A Primer on Eating in Malaysia
One of the things we looked forward to most before leaving the U.S.A. was the food we’d be having. The indian food was of course good, but not very different from what we were expecting. Malaysia on the other hand has given us something new to try every day. Kudos to anyone who can find Nasi Lemak on a menu. Of course, there are always banana pancakes and some people will eat them everyday (losers), but we prefer the following.
Breakfast
Nasi Lemak– In its barest form, a pile of coconut rice surrounded by peanuts, mini dried fish, some chili sauce, and a couple slices of cucumber. A typical breakfast variation involves adding a fried egg, and it’s frequently eaten throughout the day along with a side of chicken (ayam), beef (daging), or fish (ikan).
Roti Canai– A cross between a pancake and a crepe with any number of fillings such as sardines, egg, or banana. Served with a bowl of some indian inspired daal or curry.
Dim Sum – Most common in Chinatowns throughout Malaysia. As far as we know, very similar to dim sums served around the world.
Lunch/Dinner
Buffet – A plate of rice is the only common denominator between different buffet restaurants. You pick from a variety of greens, curries, fried or sauced meats and then the cashier briefly looks at your plate before charging an arbitrary amount of ringgits (Malaysian currency).
Hawker Stalls – a veritable smorgasbord of options exist at the hawker stalls and that’s where we take most of our meals. There is usually a different booth for each specialty:
Laksa – A coconut or fish based curry soup with anything and everything thrown into it – usually very spicy. Needless to say, Adam’s a big fan.
Mee/Nasi Goreng (Fried Noodles/Rice) – This ubiquitous category of dishes has a thousand variations from Thai to USA styles and is always very cheap. The noodles are fresh and come in different sizes or you can have all the same dishes with rice. Very lightly sauced and sometimes the noodles are slightly burnt which adds another taste dimension.
Kari – Somewhere between a Thai and Indian curry depending on who’s running the stall. The meat or vegetable ingredients are interchangeable and a surprise, like most other Malaysian dishes. The sauce is most important.
Tom Yam – An attempted import from Thailand which generally just means soup in Malaysia.
Yong Tau Foo – A Chinese import which is the most fun dish to eat/cook, but rather plain and consequently pretty healthy for you. The booth is surrounded by plates of various ingredients such as fish ball or raw vegetables. You pick a variety and the stall quickly cooks it for you in boiling broth, and serves them with a bowl of broth and some chilis.
Satay – Good old meat on a stick but served with a delicious fresh chili peanut sauce.
Snacks
Kuih – A grabbag of colorful snacks, usually 3 for a ringgit. We’ve never seen the same one twice. Usually at least slightly sweet, in many shapes, sizes, and colors. We never know what we’re eating, but it’s always good.
Pau – Big fluffy buns with a sweet or savoury filling. Adam insists on calling them manapua because of his hawaiian origins. Also can be part of Dim Sum but are found on many street corner stalls.
Drinks
Kopi– Inevitably a instant packet including milk and sugar (3 in 1) mixed with hot water. Not the greatest, but it gets the job done in the morning, and when cooled with ice gets us through the heat of the day.
White Coffee – A malaysian specialty. The beans are roasted with margarine, and it tastes richer, stronger, and really bad for you (i.e. delicious).
Teh – Usually refers to black tea. Usually sweetened with a sugary/syrupy creamer, and almost an adequate substitute for coffee. We’re always asked if we want sugar and milk, but believe us when we say the “milk” is sweet enough.
Chinese Teh – Better than the normal fare served in the U.S., with loose leaves thrown in a pot and brewed as many times as you want. Too damn hot for most days, but the best deal in morning pick-me-ups.
Fruit Juice – Perfect on hot afternoons and made from just about anything you can find at your very well stocked exotic fruit aisle: dragonfruit, rambutan, lychees, starfruit. Also the mundane apple, orange, and watermelon. Fruit is relatively expensive and so is the juice, but it’s always well worth the “splurge”.
Beer – Tiger, Carlsberg, and Guiness are the main options of the heavily taxed alcohol market. Generally we can only consume Tiger as it’s too hot for anything heavier. Usually an ice coffee is our vice though.
Tags: Food, Malaysia
Adam
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