Malaysian Delicacies

Food Writer

Edited by – James M. Kelly
Malaysian Delicacies at Their Best

Although Malaysia does not have a cuisine style of its own, but due to a diverse mix of cultures and religions in Malaysia, the origin of Malaysian food can be traced back to the Indian, Chinese, Eurasian, Malay and Nyonya style.

Indian Food

The first taste of Indian food which Malaysia got was in the 19th century, when a lot of Indian immigrants were brought to Malaysia as contract laborers. Today, you can find a host of Indian restaurants and roadside hawkers selling traditional Indian style food.
Breads are the most famous items of north Indian cuisine. These breads are made of fresh dough, which is baked inside a hot tandoor and then flavored with onion or garlic. Paratha, naan and chapatti are the most preferred breads in Malaysia.

Tandoori dishes like the tandoori chicken are also very popular among the Malaysian people. Apart from traditional Indian dishes, you can also find modifies versions of Indian dishes that are specially created to cater to the taste of Malaysian people. Mee goring and Nasi Kandar are two such modified Indian dishes.

Chinese Food

Chinese food is basically derived from Cantonese food, which is known for its variety and freshness. Dim sum is a popular Chinese snack that is served widely in Malaysian restaurants and eaten during lunch or brunch. Extreme delicacies like shark fin soup and birds nest soup are also quite popular in Malaysia.

Apart from Cantonese food, the dishes of north and west of China like Szechwan, Shanghai and Peking can also be found in different eating joints in Malaysia.

Malay & Nyonya Food

Malay food is known for its spices and flavors, and is greatly influenced by countries like Indonesia, India, China and the Middle East. Rice is the main diet in Malay food and is served along breakfast, supper and dinner. Fish, beef, mutton and pork are popular dishes that are eaten along with rice.

Nyonya food is a delightful combination of Malay and Chinese food and is also native to Penang and Singapore. Nyonya food generally consists of coconut milk, along with spices like coriander and cumin.