MALAYSIAN FOOD GUIDE
From the editor As a Malaysian, I have always appreciated the food culture we are blessed with. Due to the multicultural environment, it is totally understandable to have a delicious plate of rice at a Malay stall and then walk over to the shop on the other side of the road for a bowl of Chinese soup dessert. Our Malaysian tastebuds are often placated with the mouth watering food offered by the numerous eateries that are available, be it airconditioned restaurants or stalls by the roadside. Depending on the type of cuisine, the setting of the eatery and location the conduct varies according to the culture. For example, Malaysians generally address everyone like their family. In every neighbourhood eatery, we address the person manning the stall as uncle, aunty, brother or sister. This way of addressing even applies to strangers. I feel that such culture is very beautiful and needs to be shared with others as this will not only enable them to understand more about the Malaysian food culture but also serves to remind us about the human touch which the world is sadly lacking in currently. Having lived in Germany for almost six years, I now experience Malaysia differently. It is the little cultural moments, the friendliness of Malaysians and the vast selection of food which I had always taken for granted but dearly missed now. Malaysian cuisine as a whole is not as popular as other Asian cuisines. This is one of the many reasons why I would want to continue growing Nyonya Cooking which started as a Youtube Channel. Hence, I decided to work on this little project when I was back in Malaysia besides having my wedding, a vacation and lots of catching up with friends and family. The food tours were recorded in Penang and Kuala Lumpur. Of course, Malaysia has so much more to offer and we hope to cover more food cultures in other parts of my home country in future. In this Ebook, there will be more details to the individual Food Tour videos which we had created and also a list of must try food in Malaysia. As the intention was to promote the food culture and not the restaurants, I had avoided mentioning the names of the restaurants most of the time. However, this piece of information was always requested by the viewers, especially by travellers who will be visiting Malaysia. I have decided to have the list of names listed in the ebook and you will also find other popular food eateries with the same food culture to assist your travels. If you enjoyed our work and find the information helpful, support us on Patreon: https://nyonya.tv/supportus Grace Teo An Asian food enthusiast https://nyonya.tv/grace
The Unpretentious Dining in Malaysia Mamak eateries offers fantastic tasting food. It is a popular place among Malaysians to catch up with friends. It is also the place to hangout after school, discuss a project or even catch the World Cup live! If you are hungry during the wee hours of the morning, Mamak will be to your rescue as most Mamak eateries open till 1 am and there are some which stays open for 24 hours. Some Mamak eateries will even offer Wi-Fi. When you enter a Mamak eatery, you will notice colourful menu boards displaying the dishes or drinks which are available. If you are unfamiliar with Mamak, take a walk around the restaurant to see what they have got to offer. All eateries serve the basic Roti Canai, Roti Tisu, Tosai, Nasi Lemak and Mee Goreng. Larger Mamak eateries will also offer Rojak, Nasi Kandar and even Thai or Chinese food, although this is rare. Some Mamak eateries are set up by the roadside. In such instances, it is not uncommon to see tables and chairs laid out on the sidewalks or even on the roads.
How-Tos For such roadside Mamak eateries, you will need to reach out to the person manning the stall for your order which will then be brought to you at your table. Else, you are free to pick a seat and call out for the waiter to take your order. Type of Cuisine Indian, Malay Availability Almost at every corner of the streets in Malaysia. If you are referring to a lady, you may call her Kak. It is an abbreviation of the Malay word Kakak which means Elder Sister. As for waiters, you may refer to them as Bang, which is also an abbreviated Malay word for Abang. It simply brings the meaning of Elder Brother. It is also common to use A-neh, the Tamil term for Elder Brother, as I had done in my video. If the person you are referring to is very much younger, you may refer to him as Dik which is gender neutral. The term Dik comes from the Malay word, Adik. Otherwise, feel free to call the waiter Boss which is commonly acceptable. Must-Try Dishes Nasi Lemak http://nyonya.tv/nasilemak Teh Tarik http://nyonya.tv/tehtarik Roti Canai http://nyonya.tv/roticanai Example of Mamak Outlet Restaurant Nisma Curry House (featured in video): 39, Jalan SG 3/10, Taman Sri Gombak, 68100 Batu Caves, Selangor NZ Curry House: Jalan Ampang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur Restaurant Murni: SS2 Petaling Jaya Watch Video: http://nyonya.tv/mamak
A Hungry Weekly Affair for Food Geeks The din of sellers shouting out the deal of the day to capture the attention of possible buyers screams familiarity! This is the common scene in a Pasar Malam which means Night Market. Commonly found in residential areas, Pasar Malam is a weekly or sometimes bi-weekly affair. It is the place where the locals visit for their weekly groceries, food and much more! There are even stalls selling clothing, electronic gadgets and even Siamese fighting fishes which are kept as pets. Pasar Malam will usually take up roads at a certain area which are blocked during the occurrence of the market. Stalls are allocated by an organiser. The individual stalls are Type to enter text almost permanently located and rarely changes. Most of the stalls rotate between several locations during the week to maximise profits. Therefore, it is not a surprise to see the same stall in Pasar Malam at different locations. Visiting a Pasar Malam can be quite an experience and beware, traffic might be an issue. As Pasar Malam takes up certain roads, the other roads nearby will get congested and getting public transport may be an issue. In this guide, I have also selected some Pasar Malam which are close to LRT stations. How-Tos: The general atmosphere in a Pasar Malam can be quite hectic and noisy. Hence, feel free to grab some attention by calling out a simple
Example: Pasar Malam Connaught (featured in video): Every Wednesday, Address: Jalan Cerdas, Taman Connaught, 56000 Kuala Lumpur Pasar Malam LRT University: Every Monday and Friday, Address: Pantai Dalam, 59200 Kuala Lumpur Pasar Malam Bangsar: Every Sunday, Address: Off Jalan Maarof, 59100 Kuala Lumpur Watch Video: nyonya.tv/pmalam Hello or if they appear much older, Uncle or Aunty would be appropriate. Prices are generally stated at the stall. Make your order and pay on the spot. Some food stalls will (very rarely) have tables and chairs behind their stall for you to enjoy your meal. Keep a look out for them. Type of Cuisine: Malay, Chinese, Indian, more. (Depending on stall owner) Availability: Residential areas Must-Try Dishes: Try everything that looks delicious!
A Lane of Perfected Recipes A Lane of Perfected Recipes Passed Down To Generations If you are looking to try the best local food which are usually cooked based on recipes which had been passed down through generations of the family, you have to seek out for a Glutton Street. Most Glutton Streets are usually unknown to outsiders but are famously known locally! It is during the nights that the hawker stalls will give the streets a whole new life! In the late evenings, office workers, families and friends will gather to enjoy an array of dishes. Tables are placed between the stretches of hawker stalls which allows each person to have their own selection of meal to be shared with everyone at the table. Most of the hawker stalls specializes in only a particular dish. The dishes have been perfected and famous Glutton Streets are well known because of these dishes. Some of them have been in business for more than 50 years! While most of the hawker stalls are family businesses which have been passed down
through different generations, there are also some stalls which have been bought over from the previous owners whereby the new owners are also taught the tricks of the trades as well to ensure continuous success. To seek out for Glutton Streets, get tips from the locals or the hotel reception. The best bet is to seek them out online before visiting Malaysia. As most Glutton Streets are made out of Chinese hawker stalls, locals may only know these streets as Wai Sik Kai, the Chinese term for Glutton Street. In such an open space food court environment, you can experience delicious food at affordable prices! Example Pudu s Wai Sek Kai (featured in video): Everyday 5pm till 12pm, Address: Jalan Sayur, Pudu, 55100 Kuala Lumpur Jalan Alor s Wai Sek Kai: Everyday 6pm till after midnight. Some stalls may take a day off alternately, Address: Jalan Alor, Bukit Bintang, 50200 Kuala Lumpur Kepong Wai Sek Kai: Everyday 5pm till 11pm, Address: Kepong Wai Sek Kai, Jalan Antoi Kiri, 52100 Kepong Baru How-Tos Glutton Streets have similar environment setup like Pasar Malam except that you will only be getting food! Secure a table and allow your friends to order before you do as tables may quickly be unavailable, especially during peak hours. Prices are normally available at the front of the hawker stall. You could either pay upon ordering your dish or when the dish is brought to you at the table. This depends on the owner of the hawker stall. Do ask if you are unsure. Type of Cuisine: Usually Chinese (Depending on stall owner) Availability Residential areas Must-Try Dishes Each Glutton Street is unique due to the different hawker stalls available. Seek for stalls with a queue or do your research online before your visit!
All About Curries and Rice Let me start off by telling you that this is a big favourite of my partner. He bugs me almost everyday for Banana Leaf Rice. I bet it is due to the various delicious curries which are offered in such eateries! The set up of a Banana Leaf Rice restaurant is very much like a Mamak eatery. In fact, some restaurants may even offer dishes like those at a Mamak eatery. Such restaurants offer a casual dining experience with extremely delicious, flavourful and spicy food. At most Banana Leaf Rice restaurants, the dishes are precooked for your selection. Each dish will be refilled as the day goes by to ensure only fresh food are served to customers. Like the name suggests, the rice is served on a piece of banana leaf and one will usually enjoy eating the meal by hand. If you choose to do so, there are sinks located in the restaurant to
allow customers to wash their hands before and after the meal. Otherwise, forks and spoons are also available. How-Tos As you enter the food outlet, take a quick glance at the food counter to make your decision on which dish to order. Food orders are usually taken at the table. So, get yourself comfortably seated to order your meal. A basic Banana Leaf Rice meal will come with various curries and some side dishes such as Rasam (Spicy and Sour South Indian Soup) and Papadam (Crispy Fried Flat Dough). The dishes and rice offered in this meal are usually refillable. However, other side dishes like Meat, Tofu or Vegetables would cost extra. It is important to note that a special food etiquette must be taken care of when eating Banana Leaf Rice. When the meal is finished, fold the banana leaf downwards/inwards to show gratitude to your host and to show that you are happy with the meal. On the other hand, folding the banana leaf upwards/ outwards at funeral wakes represents condolences or if you are simply unhappy with the meal. Hence, be very careful to not offend anyone! Addressing waiters/waitresses is very similar to a Mamak and if you are still confused, Boss works all the time! Type of Cuisine South Indian Availability In Kuala Lumpur, famous Banana Leaf Rice restaurants are located in Bangsar and Masjid Jamek areas. Example Restoran Sri Nirwana Maju Bangsar (featured in video): Everyday 10am till 2am (except Sunday, until 12am), Address: 43, Jalan Telawi 3, Bangsar Baru, 59100 Kuala Lumpur Devi s Corner: Everyday 24 hours (closed only on Deepavali), Address: 14, Jalan Telawi 4, Bangsar Baru, Kuala Lumpur, 59100 Bangsar Vishal Food & Catering: Everyday 7.30am till 10.45pm, Address: 22 Scotts Road, Brickfields, 50470 Kuala Lumpur
The Food Pearl of Malaysia Although Penang is not exactly a food culture by itself, this beautiful state located in northern Peninsular Malaysia offers a great gastronomic experience! Malaysians who do not live in Penang which is also known as The Pearl of the Orient, would make a visit there to just enjoy the local food fare that are available. That itself would already depict the important role that Penang holds when it comes to the food in Malaysia. Travelling to Penang from Kuala Lumpur can be via bus, rail or the simplest, by flight. Within an hour of flight, you will be able to reach Penang and explore the city by public transport. Within 3 days, I tried to cover most of the popular touristic spots and most importantly, the famous dishes in Penang. Of course, there are more but this list should get you started. Among all the dishes that I had tried in Penang, the most memorable dish has got to be the two bowls of Curry Mee I had from Sister s Curry Mee. They were extremely delicious. Perhaps, the most delicious Curry Noodles I had ever tasted. At the age of 83 and 85 years old respectively, the dedication from these two sisters is admirable! The Lim sisters have been running the stall for over 60 years. Extremely friendly and chatty too. If you are in Penang, you have to pay them a visit. Must-Try Dishes Asam Laksa
Char Kuey Teow White Curry Noodles Below is the list of various dishes I had tried in the video and their locations: Line Clear Nasi Kandar (24 hours) 177, Jalan Penang, George Town, 10000 George Town, Penang Tip: Go during odd hours to avoid a long queue Teo Chew Cendol 10.30am till 7pm 4, 2, Lebuh Keng Kwee, George Town, 10100 George Town, Penang Tip: Try the Assam Laksa in the Coffeeshop next to it! Heard it is one of the best in Penang! Chinese Roasted Chestnuts and Pickles Located along Jalan Penang, close to Chowrasta Market Tip: Take a walk along the main road to absorb the excitement in the air and try the little snacks and fruits sold. Roti Canai Transfer Road 114, 110, Jalan Transfer, Georgetown, 10050 George Town, Penang 8am till 11am Tip: Go early! Char Kuey Teow at Kafe Heng Huat 82, Lorong Selamat, George Town, 10400 George Town, Penang
Everyday 11am till 6pm (except Tuesday) Tip: The service may not be the best, especially if the Aunty is having a bad day! Ayer Itam Assam Laksa Jalan Pasar, Paya Terubong, 11500 George Town, Penang 10.30am till 7pm Tip: Do not miss the Uncle selling Mua Chi and wash the food down with Sugar cane drink. Sister s Curry Mee 612 T, Jalan Air Itam, Pekan Ayer Itam, 11500 Ayer Itam, Pulau Pinang 7.30am till 1pm Tip: Ask for extra Chilli Paste (Sambal) if you want the curry noodles to be spicy.