Malaysian cuisine

Tasting the Malaysian culture

As I write this, I’m slurping up the last bit of coconut sauce that came with the Klepon—a traditional Malaysian dessert we received on the house. The people in this restaurant insisted that we try the green, sticky rice balls filled with palm sugar and coated in shredded coconut. Sometimes, the food just comes to us, and really, what choice do we have but to try? Such a tough life, honestly! Not just us, but also the locals think we should try as much of the local cuisine as possible. What a great team we make!

And that brings me to the main topic of this article: food. In Malaysia, it plays such a prominent role that it deserves a story on its own. Consider this your warning—I won’t be holding back when describing all the deliciousness (and less deliciousness) we’ve tasted. If a trip to Malaysia isn’t in your plans, prepare yourself for some serious regret. This is your last chance to click away before your mouth starts watering…

Malaysia is home to a diverse mix of cultures, including Malays, Chinese, Indians and indigenous groups. This melting pot is very clear in their cuisine. We’ve spent a serious amount of time exploring hawker centers—open-air food courts where Malay, Chinese, Indian and even Western dishes are served side by side. These centers offer so many choices that eating there feels a bit like speed-dating. You walk around, trying a little bit of everything, hoping to find 'the one’. Sometimes, it’s a perfect match; other times, it’s a little awkward (and maybe the sambal is too spicy for a second date), but it’s always interesting.

To start off, I’d like to zoom in on two dishes we tried at hawker centers— ones that still leave me wondering whether I actually liked them or not…

Let me first introduce you to Ais Kachang. "Ais" means ice in Malay and "Kachang" means beans. Yes, you read that right: ice with beans. Eehhh… is that a dessert? You bet it is! And it’s actually very popular among the locals, so we had to give it a try.

As you can see in the video, Ais Kachang is served as a proper art piece. You get a mountain of shaved ice, topped with a rainbow of syrups and yellow corn. On top of that, a handful of agar-agar (some type of jelly), candied fruit, and sweets. Super healthy, right? Doesn’t it sound like an excellent way to balance out your daily vegetable intake? To me it does. And it definitely tastes like that too. I’m still not sure if I liked it or if I’m still recovering. The explosion of flavours was just as overwhelming as it looks. Chaos.

And then: Durian. Who hasn’t seen this terrifying fruit on social media? The one with such a strong smell that it’s even banned in some public places. Does that scare you off, or make you curious? As for me, I’m all about the curiosity. And honestly, it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. While the fruit does have a peculiar scent (somewhere between garlic and onion), the taste is surprisingly refreshing, like jackfruit (which is a mix of banana, mango, and pineapple). And the soft, creamy, almost pudding-like texture of the flesh? I actually enjoy it! Bernardo, however, doesn’t quite agree. He’s too distracted by the overpowering smell. So, it was up to me to finish our portion. I didn’t love it, but didn’t hate it either—it was more of a 'meh' experience. If this unclear conclusion hasn’t sparked your curiosity, I’m out of ideas.

Apart from hawker centers, Malaysia offers entire neighbourhoods and markets dedicated to specific cuisines. In these places, you truly feel as if you've stepped into the country of origin. Ever since I was little, I’ve dreamed of traveling to India. Here in Malaysia, I secretly feel like I’ve already had a taste of it. It’s amazing how, in a neighbourhood like Little India, you can completely get lost in the atmosphere of India—the aroma of masala, colourful shops, rich spiced food that is, of course, eaten by hand. And then the people—always offering a nod of approval and a friendly smile. Bernardo, who lived in India for half a year, confirms that this is the place where you can experience the feeling of India without actually being there. We find it incredible how Malaysia allows you to step into different worlds. It’s like having a taste of different countries without ever having to leave.

Although the different cultures live peacefully side by side, you never actually see a Chinese person in an Indian restaurant, or the other way around. Everyone seems to take pride in their own cuisine and sticks to it – and rightly so! We’d happily offer the Chinese a bite of Indian roti Canai and the Indians a plate of Chinese Char Kway Teow, but hey, that’s up to them. It’s a parallel, but harmonious society where respect for one another is key – also when it comes to food.

After many hours spent as professional eaters, both in hawker centers and dedicated spots, we’ve drawn our conclusions. My favorite: Nasi Lemak; Malaysia’s national dish. This dish consists of creamy coconut rice, sambal (the game-changer of this dish, so good!), dried anchovies, roasted peanuts, a boiled egg and sometimes a piece of chicken or rendang. I often ordered this dish vegetarian and for breakfast. For me, it was real comfort food. The creamy coconut rice, combined with the salty, crispy anchovies and the fresh, sweet and spicy sambal makes it absolutely finger-licking good.

As I mentioned before: the sambal is essential in this dish. Bernardo laughed at me every time I scraped the bowl so clean that it could be reused. He’s not a fan of the sambal due to its fishy taste. No complaints here—more sambal for me!

Now it's Bernardo's time to shine. His absolute favorite: Roti Canai. He loves dipping this stretched flatbread pancake into dahl, chicken curry, or coconut chutney. The dish originates from India, brought to Malaysia by Indian migrants, where it quickly became a local favorite. You can find it on every street corner, but not at all hours of the day. Traditionally a breakfast dish, it often left Bernardo crying at lunch and dinner, missing his beloved roti. But he dried his tears with a warm, fresh one the next morning. And how lucky he is that India is still ahead of us!

Well, I think it’s clear now that we enjoyed trying all the different dishes. But discovering new cuisines is about more than just filling our stomachs. In Malaysia, we’ve learned that offering food is a way of welcoming, taking care of others and showing protection. From that simple act, many of our conversations with the Malay people began over a plate of food. Trying new dishes is a way to connect with the culture and its people, helping us better understand their world. And the stories that arise from these experiences are the ones that stay with us, long after the last bite.

Thank you, Malaysian cuisine. It was a pleasure blending in.

Jule Noah