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 |