Food in Malaysia and Singapore: Top 53 best dishes

In the kitchen of any new country it is better to meet "Instructions", Choice at random can lead to disappointment. In the first of my trips to Malaysia, I could not find delicious dishes: the ordered did not coincide with expectations, and some food in the pictures seemed completely inedible. Everything went on until I started to be interested in, and what they have a delicious. It is worth noting that Malaysian cuisine is multinational and reflects the methods of preparation and traditions of different cultures. If we talk about the country as a whole, her kitchen is roughly divided into Malay, Chinese and Indian. Already in some regions, the dishes of indigenous peoples of Malaysia, a special peranacan cuisine, formed during the merger of Chinese and Malay culture, as well as typical dishes of neighboring states. I prepared you a list of the best, in my opinion, dishes in Malaysia. I will meet the same meal in Singapore.

Snacks | Soups | Curry | Spices and additives | Seafood | Noodles | Rice | Meat

Snacks

As in Thailand, Makashnitsa is common in Malaysia, where you can find everything – from snacks to soups and hot dishes. Something from the below you will find in restaurants or buy in stores.

Krupuk (Krupuk)

So called chips from flour or starch with the addition of powdered seafood powder. They are eaten as a snack with various sauces or used as bread in addition to some dishes. In stores you can find ready-made chips of a cream and in the form of blanks that have yet to fry. Even in Thailand, you will find such chips.

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Shrimp chip chips

Curry Puffs (Curry Puff)

In many restaurant courtyards or simply in the kiosks on the streets they sell patties from a layer test with various fillings, where the main ingredient – curry. The composition may include chicken, beef, fish, egg, panir or vegetables. They are baked or fried in deep, but they resemble large dumplings. Puffs with curry or curry-puff are popular in Malay and Indian bakeries.

Toasts with Kaya Jam (Kaya Toast)

This is a typical breakfast dish not only for Singapore, but also for Malaysia. Read on about toasts with Kaya jam>>>

Pisang Goreng (Pisang Goreng)

So called fried bananas. They can cook or without. The idea for fried bananas in the XVI century in Southeast Asia, the Portuguese brought. And now such a snack can be found on street trays in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines. Can be found just fried bananas fried in a klyar, and sometimes traders add sesame.

Otak-Otak (Otak-Otak)

Be sure to try in Malaysia Peranakan Otak. This dish makes fish minced meat, mixed with spices, curry and coconut milk, wrapped in palm leaves and bake on coals. Usually, ohk ohk turn into a tube, but the option is found in the form of triangles or in a caper of palm leaves. To taste, Otka-Otka reminds Tuskre Souffle Ho-Mok.

Popiah

At first glance, Popia rolls look like Spring Rolls, who are everywhere in Thailand. However, variations of this dish are several. Usually, Popia is preparing not so fried as Crispy Spring Rolls, although you can meet this option cooked in deep fryer. Interesting process of cooking the most pancake. Street cook for a second touches a viscous test to the roasting circle, which is formed thin round damn. It is slightly roasted, and then wrapped the filling: bean sprouts, lettuce leaves, grated carrots, pieces of tofu, chopped peanuts, tours, omelet, roasted bow and meat to choose from: shrimp, chinese sausages.

Rodzhak (Rojak)

Here is an unusual Malaysian dish. If you describe it in brief, it is a fruit and vegetable salad. On Penang Island, you will find Rozhak from pieces of cucumbers, tours, pineapples, guaava, green mangoes and pink apples, powdered sugar sauce, lime juice and dark shrimp paste and sprinkled with thusshine peanuts. Gourmet Eclectic In Action. In the rest of the regions of Malaysia, you will find another type of Rodzhak salad, which is below.

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Rozhan Fruit Salad on Pinang Island

Mamak Rodzhak, Indian Rodzhak or Pakembur (Pasembur)

Curly cucumber salad, boiled potatoes, roasted tofu, tourps, soy sprouts, tofu, boiled eggs and fried seafood: shrimp, crabs or octopuses in all Malaysia is known called Rodzhak or any of the above names listed. On Penang, not to be confused with a fruit salad, he is called Pysebourb. Vegetables pour sweet-sharp peanut sauce.

Roth Chanai or Roti Prata (Roti Canai, Roti Prata)

Differences in the name of the Roth’s cakes are only in geography: in the north – Chaneai, in the south – Prat. They are made empty – "Roth Kosmong" – or stuffing inside and often eat for breakfast with curry. There are sweet variations: with bananas, chocolate, Kaya jam

Murtabak (Murtabak)

One of the variations of stuffed mouth. They were taken from Yemen Indian merchants from Yemen. Start Murtabak usually minced beef or chicken, mixed with egg, onions, garlic and spices, and eaten with curry or special sauce. Also there are sweet stuffed pancakes. Try Murtabak in street kiosks or in Muslim Indian cafes. In Singapore, look for Murtabak in restaurants near the Sultan Mosque in the Arab quarter.

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Billets for Fruit Salad Rodzhak on Pinang

Roti John

In Malayski "Roth" means "bread", a "John" Indicates a European manner of cooking. In fact, so-called sandwich fried with omelet, where baguette is used as bread. First mix ingredients for omelet: eggs, chicken minced, onions and tomatoes; Then lay on a long half of the baguette and roasted.

Satay (Satay)

One of the most popular snacks resembles cooked small kebabs on wooden skewers. Malaysia meet Sate from chicken, beef and even pork. Meat pieces marinate before cooking. Ready Sati serves with peanut sauce and vinegar with pieces of onions and cucumbers. Penang and Malacke are popular Sate-buffets when you order chicken kebabs, beef, crab sticks, mushrooms, vegetables and seafood, and then chew them in a saucepan with sauce. This option is called Sate Check (Satay Celup). Be sure to try during a visa-wound to Penang.

Dim Sam SAM

So called chinese dumplings cooked for a couple. Species Dim Samov Most. They are stuffed with pork, chicken, shrimps, vegetables or mushrooms. In Malaysia, Dim sama eat as a snack or breakfast. Also this is a popular breakfast in Singapore.

Bakkwa (Bakkwa)

Bakkva’s dried meat came to Malaysia from China. It is made from pork, beef or lamb, marinuy in soy sauce with salt, spices and sugar, because of what the taste is a sweet-salty. In stores sell thin square lists of Bakkva.

In Malaysia, as in Asia, there is no separation of dishes for the first, second and third. Everything varies in the ingredients: curry, with rice, with noodles and others. For your convenience, I describe the Malaysian cuisine in a more familiar sense. Soups in Malaysia are diverse and reflect each of the national cuisine.

Laksa (Laksa)

The most famous, I would say, the corporate cuisine’s branded soup appeared due to the mixture of Malay and Chinese culture. Laksa soup takes the same place as Toms in Thailand. There are three main varieties: sour soup asam Lax or Pinang Lax, soup with curry and coconut milk – Carry Lax, Naga Lax, Kelantan Lax; and different mixes not included in the two previous options. Constant ingredient is noodles. The palette of tastes is approximately as follows: sour, sweet, sharp (sometimes), fresh. And divine smell. As a rule, Udon is used – thick wheat noodles. But the soup variations are so much that you can meet rice, and yellow egg noodles, and even spaghetti. The most famous version of Asam Lax – fish soup, which add pasta from tamarind or some other fruits, giving unique sourness, pineapple, mint leaves and grated cucumber. In the soup of Carry Lax, in addition to fish and noodles, coconut milk, curry, tofu, soy sprouts, shrimps or chicken and sometimes eggs are added. The remaining types of Lax Soup differ in regions, some ingredients and noodles. Love arises from the first spoon. CNN loves them too and included the best 50 dishes in the world.

Soto Ayam (Soto Ayam)

Another interesting soup in Malaysia is prepared with chicken and noodles. Distinctive feature – Bouillon of yellow color due to turmeric. Dish of the Indonesia, where there are many types of soup Soto. In the Malaysian version "ayam" means chicken, respectively, this is the main ingredient on a par with noodle. The finished dish is decorated with fried onions, boiled egg and celery leaves. Sometimes add shrimp chips The cream about which I wrote above.

Bak Kut Teh

This soup can be found even on Phuket in specialized restaurants with Peranakan and Chinese cuisine. Literal tank-kut-th means "Meat bone tea". Fleshy pork ribs boiled on slow heat for several hours. Various spices are present in the broth: carnations, anise, cinnamon, fennel seeds, garlic and others. Dark-brown soup itself due to dark soy sauce.

Yong Tau-Fu (Yong Tau Fu)

The name of this soup is literally translated as "Stuffed tofu". Pieces of tofu fill with pork chuffs or fish and boils in broth. Often, when cooking, other ingredients are added: fish balls, crab sticks, chili, surroundings, seafood or meat. Serve soup together with boiled noodle or rice. On some street trays there is a version of Yong Tau-Fu in the form of soup with noodles and tofu.

Cambinger Soup (sup kambing)

This dish is popular in Malaysia among Malayans and Indians-Muslims. It is prepared from goat meat with ginger, celery, onions, tomatoes and leaves of the Kafrine Lyme. On street macashnitsa you will meet big saucepans with meat, of which the cook screams the soup with a midwife and sells everything.

Curry

What to say, but curry curry retail. There are many species with various ingredients, tastes and flowers. Curry prepare meat and seafood, add to soups or fry with noodles. In each of their three national cuisines there are dishes with curry, I will give you some of them.

Fish Head Curry (Fish Head Curry)

This dish has a Chinese and Indian origin, there are several very similar options. The recipe was originally invented by an Indian cook in Singapore for Chinese visitors. The head of the Red Sea Perch is extinguished in curry with coconut milk, eggplants and oblast, sometimes add tamarind sauce. To date, the dish is also served in Malay, Chinese and Peravankan restaurants.

Curry MEE (Curry Mee)

"Mi" in Malayski – noodles. Curry in some states of Malaysia are called Curry Lax and do not distinguish. Ingredients are very similar: rice or egg noodles, curry, coconut milk, mint leaves, dried tofu, shrimp, chicken pieces and egg.

Gulai (Gulai)

One of the varieties of dishes with curry. The basis, as a rule, meat: chicken, beef, lamb, offal, fish or seafood, less often – vegetables. Gulai is always yellow color due to the addition of turmeric. Served with rice or with a cherry china.

Additives and headings

The list of main dishes includes noodles, rice, vegetables, meat, seafood, as well as their combinations. Some are found only in restaurants, others can be found on street trays and food courts. But before talking about the main dishes, you should mention the side dishes and some additives.

Five Spice (Five Spice Powder)

Under this term in Malaysia, the powder from the stars of Anisa, carnations, Chinese cinnamon, Chinese Coriander and Fennel Seeds. Seasoning are used to prepare soups, add to dishes with pork and to breading fried products.

Sambal (Sambal)

As in Thailand, Malaysia has its own branded sauces under the general name of Sambal. In Thai cuisine, their equivalent is the various types of us, and you will rather be understood by the analogue of Adzhik. For cooking use a shrimp paste, fish sauce, lime juice, chile, garlic, ginger and other ingredients. Sauce options Sambal set, it is added to dishes during cooking or laid on a plate as an addition.

Acar (ACAR)

This is called marinated vegetables salad: cucumbers, carrots, cabbage, onions and other. Achard is served in small plates in the form of a supplement to the main dishes, and can also be ordered separate dish.

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Noodles with dumplings in the form of soup or Vontonon Mi

Ketupat (Ketupat)

Frequently on street trays In Malaysia, you will see the pillars made of palm leaves in the form of a cube or pyramid – it is Ketaatat. In this form on slow fire, the rice is pre-clouded in cold water, it turns out something like rice pudding. Such a dish is usually eaten in the form of a side dish with sat.

LONTONG (LONTONG)

Another preparing rice. It is first boiled, then wrapped in banana leaves and boil on slow heat again. It turns out long rice sausages impregnated with the scent of banana leaf. London is served with peanut sauce, and also widely used in various dishes – soups, curry and salads. For example, in the Indonesian salad of the Gado-Gado or Sooto Ayam.

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Such different dims samas

Chinese sausages (chinese sausage)

As follows from the name, such sausages appeared due to Chinese migrants. They are prepared, as a rule, from pork, but there are options from the liver of ducks or turkey. In Malaysia, you can even find chicken Chinese sausages for the Muslim population. They are used as the main dish and add to salads, soups, noodle and rice dishes.

Fish and seafood dishes

In Malaysia and Singapore you can easily find dishes with seafood. They are served on street trays or in chic restaurants. Be sure to choose something on the sample.

Chilli Crab (Chilli Crab)

Crab with Chilly is a trump card for Malaysia and Singapore, on the Clark embankment it can be found almost in any restaurant. In Malaysia it is also very popular. Large mango crabs are fry in sauce of sweet and salty tomatoes, seasoned chili.

Ikan Bakar (Ikan Bakar)

Literally translated "burned fish". As a rule, freshwater species use for cooking. Whole fish first marinate the mixtures of coconut oil, sweet soy sauce and spices, and then prepare on coals. Sometimes it is wrapped in banana leaves or foil.

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Rice Nasi Lemac and Rendang from beef

Ikan Goreng (Ikan Goreng)

With Malaysky "Ikan" translated as a fish, and "Goreng" – Grown. This dish is very similar to Ikan Bakar. First, the fish is marinated in spices, and then fry in deep fryer to crisp.

Omelet with oysters (Oh-Shien)

A very popular street dish of China can be found in many Malaysian night markets. Oysters are first laid on a large flat frying pan, then a mixture of eggs, rice flour, green onion, and mix everything. It turns out a crisp omelet with oysters.

Noodle dishes

Like most Asians, Malaysia love dishes with noodles. You can meet soups or "Dry" Options. The mistress in Malaysia in the kitchen stores many types of noodles: egg, rice, wide and thick, like Japanese.

Hokkien Mi (Hokkien Mee)

Noodles in the style of Hockey appeared in Malaysia thanks to Chinese migrants. For cooking, use yellow egg noodles, which is frying with black soy sauce, pork and crispy crackers – so cooked in Kuala Lumpur. On the island of Penang, all ingredients in the form of soup are served, adding soy sprouts, shrimps and a boiled egg.

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Mi Goreng or Fried Noodles

Mi Goreng (Mee Goreng)

Another dish of Peraanac cuisine – Mi Goreng, literally "Fried noodles". For cooking use yellow egg noodles, garlic, onions, Chinese cabbage, tomatoes, eggs and meat to choose from: chicken, pork, beef or shrimp. There is also an Indian version – Maggie Goreng – from fast cooking noodles with soy sprouts, egg, tofu and meat to choose.

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Nasi Goreng with Egg and Sate

Mi Rebus

So an unusual name hides "boiled lapto". An ordinary egg noodle is boiled with curry powder sauce, dried shrimp, thicker peanuts, soybeans and sweet potatoes. The dish is decorated with a chopped boiled egg, a green bow, celery, soy sprouts and fried tofu. In different states of Malaysia, you will find Mi Rebus as in "Sukhom" form and as soup.

Lo Mi (LOR MEE)

Popular Chinese noodle dish resembling soup. Thick sauce is prepared from corn starch, spices and eggs, in which the yellow noodles extinguish. Lo mi serves with pieces of pork, fish boiler, boiled eggs and dumplings.

Char Kuai Towe (Char Kway Teow)

Chinese migrants brought a lot of dishes from noodles to Malaysia and Singapore. In Char, Qui Town uses a wide rice noodle, which is roasted with dark and light soy sauce, shrimp paste, oyster sauce, chili, soy sprouts, shrimps, molluscs and green onions. Traditionally, the dish is prepared on slices of swine bass.

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Nasi Goreng with Egg

Mi Siam (Mee Siam)

Another kind of dish with noodles. As suggests the name came from Thai cuisine. Thin rice noodles are fried with egg, garlic, soy sprouts, green onions, tamarind and soy sauces. Sometimes you can meet siah in the form of soup.

Noodle in Wonton Mee

Vontonami called pilge and shrimp stuffles. The boiled noodle is served with swords, Chinese cabbage and pieces of grilled pork. Meet "dry" Option and in the form of soup.

Chi Chong Fan (Chee Cheong Fun)

Rice noodle dish. I talked about him in the article "9 Singapore breakfasts".

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Chi Chong Fan and Dim Same

Dishes with rice

Rice – everything head, – can safely speak in Asia. Malaysia a lot of dishes with rice. It is fry, stewed with meat, baked on coals and cook porridge with him.

Rice on banana leaves (Banana LEAF Rice)

Popular dish in Malaysia among the Indian population. The large leaf of the banana palm tree is put on a couple of rice and various additives: pieces of meat, pickles, vegetables and sauces, for example, Sambal. Traditionally, this dish eat hands, you will be given cutlery.

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Rice on banana leaves

Rice with chicken in a pot (Claypot Chicken Rice)

A common dish in a pot is preparing furnaces from rice with spices and chicken pieces. Sometimes Chinese sausages or salty fish are added.

Nasi Goreng (NASI Goreng)

So traditionally called roasted rice with sweet soy sauce, onions and garlic. It can be found in restaurants, on Food courts and in street kiosks. There are several varieties of Nasi Goreng. In the fried rice can add anchovies, egg, beef or seafood, and the same fry with Sambal sauce or tamarind paste or other ingredients. Nasi Goreng Pattaya is served in an envelope from Omelet.

Nasi Lemak (Nasi Lemak)

One of the dishes famous for the whole world in Malaysia is undoubtedly Nasi Lemac. It is rice, prepared in a pandan sheet with coconut milk. Nasi Lemac is served with various additives: anchovies, peanuts, boiled egg, cucumbers and Sambal sauce. Additionally put meat in curry, fried chicken or seafood. Local residents often eat this version of rice for breakfast and lunch.

Rice with chicken or Chiken Rice (Chiken Rice)

Another famous Malaysian dish of China. In piggyams, on food courts and in restaurants feed rice with chicken. Prepare this dish in a special way: the whole chicken is boiled on a slow heat with spices, then in this broth cooks rice so that it is impregnated with aroma. In Thailand, this dish is called "Khao Man Kai", What literally translates "Fat rice with chicken". On the plate are served finished rice and chopped pieces of chicken without bones.

Biryani (Biryani)

This is called a rice dish with spices and slices of meat: chicken, lamb, fish. It came to Malaysia from Iran and India. At first glance, Biriani resembles a pilaf, but here rice and meat are prepared separately.

Burbur (Bubur)

This is a common name for various types of rice porridge: Buric Ayam, Burbur Lambuk. They are preparing, welding rice in water with spices, and add pieces of meat. In addition, several desserts are served in the form of rice porridge, but about them another time.

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Famous Soup asam Lax

Lehmang (Lemang)

Very popular rice dishes in Malaysia. Rice is mixed with salted coconut milk and baked within 4-5 hours in bamboo sticks. So that rice does not stick, the interior of the bamboo barrel is lined with the leaves of banana palm, which gives the dish unique fragrance. It is eaten with some meat dishes. You will find Lehmang in the markets, on trays along the tracks or on the passing by Makashniki passing.

Nasi Kandar (Nasi Kandar)

This dish is guaranteed to be found on Penang Island, because it appeared here thanks to Muslim Tamils. In ancient times, Nasi Candar sold street vendors. They wore with them two baskets on the rocker – Kandar, in the baskets there was a stereothed rice – Nasi, and curry from chicken, fish, vegetables, beef or lamb. Now not to meet such merchants, but the name remains. Even open networks specialized restaurants and kiosks on Food Corts: Kayu Nasi Kandar, Nasi Kandar Subaidah, Pelita Nasi Kandar.

Meat dishes

There are many meat dishes in Malaysia: the Chinese adore pork, Muslims – chicken. The list shown below includes street cuisine and the menu of cafes and restaurants.

Char Siu (Char Siu)

In Malaysia it is easy to find street kiosks with a spear of Sue in appearance. The windows will hang out dark red pieces of grilled pork. Such a color is obtained from the marinade, which includes honey, spices, dark soy sauce, red tofu. Sliced ​​pieces of Char Sue are added to Toping to many Chinese dishes and separately served with boiled rice and cucumbers, sprinkling from above the green bow.

Ayam Goreng (Ayam Goreng)

So called Popular Street Food – Fried to Crispy Cork Chicken Slices. Before cooking in a fryer, chicken marinate in turmeric sauce and other spices.

Lo Bak (Lor Bak)

The famous appetizer in Peraanacan cuisine is a cut and shrimp stuffing sausage, seasoned with five spices, and fryed in deep. Served with sharp and sweet sauces. On Phuket in specialized restaurants you can also find this dish called Lob.

Rendang (Rendang)

Randang was brought from Indonesia to Malaysia, where he was recognized as one of the best national dishes. It is done for several hours of tomaturation pieces of meat (beef, lamb or kids) in spices and coconut milk, until all liquid evaporates. Usually, the dish is served with boiled rice, ketapate or lemangoma described above.

These are some dishes of Malaysian cuisine, which can be tried not only in Malaysia, but also in Singapore. Next time I will describe traditional Malaysian desserts, which are also quite a lot.