Nasi Lemak
Nasi lemak, literally ‘fat rice’, is comprised of coconut rice, prawn sambal, fried anchovies, peanuts, cucumber slices, and ayam rendang. There might be variations with regards to the accompaniments, but the rice, cucumber, and peanuts are pretty much staple.
Roti Canai
This light flatbread is a staple in the street-side mamak of Malaysia. A serving of roti canai is accompanied by three dipping sauces of varying levels of spiciness. Those who are not fond of chilli are advised to try this roti with inoffensive bean dahl.
Rojak
Rojak has a mixture of chopped fruit and dough served with other ingredients and can be either sweet or savoury. Some eat it as a snack and others for dessert.
Satay
At first glance, satay appears to be nothing beyond slightly charred, skewered meat. But good satay is juicy and flavourful, especially when it has been fanned lovingly over a charcoal grill. Served with cubes of rice and peanut drip, satay is delicious with or without them, and is available in chicken, lamb, and beef. It’s so good the Malaysia Airlines has it as a staple on their flights.
Laksa
Laksa is one of the ultimate demonstrations of the combination of Chinese and Malay flavors and ingredients all in a single bowl. Noodles, often rice noodles, make up the foundation and starch of a bowl of laksa, followed by gravy or curry, some pieces of protein, and often some vegetables and herbs. There are many different types of laksa, some that include rich coconut milk, and others that are more water-based.
Rendang
One of Malaysia’s most well-known dishes, Rendang is a spicy and rich meat dish. To make the dish, beef is simmered in coconut milk, chillies and spices to make a tender, aromatic and flavorsome meal. In the past Rendang was served at ceremonial and festive occasions, but today it has become so popular that it is widely served with Nasi Lemak, Ketupat and Lemang.
Wonton Mee
Wonton Mee recipes vary all over the country, but essentially it includes noodles with pork, broth and wontons, and it can be served either dry or wet. The dry version has stir-fried noodles with thick soy sauce and pork lard, with the broth and dumplings on the side, whereas in the wet version the whole meal is served in the broth. A spoonful of spicy sambal is served on the side. It is topped with green Chinese kale, sliced green onions, and pickled green chillies. Generally, the wontons are served boiled or steamed, but in the Penang version of Wonton Mee they are served fried.
Hokkien Mee
Penang Hokkien Mee is an egg and rice noodle soup in a rich, savoury shrimp stock which is filled with prawns, hard-boiled eggs, and bean sprouts and topped with fried shallots and sambal. It is very popular at street stalls during breakfast and lunch time, but is also found in some places during dinner. The Kuala Lumpur version is fried thick noodles, which consists of thick yellow noodles braised in thick, dark soy sauce with pork, squid, fish-cake and cabbage and cubes of crispy fried pork lard as garnishing.
Bah Kut Teh
While its name literally means ‘meat bone tea’, there is actually no tea to be found in Bak Kut Teh. The tea in its name instead refers to a strong oolong Chinese tea which is usually served alongside the soup in the belief that it dilutes the large amounts of fat in this dish. The broth of pork ribs with herbs, garlic and spices is cooked for as long as possible – sometimes even days – to give it a rich flavour. To find the best ‘BKT’ as it is often affectionately called, go to Klang, where coffee shops and street food centres serve it.
Ais Kacang
A dessert that looks like a mountain of colourful shaved ice because that is exactly what it is. The colour comes from the sugar syrup, usually bright pink or blue to add a bit of pizzazz. At the bottom of the mountain are jelly, corn and red bean to help balance out the sweetness of the syrup and give the dessert a bit of a bite.