3 Main Reasons Why Malaysian Food Is The Best

Malaysia’s cuisine is home to a plethora of cultures, making the Southeast Asian country known for its food. Various parts of the world influence Malaysian cuisine. Thus, Malaysian food is diverse and is one of the best globally. Dig deeper into what Malaysian cuisine is and why it is considered the best in the world below!

What is Malaysian cuisine?

Malaysian cuisine is heavily influenced by other cuisines from Southeast Asian countries, such as Indonesian, Indian, Thai, and Chinese. These influences resulted in the exotic flavours, with a unique combination of sweet, sour, and spicy tastes.

The typical Malaysian meal consists of rice with a generous amount of seafood and spices. What sets Malaysian food apart from other Asian dishes is that it does not contain pork since the food must be Halal. The dishes can, however, have other types of meat, such as mutton, chicken, and fish.

3 Reasons why Malaysian food is the best

For many years, Malaysia’s welcoming society has embraced multi-ethnic influences in culture and food. With vibrant, rich, and fresh dishes, it is no wonder why many people think the country’s cuisine is the best. Here are more reasons why you should list Malaysian food as one of the best dishes in the world.

1. Malay food is multicultural

Over the years, the people of Malaysia have combined Malay food with Chinese and Indian dishes. This led to the creation of new dishes called Mamak (Malay-Indian) and Peranakan (Chinese-Malay).

• Indian influences: Indian influences in Malaysian cooking are distinguished by how Malaysian food consists of curry sauces, fried spices, pickled vegetables, and a wide variety of bread to dip in curries and sauces.
• Chinese influences: You will see noodles, tofu, soy sauce, and bean sprouts in most Malaysian dishes. These ingredients mainly came from Cantonese and Fujian influences.
• Ethnic-Malay influences: Malay practices include consuming halal food that does not contain pork. Thus, the cooking traditions of the ethnic Malays include making dishes out of fish, rice, starch, and spices.

2. There is a plethora of street food options

Street food or “Jalan-Jalan” is everywhere in Malaysia, whether day or night. Food stalls can sell noodles, satay, and other regional dishes. This explains why Malaysians may enjoy up to six meals a day. 

Kuala Lumpur, Penang, and other big cities in the country have a plethora of tasty street foods that can be served quickly for a fair price. Some stalls are open 24/7 and provide open-air dining to allow people to eat whenever, wherever they want. Some of the street food establishments you can find around Malaysia include:

• Hawker stalls: These are small and mobile stalls that often offer cheap and on-the-go street foods to locals and tourists. 
• Hawker centres: These are a collection of Hawker stalls in a food court-like setup. Here, diners can sit and enjoy street food while listening to live bands and enjoying an ambient vibe. Hawker centres are a great choice for those who are eating with a group of people since you can create a food banquet by buying various dishes from multiple stands.
• Mamaks: These are found on the streets of big cities around Malaysia. They are open 24/7 and provide plastic tables and chairs. Here, diners can chat and socialise while eating and drinking Mamak-style street foods, snacks, and beverages.
• Night markets: These are popular around Malaysia, especially during the holy month of Ramamdan. These night food spaces are ideal for those who prefer going out after sunset.

3. It is easy to make homemade Malaysian food

We all want to try cooking our food ourselves to know what’s in it and ensure safety and hygiene. Fortunately, most stores and markets in Malaysia have complete ingredients to make typical Malaysian food.

Also, Malaysia is surrounded by sea and has a tropical climate. Thus, it is easy to get fresh fruits and vegetables as well as fish. Thus, making homemade and authentic Malaysian dishes is quick and cheap.

5 Popular Malaysian foods you should try

Rice meals topped with various viands are typical in Malaysia, but there are other dishes you should also try. Here is a short list of the best Malaysian dishes you should try:

1. Satay

Satay is Malaysia’s one of four national dishes, with the other three being roti canai, laksa, and nasi lemak. The dish consists of skewered seasoned meat with other ingredients like seafood, vegetables, and tofu. Grilled over charcoal and then served with a special satay sauce made with palm sugar, tamarind, roasted peanuts, and chilli, meat lovers will surely enjoy this dish.

2. Roti Canai

Roti Canai is a flaky, buttery, and crispy Indian flatbread made of ghee and flour. The best way to eat this national dish is to rip off small pieces of the bread and dip them into the curry sauce or plain sugar. 

3. Curry Laksa

Laksa is a Peranakan noodle soup dish made with wheat noodles or rice vermicelli with spicy curry coconut milk soup. The spice paste used to make laksa consists of various ingredients such as shallots, lemongrass, garlic, and more. You can have it topped with fried tofu, seafood, bean sprouts, or hard-boiled egg.

4. Nasi Lemak

Made with rice cooked in coconut milk and wrapped in pandan leaf, Nasi Lemak is a must-try Malaysian dish. Garnished with cucumber slices, roasted peanuts, boiled or fried eggs, dried anchovies, you can also eat this with viands like fried fish or chicken. 

5. Mee Goreng

Mee Goreng is made with stir-fried noodles with garlic, shallots, and onion. The dish is topped with sliced meatballs, chicken, prawns, cabbages, tomatoes, and eggs. Served by many street vendors and restaurants around the country, it is a go-to dish for those who want a filling and satisfying meal.

Top 3 restaurants in Malaysia that are worth visiting

If you are looking for a place where you can bring your friends and family for a tasty meal, there are plenty of restaurants in Malaysia that you can book. Check out some of them below:

1. B’york KL

B’york KL has an exquisite and calming ambience where you can host all sorts of events. The space values the elements of nature by providing lots of greeneries inside and outside of the venue. This multi-purpose restaurant space serves a delicious mix of local & International cuisine (specialised in Chinese halal), complemented by interactive live cooking stations like Chimichangas, Yakitoris, Kebab, Dim Sum, Pasta and Salad/ Dessert bar. Book B’york KL here.

Address: Level 1, Lot F1, G Village, Jln 1/76, Desa Pandan, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

2. Gin Rik Sha

Gin Rik Sha is a modern place that serves contemporary Indian cuisine. It boasts a stylish and cosy ambience. Its bar serves mixed drinks with spices and ingredients that will tantalise your tongue. The food has exquisite Indian flavours inspired by Asian ingredients. 

Find out more about Gin Rik Sha here.

Address: 37, Ground Floor, Plaza Damansara, Jalan Medan Setia 1,, Bukit Damansara, 50490 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

3. Mutiara Palace

Mutiara Palace is an excellent venue for special events and celebrations. It offers traditional Chinese cuisine and can accommodate up to 600 pax comfortably. Check out more details about Mutiara Palace here.

Address: 4th Floor, Wisma Bentley Music, 3, Jalan PJU 7/2, Mutiara Damansara, 47810 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia

Try out the best dishes in Malaysia today

Malaysia is famous for various reasons, be it traditions, landmarks, cultures, fashion, and the best of them all, food. The top reasons why Malaysian food is the best should be enough to encourage you to try Malaysian cuisine. Check out more restaurants in Malaysia here on Venuerific!