Most people eat to live, but as Malaysians, we live by the motto of “we live to eat”. Ask any Malaysian about their favourite thing in this wonderful country, it will most likely be food. It is one thing that sets us apart, and also one thing that unites us all.
Some may argue that many of our favourite Malaysian foods are not uniquely Malaysian - that it was not first created here, but we say that we have made many of these foods our own and in some cases made it better than the original!
Before we start with the list, we have to acknowledge that it is impossible to truly identify the absolute best Malaysian food, everyone’s list will be different, but there are some common ones that we all love. Here’s our top 5 list of Malaysian Food!
Nasi lemak
First on our list is none other than our National dish, the humble Nasi Lemak. Rice cooked in coconut milk, paired with fried anchovies and peanuts, sliced cucumbers, a hard-boiled egg, and of course the spicy sambal that pulls the whole dish together. It is a simple everyday dish that is enjoyed by young and old alike, that can be found anywhere and everywhere in Malaysia - from roadside stalls that cost less than RM5, or to a more elaborate version of Nasi Lemak at fancy restaurants.
Nasi Kerabu
Nasi Kerabu is another popular Malaysian dish. It is a visually appealing dish with the unmistakable trademark blue rice, served with fresh herbs salad, fish cracker, salted egg, protein of choice, topped with a spicy sauce. Nasi Kerabu, aside from being visually striking, is also a flavour bomb that will surely satisfy your taste buds.
Kuihs
Kuihs are a family of bite-sized dessert food that is loved by many. Made from a variety of ingredients such as corn flour, rice flour, tapioca flour, glutinous flour, and much more to give you sweet or savoury goodness. It is colourful, it comes in a variety of textures and tastes that are lip-smackingly good. Some of the popular kuihs are: Kuih Talam, Pulut Tai Tai, Kuih Lapis, Kuih Tapioca, Onde-Onde, Bingka Ubi, Pulut Panggang.. And the list goes on and on!
Laksa (all of its variants!)
The classic Laksa, which the critically acclaimed Anthony Bourdain’s said is “the absolute top” in the hierarchy of hot bowl of broth and noodle, with his personal favourite being the Sarawak Laksa (he called it “breakfast of the Gods”). Laksa is a simple noodle dish served in a hot spicy broth that has several variations that are all similar, yet unique in their own right. There are a total of 9 different types of Laksa which are unique to different states of Malaysia: Assam Laksa (Penang), Sarawak Laksa, Curry Laksa, Johor Laksa, Nyonya Laksa (Malacca), Laksa Utara (Kedah), Laksam (Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu), and Laksa Kelantan. How many types of laksa have you tried? Have you tried them all?
Banana Leaf Rice
Although this is not a uniquely Malaysian dish, we have certainly adopted the dish as our own. The banana leaf rice is served on, well, banana leaf with a healthy serving of rice, paired with a selection of vegetable dishes, a wide variety of different curries, papadam, and optional protein like rendang, fried chicken, fried sotong, and more. This is often enjoyed with just your bare hand, but using cutleries is acceptable too! Finally, finish off your meal with lassi, a refreshing yoghurt drink.
There you have it, our top 5 Malaysian food. Unfortunately, we can’t list down all the amazing food Malaysia has to offer (we’ll be writing the list forever!) What is your favourite Malaysian Food? Did we miss your favourite? Craving for some of these foods? Head over to JoshiJosh delivery and place your order now! We have a wide variety of food that you can choose from, including some of the dishes mention here!