INTERNATIONAL CUISINE

Foreign visitors will be pleasantly surprised to discover the abundance of international cuisine available in Malaysia. Restaurants serving international cuisine can usually be found in  major hotels as well as in the vicinity of Kuala Lumpur where there is a sizable expatriate community.

NYONYA CUISINE

Nyonya or Peranakan cuisine evolved out of a unique blend of Malay and Chinese cooking styles. It is characterized by sweet, sour, spicy and pungent flavors. Typical dishes include otak-otak ( fish meat marinated in spices, wrapped in banana leaves and grilled ) and itik tim ( dusk with salted vegetables ) The cuisine is best tried in Nyonya restaurants which have become popular in recent years.

INDIAN CUISINE

Contrary to popular perception, Indian cuisine need not be searingly hot. Various spice blends are used in Indian cuisine to give a robust flavor to food but yogurt almost always accompanies a meal at the end to cool down the taste buds. Milder on the taste buds are dishes such as kurma ( mild meat curry) and tandoori chicken ( chicken baked in clay oven). 

Generally, Southern Indian Cuisine is hotter than its Northern Indian and Moghul Counterparts and is characterized by the heavy use of cream, meat-based dishes and naan breads, Indian-Muslim cuisine is another local favorite one ought to try while in Malaysia. Popular dishes included fish-head curry, murtabak (pancake with spiced meat mixture) and mee goreng ( fried noodles ).

CHINESE CUISINE

A wide variety of Chinese Cuisine is available in Malaysia. Among the popular styles of cooking are those of the Cantonese, Hokkien, Hainanese, Hakka and Szechuan Communities. Generally, Chinese cuisine mild in flavor but local influence has given it a slightly spicier taste.

In addition to  breakfast, lunch, and dinner, there are elevenses where dim sum (steamed snacks) is served. Apart from hotel outlets and large chain restaurants, Chinese food is also available in most coffee shops around Malaysia.

MALAY CUISINE

Malay cuisine is rich and spicy arising form the use of hard spices and a wet spice mixture of rempah and coconut milk. Malay cuisine varies from region to region. Kelantanese cuisine, akin to Thai cooking for example, has sweetish taste due to liberal use of  coconut milk and sugar in cooking. 

On the other hand, the cuisine of Kedah is spicier due to the influence of Indians who arrived here centuries ago during the spice trade.

For the adventurous, there is an array of popular Malay dishes to tantalize their taste buds. A favorite with Malaysians is nasi lemak, rise cooked in coconut milk served with anchovies, squid, eggs, cucumber and sambal (chili paste). An East Coast favorite is nasi dagang, fragrant unpolished glutinous rice steamed with coconut milk and served with tuna fish curry. Nasi Kerabu, another rice-based dish native to Kelantan, is served with local herbs and salted fish. 

A Malay banquet would not be complete without the ever popular Satay, skewed chicken or beef marinated in spices, then grilled over charcoal fire. It is served with peanut gravy, rice cubes, cucumber and onions.

DINING

Malaysian cuisine is exotic with an exciting range of flavors and culinary styles offering the uninitiated and endless gastronomic adventure. It comprises three main groups _ Malay, Chinese and Indian with each having it's own distinct style style of cooking. There are also Cuisines that have evolved from the meeting of cultures notably those of the Nyonya and Indian Muslim Communities.

Western Cuisine, especially Continental And Mediterranean fare, are also available in the major cities. Indeed, Malaysia as a meeting place of both eastern and western cultures, has produced a most diverse culinary melting pot. 

For the visitors who is interested in dining out, Malaysia will prove to be a unique experience both in terms of the array of culinary delights as well as in the wide choice of settings. You can dine out at posh hotel restaurants, elegant chain restaurants, chic sidewalk cafes, delicatessens or eat out at the hawker stalls till the wee hours of the morning.

ABOUT MALAYSIA

It is separated by the South China Sea into two regions, Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo Island.Land borders are shared with Thailand, Indonesia, and Brunei, and maritime borders exist with Singapore, Vietnam, and the Philippines.Malaysia is made up of 13 states and 2 federal territories with 11 states and one federal territories on Peninsular Malaysia and the other two states and one federal territory in East Malaysia.