MALAY FOODS

MALAY FOODS

The traditional Malay culinary style has been greatly influenced by the long-ago traders from neighboring countries, such as India, the Middle East, China and Indonesian islands of Sumatra and Java.
Rice is staple food, which acts as a "neutralizer" for the spicy cuisine. For religious reasons, pork is never used in Malay and Indonesian cuisine.
Malay food is spicy and flavorful as it utilizes a melting pot of spices and herbs.
Two famous Malay breakfast specials that you will enjoy are roti canai and nasi lemak. Roti canal is a round, flat bread made from wheat flour and is cooked on a hot plate. It is usually eaten with lentil or meat curry.Nasi lemak is rice cooked in coconut milk. It is served with ikan bills (anchovies), samba! (chilli paste), boiled egg, fried peanuts and slices of cucumber.Popular Malay lunch and dinner dishes include nasi kandar and mee goreng. The former is famous in Penang, but can be found nationwide. It is fragrant rice, served with fish or meat curry and a variety of gravy. The latter is a popular noodle dish that is usually served with meat and vegetables. Nasi dagang consists of glutinous rice cooked in coconut milk. It is usually served with fish curry, sambal and cucumber pickle.Nasi goreng, which is Malay-style fried rice, is a wholesome dish that includes diced meat, vegetables and a fried egg. For variety, try nasi campur, which literally means 'mixed rice'. You will be served with a plate of white rice and a selection of dishes laid out buffet-style which includes meat, seafood and vegetables.