MALAY TRADITIONAL FOOD IN MALAYSIA

 MALAY TRADITIONAL FOOD IN MALAYSIA


Nasi Lemak

Nasi Lemak is one of the oldest and most traditional Malaysian dish there is. On it’s own, it’s made up of white rice that’s been soaked in coconut cream to give it a fragrant aroma and creamy t
aste- naughty, but nice.

It’s usually served with a chilli paste called sambal, which I sometimes set aside when too much anchovy or prawn paste is added to it..but you may like it. It comes with a hard-boiled egg, cucumber slices, roasted peanuts and a side of ikan bilis.

When Nasi Lemak is pimped up it can be served with extras like a fried chicken leg, curry or beef rendang curry.


Nasi Lemak in Malaysia is culturally rich and key in social life. Families bond over making and eating it. Friends chat and grow closer sharing it. In business, it helps with deals and shows local food culture. It aids cross-cultural understanding. Street stalls are places for neighbors to interact and strengthen community ties.

🍚 Coconut Rice:

  • 2 cups jasmine rice

  • 1 cup coconut milk

  • 1½ cups water

  • 1–2 pandan leaves (optional)

  • ½ tsp salt

Cook: Rinse rice. Add all ingredients, cook as usual (rice cooker or pot).

🌶️ Sambal (Spicy Sauce):

  • Blend: 6 dried chilies (soaked), 3 shallots, 2 garlic cloves, 1 tsp shrimp paste

  • Sauté in oil, add 1 tbsp tamarind juice, 1 tsp sugar, salt to taste. Cook until thick.

🍳 Sides (serve with):

  • Fried anchovies (ikan bilis)

  • Toasted peanuts

  • Hard-boiled or fried egg

  • Sliced cucumber

  • Fried chicken or rendang (optional)



Rendang

Rendang may have its origins as a traditional dish of the Minangkabau ethnic group of Indonesia in West Sumatra, but this humble dish has long since become a staple in Malay cuisine especially during the Hari Raya celebrations. It’s a traditional Malay dish that is now often served during ceremonies and festive occasions to symbolise honour and respect for guests due to its long preparation time and rich, complex depth of flavours.




How rendang is made involves a lengthy slow-cooking process where a choice of protein (beef, chicken, or lamb) is slow-cooked in a mixture of coconut milk, kerisik, chillies, lemongrass, galangal, garlic, shallots, ginger, and turmeric. It is slow-cooked to allow the flavours to meld while reducing the coconut milk to create a thick, rich sauce that coats the meat beautifully.

The rendang is then traditionally served with lemang to balance out its spicy, slightly sweet, slightly nutty, and hearty depth of flavours.

🥩 Ingredients:

  • 500g beef (chuck or brisket), cut into chunks

  • 1 cup thick coconut milk

  • 2 kaffir lime leaves

  • 2 turmeric leaves (optional)

  • 1 lemongrass stalk (bruised)

  • Salt & sugar to taste

🔥 Spice Paste (blend until smooth):

  • 4 shallots

  • 3 garlic cloves

  • 2 red chilies (adjust heat)

  • 1-inch ginger

  • 1-inch galangal

  • 1 tsp ground coriander

  • 1 tsp turmeric powder

🍛 Steps:

  1. Sauté spice paste in oil until fragrant.

  2. Add beef, stir to coat.

  3. Pour in coconut milk, add herbs.

  4. Simmer uncovered on low heat for 1.5–2 hours, stirring often, until dry and dark brown.

Satay

Satay is a popular Southeast Asian dish consisting of skewered and grilled meat, usually served with a flavorful peanut sauce. Originating from Indonesia, it has become a staple in Malay cuisine. The meat, often chicken, beef, or lamb, is marinated with spices and grilled over charcoal for a smoky flavor. Satay is typically accompanied by rice cakes (ketupat), cucumber, and onion slices, making it a favorite street food and festive dish in Malaysia.


🍢 Chicken Satay (or Beef/Pork)

Ingredients:

  • 500g chicken (or beef/pork), cut into thin strips

  • Skewers (soak in water if wooden)

Marinade:

  • 2 tsp curry powder

  • 1 tbsp turmeric powder

  • 1 tbsp soy sauce

  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce

  • 1 tbsp brown sugar or honey

  • 1 tsp minced garlic

  • 1 tbsp oil

  • Salt to taste

Steps:

  1. Mix meat with marinade, rest 1–2 hours (or overnight).

  2. Thread onto skewers.

  3. Grill or pan-fry until golden and cooked through.

🥜 Peanut Sauce (Simple Version):

  • ½ cup peanut butter

  • 1 tbsp soy sauce

  • 1 tsp chili paste or sambal

  • 1 tbsp lime juice

  • 1 tbsp brown sugar

  • ¼ cup water (adjust for consistency)
    → Mix all in a pan, heat gently until smooth.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Social Attributes of Traditional Food in Malaysia

  The Social Attributes of Traditional Food in Malaysia by Angel Tham Chi Kei,Pek Xin Hui,Chang Yu Sze,Chua Qi An,Cheng Yi Rou From:3IRIS Malaysia is a country that finds itself in the middle of most other Southeast Asian countries, experienced colonialism from multiple colonial powers, and has huge minority populations from India and China. Based off of this, it is no wonder that Malaysian cuisine is so incredibly diverse. In this post I will try to highlight some famous dishes that are from Malaysia or have become commonplace in Malaysia. There are so many dishes from surrounding countries that are represented in Malaysia with their own twist, along with the existing immense number of dishes from Malaysia’s three major ethnic groups. Keep reading for a little overview of traditional Malaysian food and some must try dishes!
Read more