Exercise 3: Viral Content

10 Malaysian foods you need to eat in lifetime

Do you like Malaysian Food? Me too. Look at these photos, how can I not?

Malaysia is a complex country. There’s the religion, history with the indigenous tribes, palm oil and the rainforest, history of immigrants, politics, and many more subjects that make this country interesting. As what the tourism board says, Malaysia represents many races of Asians: Indian, Chinese, indigenous, Malay, and many others in between. So, it’s natural to be complex.

.....

1. Nasi Kandar

The rice for a nasi kandar dish is often placed in a wooden container about three feet high, giving it a distinctive aroma. The rice is accompanied by side dishes such as fried chicken, curried beef spleen, cubed beef, lamb, fish roe, fried prawns or fried squid, vegetable dish. A mixture of curry sauces is poured on the rice. This is called 'banjir' (flooding) and imparts a diverse taste to the rice.

2. Asam Laksa

Assam Laksa is very addictive due to the spicy and sour taste of the fish broth. Tamarind is used generously in the soup base and hence the word Assam (means tamarind in Malay). In addition to tamarind, assam keping or peeled tamarind is also commonly added to give it extra tartness. Another secret ingredient is Polygonum leaf (mint leaf) or daun kesom/daun laksa. While the best Assam Laksa broth is infused with the aromatic ginger flower (bunga kantan). Of course, no Assam Laksa is complete without belacan and dollops of heh ko/prawn paste (the dark paste on the spoon).

3. Roti Canai

Roti Canai is a form of puffed bread served hot with curry or dhal. Tastes best when taken for breakfast or morning tea and eaten with the hand.

4. Rojak

The sweet and spicy sauce is what makes the fruit salad a Rojak. One can almost describe the taste as umami. The ingredients include sambal belacan (pounded shrimp paste and chili condiment), hei koh(sweet black shrimp paste), sweet sauce, caramel soy sauce, and sugar. Hei koh is a very important ingredient, without which it will not have that thick caramel consistency. On this side of the world, it would be similar to a spicy chocolate sauce or mole.

5. Hainanese Chicken Rice

The Hainanese chicken rice is a dish that consists of succulent steamed white chicken that is cut into bite-size pieces and served on fragrant rice with some light soy sauce. The dish is topped with sprigs of coriander leaf and sesame oil, and accompanied by a delicious garlic-chilli dip.

6. Char Kuey Tiew

It is made from flat rice noodles or kway teow, stir-fried over very high heat with light and dark soy sauce, chilli, a small quantity of belachan, whole prawns, deshelled blood cockles, bean sprouts and chopped Chinese chives. The dish is commonly stir-fried with egg, slices of Chinese sausage, fishcake, beansprouts, and less commonly with other ingredients.

7. Satay

Satay is a dish of seasoned, skewered and grilledmeat, served with peanut sauce. Satay may consist of diced or sliced chicken, goat, mutton, beef, pork, fish, other meats. These are grilled or barbecued over a wood or charcoal fire.

8. Cendol

Cendol as a snack made from rice flour and other ingredients that are formed by filters, then mixed with green rice flour jelly, red bean, palm sugar and coconut milk.

9. White Coffee

In Malaysia, the original white coffee started in the town of Ipoh and was a drink made from beans roasted in margarine, ground, brewed and served with sweetened condensed milk.

10. Nasi Lemak

Nasi Lemak is served with a hot spicy sauce (sambal), fresh cucumber slices, small fried anchovies (ikan bilis), roasted peanuts, and hard-boiled or fried egg.

Thank You!

Reference:

1. http://rasamalaysia.com/recipe-penang-assam-laksa/#Z6UKfauTalLJhVhG.99

2. http://www.rotinrice.com/2012/07/rojak-malaysian-spicy-fruit-salad/

3. http://www.malaysiasite.nl/recipe8.htm

4. http://www.foodreference.com/html/grilled-beef-satay.html

5. http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_910_2005-01-11.html

6. http://www.zecuppa.com/coffeeterms-roasting.htm

7. http://www.belindo.com/indonesia/indonesian-recipes/beverages/es-cendol/183

8. http://www.thestar.com.my/lifestyle/food/news/2014/11/19/nasi-lemak-once-a-farmers-meal-now-malaysias-favourite/