Malaysian food is not one particular distinction of food but a culinary diversity originating from it's multi ethnic population of Malay, Indian, Eurasian, Chinese, Nyonya and the Indigenous peoples of Borneo. A brief look into the past and how this multi ethnic country came to be, is essential in order to comprehend how such a cosmic array of food, has now come to be known all over the world as Malaysian Food.
Malay cuisine is rich and spicy arising from the use of hard spices and a wet spice mixture of "rempah" and coconut milk. Malay cuisine varies from region to region. Kelantanese cuisine, akin to Thai cooking for example, has a sweetish taste due to liberal use of coconut milk and sugar in cooking. On the other hand, the cuisine of Kedah is spicier due to the influence of Indians who arrived here centuries ago during the spice trade. For the adventurous, there is an array of popular Malay dishes to tantalise their taste buds.
Nasi Lemak: Coconut-flavored Rice Meal - is rice cooked in coconut milk made aromatic with pandan leaves [screwpine leaves]. It is typically served with Sambal Ikan Bilis - fried dried anchovies cooked in a dry sambal sauce, and garnished with cucumber slices, hard boiled egg and roasted peanuts. Traditionally packaged in a banana leaf, it is usually eaten as hearty breakfast fare.
Satay: BBQ Sticks - This famous meat-on-a-stick appears on menus from New York to Amsterdam. The secret of tender, succulent satay is, of course, in the rich, spicy-sweet marinade. The marinated meat - chicken or beef, are skewered onto bamboo sticks and grilled over hot charcoals. Some satay stalls also serve venison and rabbit satay. A fresh salad of cucumbers & onions are served together with a spicy-sweet peanut dipping sauce for dipping. Ketupat, a Malay rice cake similar to Lontong, is also an accompaniment to satay, great for dipping in satay sauce. De'lish !!
Beef Rendang: Malay Spiced Coconut Beef - This hot, dry spiced dish of tenderly simmered meat offers the typical Malaysian taste of rich coconut cream, balanced with robust, tangy spices. Rendang is a must-have on special occasions such as weddings, ideally served with nasi kunyit [turmeric rice]. During Ramadan & Eid, the Malay New Year, Rendang is sure to take center stage on bountiful tables of feast in homes everywhere. During this festive season, a special rice cake called Lemang is made to eat with Rendang . Lemang is made from glutinous rice & coconut milk, carefully packed into bamboo poles lined with banana leaves and traditionally cooked over a low open fire.
Sambal Udang: Spicy Prawns - whole prawns or shrimp are cooked in a classic Malay sauce - a spicy robust sauce made with chilies, shallots, garlic, stewed tomatoes, tamarind paste and belacan, a dried shrimp paste paste. Sambal Udang is the perfect accompaniment to the country's un-official national dish - Nasi Lemak.
Laksa: Noodles in Tangy Fish Soup - Thick rice noodles are served in a tangy fish soup/gravy. Not at all fishy, the soupy gravy is made with mackerel and lots of aromatic herbs. Fresh garnishing of shredded cucumber, lettuce, pineapple, onion and fragrant mint leaves finishes the dish. In general the term Laksa refers to Malay style laksa, sometimes called Malay Laksa. There are slight variations in different parts of the country. The key ingredient is tamarind, used as a souring agent, giving it a tart tangy taste. This version of laksa from the 'hawker food capital' - Penang, is especially famous and well known as Penang Laksa or Penang Assam Laksa.
Roti Canai: Indian Pastry Pancake - Indian in origin, this rich and flaky pastry pancake has now come to be known as a favorite Malaysian 'appetizer' in Malaysian eateries all over the globe. Roti Canai [also called Roti Prata ] is served with a side of curry for dipping, usually a Malaysian Chicken Curry.
Onde Onde: Coconut Poppers - small round balls made from glutinous rice flour with pandan [screwpine] leaves essence, filled with palm sugar and rolled in fresh grated coconut. A delight to eat as it pops in your mouth with a sweet sensation of oozing palm syrup!
Kuih Talam: Steamed Coconut Pudding - this 2 layered pudding made of rice flour, sago flour and coconut milk is cooked by steaming. Pandan [screwpine] leaves lends essence and the green color to one layer. A white coconut layer goes on top. A not too sweet and light dessert!
Pulut Inti: Glutinous Rice with Coconut Topping - a kind of 'dry' rice pudding made from glutinous rice & coconut milk. It is cooked by steaming. The dessert rice is topped with fresh grated coconut sweetened with palm sugar. It is traditionally wrapped in banana leaves folded into a pyramid shape.
Pulut Hitam: Black Rice Pudding - a rice pudding made from black glutinous rice sweetened with brown palm sugar. A surrey of creamy coconut milk is swirled over the rice pudding before it is served.
Source by malaysianfood.net