Culinary Guide to Malaysian Food

Malaysiakitchen Guide:

Ais Kacang (dessert) – concoction of sweet and colourful ingredients such as sweet red beans, cincau (grass jelly), cream corn, kacang (ground peanuts), and other ingredients
Assam Curry (main course) – a variety of curry gravy made from tangy tamarind juice, spices, chilli, laksa leaf (polygonum), belacan powder and stock. Commonly as a style of cooking fish or chicken
Ayam Percik (main course) grilled chicken, where the chicken first simmered in an aromatic gravy, then finished on a griddle pan for a smoky edge
Begedil (side dish) – fried meat and potato patties, made from mashed potato and spiced beef or lamb
Bubur Cha Cha (dessert) – delicious and colourful dessert, made of sweet potato and yam cubes, cooked with sweet coconut milk, pandan leaves and sago pearls
Cendol (dessert) – a traditional dessert consist of pandan-flavoured green strands, red kidney beans, glutinous rice or cream corn, and a mound of shaved ice drenched in a generous amount of sweet coconut milk
Char Kway Teow (main course) – a dish of flat rice noodles stir-fried over very high heat with soy sauce, chilli, and spices with additions of prawns, deshelled cockles, bean sprouts, egg and sprinkle of chopped up Chinese chives
Claypot Rice (main course) – rice cooked in an earthen vessel over charcoaled fire, infused in dark soy sauce and topped with diced chicken, Chinese sausage, mushrooms and other ingredients
Curry Mee (main course) – bowl of yellow egg noodles and/or string thin mee hoon (rice vermicelli) with spicy curry soup made from coconut milk, served with a choice of dried tofu, prawns, cuttlefish, chicken or egg, topped with a special sambal and mint leaves
Dodol (dessert/sweets/treat) – sweet, gooey, gelatinous treat made from rice flour, palm sugar and coconut milk
Gado Gado – Mixed vegetables, rice cubes, tofu, accompanied with peanut sauce.
Hainan Chicken Rice (main course) – a simple yet very tasty rice dish, consist of rice cooked in chicken stock and spices, served with Hainanese style slow-boiled chicken
Ikan Panggang – Grilled whole mackerel served with tamarind sauce.
Kari Ayam – Aromatic Malaysian chicken curry
Kari Kambing – Aromatic Malaysian lamb curry
Keropok (side dish/snack) – prawn crackers
Ketupat(side dish/main course) – rice cake, or rice dumpling, cooked in a pouch made from intricately woven coconut leaves
Laksa (main course) – a rich, delicious coconut-based curry soup. Consisting mainly of noodle and/or mee hoon (rice vermicelli), mackerel or prawns, cooked with a myriad of aromatic herbs and spices
Lontong Sayur (main course) – a dish of rice rolls, similar to ketupat, cut up in bite-sized pieces, mee hoon (rice vermicelli) and begedil served in a coconut vegetable stew
Mee Goreng Mamak (main course) – a sweet, spicy and savoury dish of yellow noodles stir-fried in a thick mix of black soy sauce with eggs, tomatoes, chilli, potatoes, tofu and vegetable fritters
Mee Hoon Goreng – Stir-fried egg noodles with shredded beef, egg, vegetables and shrimp.
Murtabak – Malaysian bread filled with minced lamb and egg
Nasi Goreng Kampung (main course) – a traditional type of fried rice, flavoured with pounded fried fish or fried anchovies instead of the usual soy sauce
Nasi Kandar (main course) – a meal of mildly flavored steam rice, served with a variety of curries and side dishes
Nasi Kerabu (main course) – type of rice which is tinted blue from petals of flowers called bunga telang (clitoria). A regional specialty from Kelantan
Nasi Lemak (main course) – a dish of rice cooked with coconut milk and served with a choice of curries or rendang, a slice of egg, cucumbers, fried anchovies, with sprinkle of roasted nuts, and topped by a special sambal
Otak-Otak (side dish/snack) – chargrilled minced seafood with herbs and spices, wrapped in banana leaf
Pajeri Nenas – Mild and sweet pineapple curry.
Pengat Pisang (dessert) – traditional dessert made from banana cooked in rich coconut milk and palm sugar
Popiah (side dish/starter) – a soft, thin paper-like crepe or pancake made from wheat flour filled by stir-fried vegetables and tofu
Putu Mayam (dessert) – a sweet dish of pandan flavoured vermicelli-like noodles also called string hopper, served with grated coconut or unrefined sugar
Pulut Inti (side dish) – glutinous rice served together with savoury dish, such as rendang, or by itself with a sprinkle coconut and brown sugar
Rendang (main course) – luxuriously spiced dry curry made from beef, chicken or lamb slowly cooked in coconut milk and spices for several hours allowing the meat to absorb the spicy condiments
Rojak (salad) – fruit salad with a topping of sweet & spicy sauce and some sliced fried you char kway (Chinese doughnut)
Roti Canai or Roti Kosong (side dish) – a thin bread with a flaky crust similar to the Indian Kerala porotta. Traditionally served with curry, but can sometimes be taken with sugar or condensed milk
Roti Jala (side dish) – a lacy pancake literally meaning ‘net bread’, made from a creamy batter of flour, eggs, butter and coconut milk. Served together with thick curry gravy
Roti Telur (side dish) – a type of roti canai with egg in it, usually served with a side of curry for dipping. Popular for breakfast, and also a great snack
Sambal Ayam (main course) – corn fed chicken cooked in a spicy robust sauce made with chillies, shallots, garlic, stewed tomatoes, tamarind paste and belacan. A classic Malaysian sauce
Sambal Ikan Siakap – Deep fried whole sea bass smothered in spicy sambal chillies.
Satay (main course) – chargrilled chicken or lamb on skewers, marinated in spices and herbs and often served with peanut sauce, cucumber, rice cubes and onions
Serunding (side dish) – shredded rendang meat in a form of meat floss, enjoyed by sprinkling on top of rice, ketupat or bread
Soto Ayam (main course) – a yellow spicy chicken soup with mee hoon (rice vermicelli) and slices of lontong (rice rolls) served with hard-boiled eggs, slices of fried potatoes, Chinese celery leaves, and fried shallots
Tahu Telur – Omelette with tofu, vegetables and sweet soy sauce.
Thosai (side dish) – a crêpe made from rice and black lentils. Commonly served with chicken or mutton curry, but can also be stuffed with vegetables, meats and sauces to create a quickly prepared meal
Teh Tarik (drinks) – literally meaning ‘pulled tea’, is a well-loved drink amongst Malaysians. Made from black tea and condensed milk and is prepared using out-stretched hands to pour piping hot tea from a mug into a waiting glass
Udang Galah Goreng – King prawns stir-fried with peppers and curry spices
Yong Tau Foo (soup/main course) – a clear consommė soup containing a varied selection of food items including fish balls, crab sticks, bittergourds, cuttlefish, ladies fingers, and various forms of fresh seafood and meats