Every country has its own signature dish. For India, there is a long list of that, given the culinary diversity observed across its length and breadth. Malaysia is no different. Its cuisine is heavily influenced by Chinese and Indian flavours, along with the local Malay ones.
These signature dishes are available in different parts of Malaysia. To travel to places like Penang or Sarawak, to book tickets from redbus.my and visit these places in style.
So the next time you visit this country, do not miss out on (and it is quite impossible to do so) these three iconic and popular Malay foods:
Nasi lemak: The national dish, it is sweet and spicy and savoury all at once—quite a representative of Malaysia’s cuisine. Fatty rice is cooked in coconut milk and served along a spicy sauce called sambal—not to be mistaken for sambar—and boiled eggs and roasted peanuts. In Malaysia and Singapore, nasi lemak comes in many variations as they are prepared by different chefs from different cultures. The original nasi lemak in Malaysia is arguably a typical Southern and Central Peninsular Malaysia breakfast, and is considered of Malay origin. Nasi Lemak is an essential breakfast which all South East Asians relish and have grown up on. It is also an all favourite of many locals as well as tourists. Village has taken this street food to a different level. It is now served in airconditioned restaurants and bars with high tables and bar stools with funky lights, decorative murals on the walls etc.
Laksa: There has to be a dish that celebrates noodles and Laksa does it like no other. One of the most popular dishes in Penang and Sarawak, noodles is served in a rich broth and is spiced with condiments favourable to each region. Laksa is a good example of simple but delicious food. The type of laksa is based upon the soup base employed in its recipe; either rich or savoury coconut milk, fresh and sour asam (tamarind, gelugur or kokum), or the combination of the two. There are three basic types of laksa: curry laksa, asam laksa and other variant that can be identified as either curry or asam laksa. Curry laksa is a coconut milk curry soup with noodles, while asam laksa is a sour, most often tamarind-based, soup with noodles. It could also be garlic noodles with any meat charred with different flavours to top it on. This dish is an all time favourite of all the locals and now it has taken a liking for tourists as well.