MALAYSIAN CUISINE

Malaysian cuisine reflects the multicultural aspects of Malaysia. Various ethnic groups in Malaysia have their own dishes, but many dishes in Malaysia are derived from multiple ethnic influences. Food preparation differs from place to place, although many of the foods used are alike.Spices, aromatic herbs and roots are all used in Malaysian cuisine.

Nasi Dagang

Ketupat

Lemang

Malay traditional food in Malaysia is naturally made by the Malay people. Some of the more well known heavy fares are: lemang (glutinous rice cooked in bamboo pole), ketupat (glutinous rice cooked in pandanus, coconut or banana leaves) and nasi dagang (3 part rice to 1 part glutinous rice steamed with ginger, onion and fenugreek).

 Hokkien Mee

 Chee Cheong Fun

 Hainanese Chicken Rice

Malaysian Chinese food is derived from mainland southern Chinese cuisine such as Fujian cuisine and Hakka cuisine but has been influenced by local ingredients and dishes from other cultures though it remains distinctly Chinese.

 Assam Laksa

 Acar

Ayam Pongteh

Nyonya food was developed by the Nyonya (Straits Chinese) and Peranakan (mixed Chinese/Malay ancestry) people of Malaysia and Singapore. It uses mainly Chinese ingredients but blends them with South-East Asian spices such as coconut milk, lemon grass, turmeric, screwpine leaves, chillies and sambal. It can be considered as a blend of Chinese and Malay cooking with some Thai influence .

Examples of Nyonya dishes include:

• Acar - various pickled meats and vegetables like acar keat lah (honey lime/calamansi), achar hu (fried fish), acar kiam hu (salt fish), acar timun (cucumber), acar awat (mixed vegetables).
• Asam Laksa - A bowl of thick white rice noodles served in a soup made of fish, tamarind, onion, basil, pineapple and cucumber in slices.
• Ayam pongteh, a chicken stew cooked with tauchu or salted soy beans and gula melaka. It is usually saltish-sweet and can be substituted as a soup dish in peranakan cuisine.

Thosai

 Fish Head Curry

Banana Leaf Rice

Malaysian Indian cuisine of the ethnic Indians in Malaysia is similar to its roots in India, especially South India although there are many notable foods with influences from North India too. Before the 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. This cuisine consists of curries which uses a lot of spices, coconut milk, and curry leaves. Some of the most popular cuisine include banana leaf rice, fish head curry and thosai.

Sarawak Kolok Mee

 Laksa Sarawak

Manok Pansoh

Sarawakians tend to have a distinct cuisine from their Peninsula counterparts. Some of them are part of the traditional cuisine of the natives, while some are influenced by either Chinese or Indian cuisine. Among the cuisine unique to Sarawak are:

• Laksa Sarawak, is a beehoon with aromatic shrimp based gravy topped with shredded chicken, shredded egg, bean sprouts, prawns and chilli paste.
• Sarawak Kolok Mee, is a slightly sweet noodle dish, and often a main component of it is char siew, compliments the dish.
• Manok Pansoh, is a traditional Iban cuisine. Chicken is briefly cooked in a bamboo until tender and complimented with lemongrass, ginger and tapioca leaves.