar to asam pedas in flavour profile) comprising
mainly vegetables/herbs and getting its distinctive taste mainly from fish bellies
preserved in brine and daun kaduk (The Wild Pepper leaf is from the Piper stylosum
or the Piper sarmentosum). A classic Penang Nyonya dish.
Roti babi - a sandwich of spiced minced pork, dipped in its entirety in egg wash and
deep fried. Roti babi is typically served with a dip of Worcestershire sauce and sliced
red chillies.
Seh Bak - a dish of pork marinated overnight with herbs and spices, then cooked over
a slow fire and simmered to tenderness. Seh Bak is also traditional to Malacca's
Eurasian community.
Ter Thor T'ng - this soup of pig stomach requires a skilled cook to prepare and
deodorise the ingredients thoroughly before cooking. Its main ingredients are pig
stomach and white peppercorns.
Eurasian food
Ambilla - a tangy dish of meat cooked with long beans (kacang), brinjals (terung) or
pumpkin (labu).
Caldu Pescator - A seafood soup traditionally prepared by fishermen, as well as

during the Feast of St Peter ("Festa San Pedro", in the local Cristang dialect, usually
observed on 29 June), the Patron Saint of Fishermen.
Curry Debal - a quintessential Kristang dish, usually cooked during Christmas

season to make use of the left-over meats from feasting. It is a very spicy curry
flavoured with candlenuts, galangal and vinegar.
Curry Seku - a very dry curry prepared in a wok. Seku means "bottom" in Papia
Kristang, and the wok was probably so-named because of the roundness of its shape
that resembled the human bottom.
Chicken pie -, this meat pie, known as empada de galinha or galinha pia, is usually
served during Christmas season and other special occasions.
Feng - a curried dish of pig offal, traditionally served for Christmas.
Pang Susi - a savoury meat bun with a dough that is bread-like and sweet in texture,
made for auspicious and festive occasions such as Easter.
Pesce Assa - Portuguese baked/grilled fish is one of the Kristang community's most
famous specialties, now found in major urban areas throughout Malaysia. The fish is
smothered with diced lady's fingers and a robust sambal, before it is wrapped in
banana leaves as well as a layer of metal foil, and then cooked on a grill. In spite of its
name, this dish has little in common with modern Portuguese fish recipes.
Semur or Smoore - a fragrant beef stew. Versions of this dish are found wherever the
Dutch have settled in Asia, including Malacca.
Soy Limang - a braised dish of fried brinjals, with soy sauce and lime juice as the
primary seasonings.
Desserts and sweets
Ais kacang
Batik cake
Desserts and sweets in Malaysia are diverse, due to the multi-ethnic and multicultural
characteristics of its society. Traditional Malay and Nyonya desserts tend to share a common
feature however: generous amounts of coconut milk are used, and the finished product
usually flavoured with gula melaka (palm sugar) and pandan leaves. Some notable desserts
include:
Agar agar - the Malay word for a species of red algae. A natural vegetarian gelatin
counterpart, agar-agar is used to make puddings and flavoured jellies like almond
tofu, as well as fruit aspics.
Ais kacang - also known as air batu campur or abbreviated as ABC, this dessert
consists of a base of shaved ice, coloured syrup, and evaporated or condensed milk
with a variety of toppings. These may include sweet corn kernels, red beans, kidney
beans, cincau (grass jelly), cendol, buah atap (fruit of the nipa palm), soaked basil
seeds, peanuts, and ice cream.
Aiskrim potong - an ice cream popsicle made from coconut milk or milk, flavoured
with localised ingredients like red beans, rose syrup, durian, pandan, creamed corn
and jackfruit. Its texture is different from Western ice cream; aiskrim potong is less
creamy and has a slightly starchy taste when it begins to melt.[63]
Batik cake - a type of chocolate cake similar like the hedgehog slice made using
Marie biscuit.
Bolu cocu - a traditional Kristang cake topped with liberal amounts of shredded
coconut and served with a custard sauce.[64]
Bubur cha cha - a Nyonya dessert of bananas, sweet potatoes, taro, black eyed beans
and sago pearls cooked in pandan-flavoured coconut milk. May be served hot or cold.
Bubur kacang hijau - mung bean porridge cooked with coconut milk and sweetened
with palm or cane sugar. It is called canje mungoo by the Kristang community, and is
usually served in conjunction with the feast day of St John the Baptist (Festa da San
Juang).
Bubur pulut hitam, without coconut milk.
Sarawak layered cake.
Bubur pulut hitam - black glutinous rice porridge cooked with palm sugar and
pandan leaves, served hot with coconut milk.
Cendol - smooth green-coloured droplets made from mung bean or rice flour, usually
served by itself in chilled coconut milk and gula melaka, or as a topping for ABC. In
Malacca, mashed durian is a popular topping for cendol.
Coconut candy - a confection of grated coconut, sugar, condensed milk, flavouring

and colouring, coconut candies are a popular sweet served at homes during festive
occasions and available at restaurants specialising in Indian sweets.[65]
Dadih - a Malay dairy-based dessert made from milk, sugar and salt which has been
acidified with whey (obtained by fermenting milk overnight with asam gelugur) and
steamed to form a custard like texture. Although popular in contemporary recipes,
agar agar is not used as a gelling agent for authentic dadih.[66]
Dodol - a sweet, sticky, and thick toffee-like confection, made with heavily reduced
coconut milk, jaggery, and rice flour. Commonly served during festivals such as Eid
ul-Fitr and Eid al-Adha as sweet treats for children.
Halva or Halwa - the term refers to a range of dense and sweet confections in
Malaysia bearing similar names, though they may have little in common in terms of
ingredients and texture. Various types of fudge-like flour and nut-based halva cooked
with ghee, which are based on traditional recipes brought over from India, are
commonly available at specialist sweet shops and regularly prepared by the Indian
communities for festive occasions.[20] The Malay community have different recipes for
a range of confectionery bearing similar names, which includes candied fruit[67] and
Halwa Maskat, a gelatinous jelly made from flour, ghee and pieces of fruit or nut
which is similar in texture to Turkish delight.[68]
Hinompuka - a native Sabahan steamed confection traditionally wrapped in banana

or irik (phacelophrynium maximum) leaves. Sold in local markets and is also an
essential food item for celebrating weddings, birthdays and festivals, hinompuka is
made with a moistened blend of pounded white glutinous rice and purplish-black
glutinous rice (tadung) sweetened with brown or palm sugar. Kadazandusun
communities beyond Sabah's West Coast Division make similar desserts but are
known under different names, including but not limited to bintanok, lompuka,
tinapung, and pais. Variations include the substitution of rice flour batter with grated
tapioca or mashed corn kernels; banana leaves or coconut husks as alternative
wrappers; and the addition of ripe bananas or freshly grated coconut to the starchy
mixture.
Ladoo - the most popular of all Indian sweetmeats in Malaysia, particularly during
Diwali/Deepavali season, ladoo comes in many different flavours. A typical ladoo
recipe involves cooking chickpea flour, semolina and ground coconut in ghee.[69]
Leng Chee Kang (Chinese : ) - a mixture of cooked ingredients immersed in a

sweet soup. Ingredients vary greatly depending on the cook, but lotus seed is always
the primary ingredient, and the soup may include dried longan, white fungus, barley,
kembang semangkuk jelly and rock sugar as secondary ingredients.[70] Leng Chee
Kang may be served warm or cold.
Matterhorn - crushed ice with pineapples, longan, cendol, grass jelly and lemon
slices. The Kuching hawker who came up with this popular dessert as well as the
original White Lady drink was inspired by the Matterhorn, an ice-capped mountain on
the Swiss-Italian border.[62]
Mooncake (Chinese : ) - round or rectangular pastries with a rich thick filling,

traditionally eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival and accompanied with Chinese
tea. Both the traditional baked mooncake and the snow skin version are popular and
widely available in Malaysia during the festival season.[71]
Nanggiu - a Kadazandusun dessert, which consists of jelly noodles made from fresh
sago flour cooked in a coconut milk soup sweetened with palm sugar.[35]
Pandan cake - coloured and flavoured with pandan juice, this light and fluffy cake is
also known as pandan chiffon.
Payasam - a sweet spiced pudding made from starchy staples like rice or vermicelli,
payasam is an integral part of traditional South Indian culture.
Pengat - a soupy dessert cooked with gula melaka and coconut milk. Also known as
serawa, pengat is made with pieces of fruit like banana, jackfruit and durian, or root
vegetables like sweet potatoes and tapioca. It may be reduced further into a thick
dipping sauce and served with glutinous rice, roti jala, or pancakes (lempeng).
Pisang goreng - a common snack sold by street vendors, battered fried bananas are
also served in a more elaborate manner at some cafes and restaurants as a dessert.
Cempedak and various tuber vegetables are also battered and fried in the same
manner as variations.
Puding Diraja - also known as Royal Pudding, this dessert was developed and served
to the royal family of Pahang state. Its basic ingredients are pisang lemak manis (a
local cultivar of banana), evaporated milk, prunes, candied cherries and cashew nuts.
The pudding is garnished with jala emas, and served with a cold sauce made from
milk and cornflour. Nowadays it is popularly served during Ramadan, as well as a
special afternoon tea treat for the family on weekends.[72]
Sago pudding - a dessert of cooked translucent sago pearls, which may be served as a
liquid dessert with coconut milk and palm sugar, or allowed to set as a pudding (sagu
gula melaka) and drizzled with thickened coconut milk and gula melaka syrup.
Sarawak layer cake - these famously intricate layer cakes are essential for festive
occasions celebrated throughout Sarawak, like Hari Raya, Chinese New Year, Gawai
and Christmas.
Sugee cake - a baked speciality of the Eurasian community, made with semolina flour
and a high concentration of egg yolks.
Tangyuan (Chinese : or ) - plain white or coloured sweet dumplings made

from glutinous rice flour. Traditionally homemade and eaten during Yuanxiao
(Chinese : ) as well as the Dongzhi Festival (Chinese : ), tangyuan is now
available year around sold as dessert. Tangyuan dumplings with filling are usually
served in a lightly sweetened clear syrup, while unfilled ones are served as part of a
sweet dessert soup.
Tapai - a popular dessert at Malay homes throughout Peninsular Malaysia during Hari
Raya, made from fermented glutinous rice or tapioca.[73] Tapai may be eaten on its
own, or served with contemporary toppings like ice cream, chocolate and fruit.[74] Not
to be confused with the alcoholic beverage from Sabah, also known as tapai, which is
made from the same ingredients and with similar methods but have undergone
advanced stages of fermentation to produce alcoholic content.[24]
Tau foo fah or Dau Huay (Chinese : or ) - a velvety pudding of very soft
silken tofu, traditionally flavoured with a brown sugar syrup.
UFO tart (Chinese : ) - this consists of a flat, thin base of baked mini butter
sponge cake topped with a creamy egg custard, which is in turn crowned with a
meringue slurry.[75] Its name in Chinese literally means "cow pile dung", which alludes
to the piped shape of the cake base's toppings and the meringue's darker shade as a
result of caramelisation. Popularized by a Hainanese bakery in Sandakan in the 1950s,

the popularity of these treats has spread to Kota Kinabalu and several other towns in
Sabah.[76]
Vegetarianism in Malaysia
A typical serve of banana leaf rice, without any meat preparations.

(October 2015) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
As of 2012, about one million people within Malaysia's total population are practising
vegetarians, and vegetarian food is much easier to obtain when dining out compared to the
past. However, because of the heavy emphasis on meat and seafood by traditional Malay
cuisine as well as the common inclusion of shrimp paste and other seafood products in many
local dishes, diners may find it difficult to negotiate their way around menus in search of pure
vegetarian or vegan food. Restaurants which display signage with the words sayur sayuran
should offer a decent variety of food for diners who abstain from meat. Even restaurants that
specialise in meat and seafood will make vegetarian dishes upon request.
Over 80% of Malaysian Chinese identify themselves as Buddhists, and some follow a
vegetarian diet at least some of the time. Some Chinese restaurants offer an exclusively
vegetarian menu (Chinese : , ) featuring Chinese dishes which resemble meat dishes
in look and even taste, like "roast pork", fried "fish" with "skin" and "bones", and "chicken
drumsticks" complete with a "bone". These vegetarian restaurants are run by proprietors who
abstain from consumption of animal products as well as strong tasting vegetables and spices
as way of life for religious reasons, and are essentially vegan. The meat analogues used are
often locally produced as opposed to imported, and are made solely from ingredients like soy,
gluten, mushrooms and tuber vegetables. Buddhist vegetarian restaurants are likely to be
found in areas with a high concentration of Chinese, and tend to be especially busy on certain
festive days where many Buddhists temporarily adopt a strict vegetarian diet for at least a
day.
Vegetarianism has a long and revered tradition in Indian culture. Some Malaysian Indians are
born and bred vegetarians who often hail from a family line with generations of
vegetarians.Some others practice vegetarianism on auspicious festivals such as Thai Ponggal,

Hindu New Year, Deepavali, Full Moon Prayers and on certain days of the week as a symbol
of respect when they visit holy temples. Being vegetarian prior to fulfilling a vow is also a
common practice in order to bring the body to a neutral and focused state, both physically
and mentally for fulfilling vows during Thaipusam and other holy prayer events. Indian
dishes which comprise of South Indian and North Indian type of dishes revolve around the
ancient concept of Ayurveda and are known to include arusuvai or 6 different types of tastes.
Some Indian vegetarian dishes may incorporate dairy products and honey, and are properly
termed lacto vegetarian. Some others are heavily based on lavish coconut milk and
nuts.There are many Indian eateries and restaurants in Malaysia which do offer a pure
vegetarian menu. South Indian restaurants in particular offer no shortage of meatless options
such as Thali meal, also known as banana leaf rice, which is often vegetarian by default, and
a wide array of sweets, snacks and light meals such as kesari, tose, idli, uppuma, vade, aviyal,
idiyappam and paniyaram, to name a few.
See also
Food portal
Cuisine of Singapore
Ipoh cuisine
List of Malaysian dishes
Penang cuisine
Chef Wan, celebrity chef
Zamzani Abdul Wahab, celebrity chef "Chef Zam"
References
1.
^ Joe Bindloss (2008). Kuala Lumpur, Melaka & Penang. Ediz. Inglese.
Lonely Planet. ISBN 978-1-74104-485-0.
2.
^ Kosaku Yoshino. "Malaysian Cuisine: A Case of Neglected Culinary

Globalization" (PDF). Sophia University Institute of Comparative Culture, Tokyo. p. 3.
Retrieved 2 May 2014.
3.
^ Melati Mohd Ariff (16 April 2008). "Malaysia's Rice Industry: A Revamp
Needed?". Federal Agricultural and Marketing Authority. Bernama. Retrieved 19
July 2014.
4.
^ Sri Owen (January 1996). The Rice Book: The Definitive Book on the Magic
of Rice, with Hundreds of Exotic Recipes from Around the World. St. Martin's Griffin.
ISBN 978-0-312-14132-5.
5.
^ "Manufacturing the fastest growing sector". New Straits Times. 17 January

1994. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
6.
^ "Can Kedah Maintain Its National Rice Bowl Status In Next 10 Years?".
Bernama. 18 August 2005. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
7.
^ "Frequently Asked Questions". Malaysia Rice. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
8.
^ Dwayne A. Rules (7 April 2011). "Nasi lemak, our 'national dish'". The Star.
Retrieved 6 November 2013.
9.
^ Robert Saunders (1789) "Boutan & Thibet", Philosophical Transactions of

the Royal Society Vol. 79, p. 101
10.
^ "McDonald's Menu". McDonald's Malaysia. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
11.
^ "Malaysia Poultry and Products Annual 2006". The Poultry Site. 10

September 2006. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
12.
^ "Australian Halal Meat Information". Australian Meat. Retrieved 21

November 2014.
13.
^ Syed Nadzri Syed Harun (21 August 2012). "Digesting Raya in the 21st
century". New Straits Times. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
14.
^ "Vegetable production in Cameron Highlands down by 20 per cent". The

Star/Asia News Network. AsiaOne. 25 January 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
15.
^ "List of Registered Geographical Indication". Statistics - Intellectual

Property Corporation of Malaysia. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
16.
^ "Technical Document Carambola for Market Access on Star Fruit

(Carambola)" (PDF). Crop Protection and Plant Quarantine Services Division,
Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry, Malaysia. International Plant
Protection Convention. 2004. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
17.
^ https://books.google.com.au/books?
id=_MkeiYC5g2kC&pg=PA17&lpg=PA17&dq=mee+rebus+mamak+muslim&source
=bl&ots=8ARnZJaWIi&sig=Ge9xHkpD9ALNODIVHH0dJPr3Q0Q&hl=en&sa=X&
ved=0ahUKEwjR5fq89dDKAhVnXaYKHc2PBAIQ6AEILzAE#v=onepage&q&f=fa
lse
18.
^ Aida Ahmad; Robert Kennard (8 February 2012). "Thousands fulfil their

vows during Thaipusam". The Star. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
19.
20.
^ http://www.maggi.com.my/recipe/107/maggi-goreng-mamak
^ a b c Priya Menon; Vijenthi Nair (11 April 2014). "Many Indians celebrate
their new year in March and April". The Star. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
21.
^ Borneo. Ediz. Inglese. Lonely Planet. 2008. pp. 97. ISBN 978-1-74059105-8.
22.
^ Ali, M. (2012). Energy and emission analysis in the malaysian food

industries (3rd ed., Vol. 32, pp. 777-83). Wiley Online Library.
23.
^ Diana Rose (3 October 2010). "Good old sago". The Star. Retrieved 19 July
2014.
24.
^ a b c "PETRONASKaamatan Episode 2: Traditional Food". PETRONAS. 27

June 2013. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
25.
^ a b c "Lihing - Sabah's very own rice wine". Flying Dusun. Retrieved 26

March 2014.
26.
^ "Sabah Festivals - Sabah Annual Events". Sabah.com. Retrieved 26 March

2014.
27.
^ Konstantim Kakaes (14 August 2014). "Sayur Manis: Delicious, But Also
Deadly, Greens From Borneo". National Public Radio. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
28.
^ a b c Nazri Mustapha (10 April 2012). "Uniknya 'Gipsi Laut' Semporna" (in
Malay). Utusan Malaysia. Retrieved 29 March 2014.
29.
^ "Amplang". Department of Fisheries, Malaysia. Archived from the original

on 16 August 2014. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
30.
^ "Bahar". Kampung Panjut official website. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
31.
^ a b Lydia Koh (2 December 2014). "Sabah noodles (and more) right here in
Petaling Jaya". Malay Mail. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
32.
^ "Preserved pork delicacy". Daily Express. 30 October 2013. Retrieved 26

March 2014.
33.
^ Ruben Sario (2 May 2011). "Month-long Kaamatan festivities kick off in

Sabah". The Star. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
34.
^ a b "Rice in Many Forms". New Sabah Times. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
35.
^ a b M.L.C. George; Cervantes, E.P. (eds.) (2009). Coconut recipes from

around the world. Bioversity International. pp. 319. ISBN 978-92-9043-806-9.
36.
^ "Nonsoom Bambangan (preserved Bambangan fruit)". New Sabah Times.

10 July 2008. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
37.
^ Patricia Hului (10 June 2014). "Ngiu Chap Sarawak Style". The Borneo
Post. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
38.
^ "Piaren Ah Manuk". The Australian. 16 May 2015. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
39.
^ a b Nova Renata Piusai. "Traditional Sabahan Gastronomic Adventure!".

New Sabah Times. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
40.
^ King Kong (8 October 2012). "Tawau (Maps)". Axian.my. Retrieved 26

March 2014.
41.
^ Herman Scholtz. "The Rungus The Art of Blending Traditional Life-Style

into the 20th Century". The Flying Dusun. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
42.
^ "Missing the taste of home". New Straits Times. 20 March 2013. Retrieved
29 March 2014.
43.
^ "Alain Ducasse's Nature". Lifestyle Mirror. 29 February 2012. Retrieved 26

March 2014.
44.
^ Johnson K Saai (26 October 2011). "Rice self-sufficiency crucial". The

Borneo Post. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
45.
^ Samuel Aubrey (6 October 2013). "Bario rice enjoying new lease of life".
The Borneo Post. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
46.
^ Jonathan Chia (7 June 2010). "Sarawak "belacan beehoon": An all-time

favourite". The Borneo Post. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
47.
^ Vanes Devindran (18 August 2010). "Bubur pedas a must-have for buka
puasa". The Star. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
48.
^ a b "BHF2008". Borneo Hornbill Festival. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
49.
^ Bridgette Donald (30 June 2013). "A Unique Dining Experience". New
Sarawak Tribune. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
50.
^ "Studies show Sarawak terubuk changes gender as it matures". The Borneo

Post. 25 October 2014. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
51.
^ Vanes Devindran (3 April 2014). "Terubuk masin dapat sambutan orang

ramai". The Borneo Post. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
52.
^ Othman Ishak (8 June 2013). "Iban traders at Sibu Central Market enjoy
brisk business". The Borneo Post. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
53.
^ a b c "Teh C Peng Special". Pullman Kuching Hotel. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
54.
^ Raymond Tan (23 November 2014). "The showbiz star from Balingian".
Borneo Post. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
55.
^ Zaain Zin (30 August 2013). "Keenakan nasi goreng dabai". Utusan
Sarawak. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
56.
^ Ronnie Teo (18 November 2010). "'Uniquely Sarawak' soaps". Borneo Post.
Retrieved 7 June 2015.
57.
^ "Forest feast". The Star. 24 December 2006. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
58.
59.
^ Dave Avran (15 November 2012). "Tribal Scoops: Traditional Kelabit

offering". Free Malaysia Today. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
^ "The making of Tebaloi". Sarawak Tourism Board. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
60.
^ Michael Cheang (25 August 2013). "Spirit of the harvest". The Star.
Retrieved 19 July 2014.
61.
^ Ng Ai Fern (31 March 2014). "Unravelling the delicacies of Melanau food".

FZ.com. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
62.
^ a b Yu Ji (5 April 2010). "Hui Sing Hawker Centre boasts creative hawkers

and raw ambience". The Star. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
63.
^ "Imbau kenangan aiskrim potong" (in Malay). Harian Metro. 15 January

64.
^ Naveen Mathew Menon (2 March 2012). "Cristang cuisine soars on KLM".

New Straits Times. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
65.
^ Faridah Begum (27 July 2008). "Sweet and comforting". The Star. Retrieved
19 July 2014.
66.
^ Nifea; R. Ahmad; A.A. Putra (2012). "Effect of milk powder, sugar and
citric acid on chemical and organoleptic properties of jackfruit-flavoured Malaysian
dadih" (PDF). Asian Journal of Food and Agro-Industry. pp. 135140. ISSN 19063040. Retrieved 22 November 2014.
67.
^ Zazali Musa (15 August 2013). "Octogenarian continues to make delicacy

despite it being a tedious affair". The Star. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
68.
^ Syed Nadzri Syed Harun (21 August 2012). "Digesting Raya in the 21st
century". New Straits Times. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
69.
^ "Diwali is sweeter with ladoo". The Star. Asia News Network. 22 October
70.
^ Sangeetha Nair (20 January 2008). "Cooling sensation". The Star. Retrieved
19 July 2014.
71.
^ Eu Hooi Khaw (13 September 2013). "Mooncakes to love". The Malaysian

Insider. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
72.
^ "Puding Diraja Sajian Istimewa Rakyat Pahang Semasa Ramadan".

Bernama (in Malay). Yahoo! News. 17 July 2013. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
73.
^ Sulaiman Jaafar (30 July 2013). "Tapai pulut is a favourite dessert at many
homes during Hari Raya". New Straits Times. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
74.
^ Grace Chen (13 April 2008). "Dare to be different". The Star. Retrieved 19
July 2014.
75.
^ Swee Har (24 January 2014). "". Air Asia (in Chinese).
Travel3Sixty. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
76.
^ UFO on Astro on YouTube
External links
Media related to Cuisine of Malaysia at Wikimedia Commons
Malaysian cuisine by ethnicity
Common dishes
Ambuyat
Ayam bakar
Ayam goreng
Ayam masak kicap
Ayam masak merah
Asam pedas
Porridge
Malay
o Bubur asyura
o Bubur kacang hijau
o Bubur lambuk
o Bubur pedas
o Bubur pulut hitam
Gulai
Ikan bakar
Ikan goreng
Ketupat
Lemang
Lontong
Mee bandung Muar
Nasi ambeng
Nasi dagang
Nasi goreng
Nasi goreng pattaya
Nasi kerabu
Nasi lemak
Nasi tumpang
Nasi ulam
Pulot tartal
Rendang
Rojak
Sata
Satay
o Satay celup
Sup Kambing
Ulam
Bakkwa
Bak kut teh
Chinese
Banmian
Bean sprouts chicken
Char kway teow
Char siu
Chai tow kway
Chee cheong fun
Chwee
Claypot chicken rice
Curry Mee
Duck soup noodles
Economy rice/Mixed rice
Fish ball
Hainanese chicken rice
Heong peng
Hokkien mee
Kangkung belacan
Kaya toast
Loh bak
Lor mee
Mee pok
Oyster omelette
Pan mee
Pao
Popiah
Tong sui
Wonton mee
Yong tau foo
Yusheng
Yutiao
Peranakan
Indian
Asam laksa/Laksa lemak
Cap cai
Mee siam
Nyonya Bak Chang
Otak-otak
Banana leaf rice
Chapati
Fish head curry
Fish molee
Gulai
Idli
Mee goreng
o Maggi goreng
o Mee goreng mamak
Indigenous
Mee rebus
Mamak Rojak (Rojak Klang)
Murtabak
Nasi biryani
Nasi kandar
Pasembur
Puri
Putu mayam
Roti canai
Roti prata
Roti tissue
Sup kambing
Thosai
Bosou
Hinava
Linatan
Linongot
Manok pansoh
Midin
Nasi kombos
Nasi laru
Nasik aruk
Other
Tonokon
Tuhau
Umai
American fried rice
Nasi paprik
Pecal
Ramly burger
Soto
o Mee soto
Cakes
Keropok
Tauhu goreng
Ang Ku/Ku
Batik cake
Sarawak cake
Amplang
Lekor
Rempeyek
Apam balik
Bahulu
Bingka
Borasa
Snacks
Kuih
Cakoi
Cincin
Cokodok/Jemput-jemput
Dodol
Jala
Jelurut
Karipap
Kelupis
Kochi
Gelang
Goyang
Gulung
Kasturi
Lapis
Lidah
Makmur
Otokon
Pais
Pie tee
Pinjaram
Pisang goreng
Putu piring
Desserts
Sapit/Gulong/Kapit
Seri Muka
Tat/Tae
Lamban
Punjung
Roti john
Tapai
Wajid
Nonalcoholic
Drinks
ABC
Bandung
Cendol
Cincau
Chrysanthemum tea
Ginger tea
Ipoh white coffee
Milo Dinosaur
Soy milk
Teh tarik
Tenom coffee
Bahar
Alcoholic
Jaz
Kinomol
Lihing
Montoku
Sagantang
Sikat
Tapai
Tuak
Acar
Kaya
Sambal
o Belacan
Spices, seasonings and

flavourings etc.
o Budu
o Cincalok
o Tempoyak
Tuhau
See also: List of Malaysian dishes
Malaysia articles
History
Timeline
Prehistoric
Portuguese Malacca
Dutch Malacca
British Malaya
o Straits Settlements
o Federated Malay States
o Unfederated Malay States
British Borneo
o Kingdom of Sarawak
o Crown Colony of Labuan
o North Borneo
Japanese occupation of Malaya /

Borneo
British Military Administration

(Malaya / Borneo)
Malayan Union
Federation of Malaya
o Independence
Malayan Emergency
Crown Colony of Singapore

o Self-government
Crown Colony of Sarawak

o Self-government
Crown Colony of North Borneo

o Self-government
Malaysia Agreement
1962 Singapore referendum
Cobbold Commission
o 18-point agreement
o 20-point agreement
IndonesiaMalaysia confrontation
Proclamation
o Malaysia Day
Geograp
hy
PAPUMNO relations
1964 race riots
Singapore in Malaysia
13 May Incident
1988 Malaysian constitutional crisis
1997 Asian financial crisis
Cities, towns and villages
Districts
Divisions
East Malaysia
Environment
Fauna
Flora
World Heritage Sites
Islands
Lakes
Mountains
National parks
Peninsular Malaysia
Rivers
States
Cabinet
Constitution
Elections
Foreign relations
Government
Human rights
Judiciary
Law
Law enforcement
Military
Monarchies
Parliament
Political parties
Prime Minister
State legislative assemblies
Head of state
Agriculture
Politics
Economy
Banks
o Central bank
Energy
Federal budget
Ringgit (currency)
States by GDP
Science and technology
Stock exchange
Telecommunications
Tourism
Transport
Unions
Crime
Demographics
Society
o Malaysians
Education (Universities)
Ethnic groups
Health
Income disparity
Languages
Poverty
Religion
Water supply and sanitation
Women
Architecture
Cinema
Cuisine
Folklore
o Mythology
Culture
Symbol
s
Outline
Literature
Malay lordship
Media
Music
Names
Public holidays
Sport
Animal
Anthem
Emblem
Flag
Flower
Pledge
Index
Category
Asian cuisine
Sovereign
states
Afghanistan
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Bhutan
Brunei
Burma (Myanmar)
Cambodia
China
East Timor (Timor-Leste)
Egypt
Georgia
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Israel
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
North Korea
South Korea
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Lebanon
Malaysia
Maldives
Mongolia
Nepal
Oman
Pakistan
Philippines
Qatar
Russia
Saudi Arabia
Singapore
Sri Lanka
Syria
Tajikistan
States with
limited
recognition
Dependencies
and
other
territories
Thailand
Turkey
Turkmenistan
United Arab Emirates
Uzbekistan
Vietnam
Yemen
Abkhazia
Nagorno-Karabakh
Northern Cyprus
Palestine
South Ossetia
Taiwan
Christmas Island
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Hong Kong
Macau
Cuisines
Regional
African
o North
o West
o list
Americas
o North
o South
o list
Asian
o Central
o South
o list
Bengal
Caribbean
Caucasian
European
o Central
o Eastern
o list
Global
Latin American
Mediterranean
Middle Eastern
o Levantine
Oceanic
Afghan
National
Albanian
Algerian
American
Angolan
Argentine
Armenian
Australian
Austrian
Azerbaijani
Bahraini
Bangladeshi
Barbadian
Belarusian
Belgian
Belizean
Beninese
Bhutanese
Bissau-Guinean
Bolivian
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazilian
British
o English
o Scottish
o Welsh
o Cornish
Bruneian
Bulgarian
Burkinab
Burmese
Burundian
Cambodian
Cameroonian
Canadian
o Canadian Chinese
o Quebec
Central African Republic
Chadian
Chilean
Chinese
Colombian
Congolese
Croatian
Cuban
Cypriot
Czech
Danish
Djiboutian
Dominican
Dominican Republic
Dutch
East Timorese
Ecuadorian
Egyptian
Emirati
Equatorial Guinean
Eritrean
Estonian
Ethiopian
Fijian
Filipino
Finnish
French
o Occitan
Gabonese
Gambian
Georgian
German
Ghanaian
Greek
Guatemalan
Guinean
Haitian
Honduran
Hong Kong
Hungarian
Icelandic
Indian
Indonesian
Iranian
Iraqi
Irish
Israeli
Italian
o Sicilian
Ivorian (Cte d'Ivoire)
Jamaican
Japanese
Jordanian
Kazakh
Kenyan
Korean
Kosovan
Kuwaiti
Kyrgyz
Lao
Latvian
Lebanese
Lesotho
Liberian
Libyan
Liechtensteiner
Lithuanian
Luxembourg
Macau
Macedonian
Malagasy
Malawian
Malaysian
o Malay
o Chinese
o Indian
o Eurasian
Malian
Maltese
Mauritanian
Mauritian
Mexican
Moldovan
Mongasque
Mongolian
Moroccan
Mozambican
Namibian
Nepalese
New Zealand
Nigerian
Nigerien
Norwegian
Niuean
Omani
Pakistani
Palestinian
Panamanian
Peruvian
Polish
Portuguese
Qatari
Romanian
Russian
Rwandan
Salvadoran
Saint Helena
Saint Lucian
Sammarinese
So Tom and Prncipe
Saudi Arabian
Senegalese
Serbian
Seychelles
Sierra Leonean
Singaporean
Slovak
Slovenian
Somali
South African
Spanish
o Andalusian
o Asturian
o Basque
o Catalan
o Galician
Sri Lankan
Sudanese
Swazi
Swedish
Swiss
Syrian
Taiwanese
Tajik
Tanzanian
Thai
Tibetan
Togolese
Tunisian
Turkish
Trinidadian and Tobagonian
Ugandan
Ukrainian
United States
o American Chinese
o New American
Ethnic and
religious
Uruguayan
Uzbek
Venezuelan
Vietnamese
Western Saharan
Yemeni
Zambian
Zimbabwean
Ainu
American Chinese
Anglo-Indian
Arab
Ashanti
Assyrian
Balochi
Balinese
Batak
Berber
Betawi
Buddhist
Cajun
Cantonese
Chechen
Chinese Indonesian
Chinese Islamic
Circassian
Crimean Tatar
Inuit
Greek American
Gypsy
Italian American
Javanese
Jewish
o Sephardic
o Mizrahi
o Bukharan
o Syrian Jewish
Komi
Kurdish
Livonian
Louisiana Creole
Malay
Manado
Maharashtrian
Mordovian
Native American
Okinawan
Ossetian
Padang
Parsi
Pashtun
Pennsylvania Dutch
Peranakan
Punjabi
Sami
Sindhi
Sundanese
Tatar
Udmurt
Yamal
Zanzibari

See Also

Enviado por

Dados do documento

Título original

Direitos autorais

Formatos disponíveis

Compartilhar este documento

Compartilhar ou incorporar documento

Opções de compartilhamento

Você considera este documento útil?

Este conteúdo é inapropriado?

Direitos autorais:

Formatos disponíveis

See Also

Enviado por

Direitos autorais:

Formatos disponíveis

See also: List of Malaysian dishes

Street food a cook preparing murtabak at a mamak stall

1 Food and ingredients

1.2.1 Nasi lemak

5.1.1 Javanese-influenced cuisine

o 5.2 Malaysian Chinese cuisine

5.4.1 Sabahan food

5.4.2 Sarawakian food

o 5.5 Cross-cultural adaptations and mixing cultures

5.5.1 Nyonya food

5.5.2 Eurasian food

6 Desserts and sweets

Food and ingredients

Nasi lemak as served in a Malaysian restaurant in Sydney, Australia

Tanks of fresh seafood at a seafood restaurant in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia

Penang Rojak in Malaysia.

Durians in rack sold in Kuala Lumpur

The jackfruit, or nangka in Malay. It is an enormous fruit similar in appearance to

The mangosteen, or manggis in Malay. In contrast to the durian, mangosteen is often

The starfruit, or belimbing in Malay. Malaysia is a global leader in starfruit

A selection of Nyonya kuih

Cucur - deep-fried fritters, sometimes known as jemput-jemput. Typical varieties

Kapit, sapit or sepi - crispy folded coconut-flavoured wafer biscuits, colloquially

Or Kuih (Chinese : ) - a steamed savoury cake made from pieces of taro

Ikan bakar in Muar, Johor.

Laksam or Laksang - a different variant on laksa found in the northern and

Raw (l) and cooked (r) sambal tempoyak.

Tempoyak - fermented durian, traditionally stored in an urn. Tempoyak may be eaten

Tempeh - a staple source of protein in Javanese cuisine, made by a natural culturing

Malaysian Chinese cuisine

This article is part of the series

Four Great Traditions

Eight Great Traditions

Beijing and the vicinity

Other regional styles

Ingredients and types of food

Preparation and cooking

Customs and etiquette

List of Chinese restaurants

List of restaurants in China

Main article: Malaysian Chinese cuisine

Bak Kut Teh

Bakkwa (Chinese : ) - literally "dried meat", bakkwa is better understood as

Cantonese fried noodles (Chinese : ) refers to a preparation of noodles which

Char Kway Teow in Penang

Hainanese chicken rice balls in Muar, Johor, Malaysia

Heong Peng (Chinese: ) - these fragrant pastries, which resemble slightly

A bowl of Penang Hokkien Mee

Ipoh white coffee (Chinese: ). A popular coffee drink which originated in

Claypot chicken rice

Ngah Po Fan or Sha Po Fan (Chinese : or ) - seasoned rice cooked in

Oyster omelette or O-chian (Chinese: ) - a medley of small oysters is sauteed on

Popiah (Chinese : ) - Hokkien/Teochew-style crepe stuffed and rolled up with

Wonton Mee (Chinese : ) - thin egg noodles with wonton dumplings

Yau Zha Gwai or Eu Char Kway or You Tiao (Chinese: or ) - a version

Zongzi (Chinese: ) - a traditional Chinese food made of glutinous rice stuffed

Malaysian Indian cuisine

This article is part of the series

East, North East India

Malvani & Konkani

Malaysian Indian cuisine

Ingredients, types of food

Cookbook: Cuisine of India