Melo Villareal
Malaysian Cuisine in Malacca
While the rest of my fellow bloggers are planning for their own adventure in Kuala Lumpur, I already knew what would be the thinks that I’ll be doing in KL… discover foodie places, take photos, and eat eat eat!
Any self-described foodie is probably familiar with some famous Malaysian dishes. Malaysia is a cultural mix of people, many with roots in China, India, Thailand, Indonesia, Pakistan, and parts of the Middle East.
The blend of these cuisines can be seen in Malaysian cuisine in such dishes as Nasi Briyani. This spiced rice dish can contain vegetables or be served with meat, which Indian food lovers recognize as having Indian roots. Or satay dishes were similar to the Thai. Or Char Kuay Teow, a stir-fried flat noodle dish with egg, green onion, chilis, vegetables, and often prawns or meat, resembles Chinese or Thai dishes. Roti canai is a Malaysian flatbread, not dissimilar to Indian Roti, with herbs, spices, and anything else thrown in the dough.
But the world of Malaysian cuisine is vast and complex, even among street food vendors and hawkers. Malaysia hosts all kinds of foodie delights, from Korean BBQ to Tandoori grills. From the simple and ubiquitous Nasi Lemak, a coconut milk rice, to the many variations on Chicken Rice, to cendol, a traditional dessert drink made with coconut milk and green-colored rice flour jelly, anyone interested in a food adventure should try the many tastes of Malaysian cuisine available in Malacca.
Malacca City, or Melaka in Malay, is about 150km north of Kuala Lumpur, on the coast of the Malacca Strait. The position of this city on the water means that the seafood is as fresh as it can be. Chicken rice balls are not to be missed and can be found across the city. Barbequed pork satay is mouthwateringly delicious. And Malacca is known for having an incredibly delicious range of rendang dishes.
Rendang is widespread across Southeast Asia, from the Philippines to Thailand to Singapore, to Brunei, and of course in Malaysia. Rendang can be described as a caramelized beef curry, rich with spices ground into a paste. Usually, this dish includes ginger, lemongrass, garlic, chilies, and turmeric leaves. This blend is called Pemasak in Malay. Rendang is traditionally cooked for about four hours, a slow cook with the Pemasak and coconut milk, until the meat is soft, tender, and has absorbed the spices and flavors. Is your mouth watering yet?
Another excellent way to experience the flavors of Malaysian cuisine in Malacca is to try a range of different Laksa dishes. Laksa is a traditional spicy noodle dish often served as soup, but not always. The soup is curry-based, so sometimes it is less soup-like and more like a curry. Either way, if you enjoy a bit of spice, noodles, and your choice of meat, seafood, or even tofu for vegetarians, Laksa is an excellent meal for experiencing Malaysian cuisine’s variety and cultural blends.
And for dessert, try the Malaysian version of shaved ice with all kinds of exotic toppings: Ais kacang. It is dubbed “ABC” in food courts, hawker centers, and coffee shops.
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Read:
- A Day Trip to Malacca from KL, Malaysia
- Laksa: My favourite Malaysian Food
- Ultimate List of the Best Hotels in Malacca, Malaysia
- The Central Market: a landmark for Malaysian Culture and Heritage
