Located in Southeast Asia, Malaysia is a country known for its extremely hot and humid climate year-round, its sleek architecture such as the Petronas Towers and Merdeka 118 (the second tallest building in the world at 2,227 feet!), and, of course, its mouthwatering cuisine.
Many Malaysian dishes take influences from neighboring countries such as Indonesia, India, China, and Thailand. Here are some must-try foods for when you venture into Malaysian cuisine!
- Roti Canai
Roti canai, also known as roti paratha, is an Indian-inspired flatbread that is buttery and flaky on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. You can enjoy it as an afternoon snack, a delicious appetizer, or a scooping utensil for curries. My family likes to dip their roti in white sugar, but I prefer to eat mine with a side of chicken curry.
- Satay Chicken
Barbecued meat on a stick—what can get better than that? These skewers are easy to eat, slightly sweet, and charred to perfection. Satay is typically served with a side of spicy peanut sauce and slices of onions and cucumbers, but the protein can vary from chicken to beef to pork.
- Nasi Lemak
Nasi lemak is one of the most popular Malaysian dishes and the first dish that comes to mind if anyone were to ask me for Malaysian food recommendations. It consists of fragrant rice cooked in coconut milk and a myriad of accompaniments that range in flavors and textures. The protein can vary from chicken curry to beef rendang, but the sides usually include a hard-boiled egg, roasted peanuts, sambal (a chili-based sauce), cucumber slices, and fried anchovies.
- Wat Tan Hor
Wat tan hor, or flat rice noodles braised in a thick and luscious egg gravy, is a Malaysian dish with Cantonese origins. The sauce contains silky strands of eggs, greens, sliced fish cakes, and different proteins like chicken or shrimp. This is one of my comfort foods and I know I can never go wrong when ordering this dish at any Malaysian restaurant.
- Asam Laksa
If you are in the mood for a noodle soup, asam laksa is the way to go. This dish originates from Penang and comes in multiple variations. For instance, you can order it with different proteins such as prawn or fish, in its curry form or broth form, and with different types of noodles such as thick yellow noodles and thin rice noodles. My father particularly loves this dish for its signature spicy-sour flavor.
- Hokkien Mee
Hokkien mee in Malaysia originates from the capital city of Kuala Lumpur and differs from its Chinese-style equivalent because the fried yellow noodles are braised in thick dark soy sauce with pork, squid, fishcakes, and cabbage. These saucy noodles are a childhood favorite of mine and are even more delicious when topped with cubes of crispy fried pork lard.
- Kaya Toast
Malaysia’s equivalent to America’s peanut butter and jelly, kaya toast is typically enjoyed during breakfast time with some soft-boiled eggs and a cup of kopi (coffee). However, my family also enjoys it as a sweet treat to cap off a hefty meal. Kaya toast consists of kaya jam slathered between two slices of buttered toast. Kaya jam is a coconut egg jam that is commonly infused with pandan, a grassy vanilla flavor that is frequently used in Malaysian desserts. Kaya toast is sweet, warm, and crispy, and definitely worth a try.
Growing up as an Asian American, I turned to food as a primary source of culture to delve deeper into my ethnic background. These are just a few of the many dishes that helped me forge closer connections to my heritage and ground my Malaysian-Chinese identity. I hope you enjoyed reading this short guide on some must-try Malaysian dishes and that it motivates you to start your food journey by exploring new cuisines!