18 Must-try Malaysian Dishes: Things You can't Miss

As travellers seeking solace in the exploration of new unexplored places, we forget to try out the local delicacies of that place. Since food is something always on my mind, trying out the local food is a natural progression. Staying in Malaysia for over eight months helped me explore variety of items which I would otherwise have not tried if I was just on a visit (well, I did miss out on a lot on my first visit as a tourist). I have curated a list of 18 must-try Malaysian dishes when visiting Malaysia.

Starting with beverages:

1. Kopi (Local coffee)

If you are a coffee connoisseur you cannot NOT try the local coffee. As a student in Malaysia who loves black tea (Darjeeling tea), it was difficult to have milk tea which I wasn’t fond of. So, I started having premix coffee (there are some brands which are just too addictive!!) but when I used to travel to other states and have the local coffee there, I was simply blown! The preparation was partly similar to how filter coffee in South India is brewed but the method is slightly more elaborate in Malaysia. Some places like Johor, Sabah and Selangor grow Liberica coffee and it’s worth experiencing the taste of the coffee because I LOVED IT!!!

2. Kopi Cham

A blended drink of tea and coffee which originated in Hong Kong and is made with an intense black tea with sugar, evaporated milk and concentrated coffee that has become popular in Malaysia too.

3. Teh Tarik

Literally meaning “pulled tea” due to the process of pouring (like filter coffee), it is similar to milk tea, prepared with a strong brew of black tea blended with condensed milk and is the National Drink of Malaysia. The origin of this drink dates back to the Indian Muslim immigrants who set up tea stalls outside rubber plantations to serve the workers with taste of the Indian style tea!!

The tasty dishes follow:

4. Nasi Goreng

“Nasi” in Malay means “rice” so starting with the famous “nasi-goreng” and “fried chicken” that is a must-have item in Malaysia. Nasi goreng means “fried rice” in Malay and Indonesian languages. Made with garlic, lemon grass, veggies, meat, rice and kecap manis, a sweet soy that stains the rice dark brown and caramelises it, this dish is served with fresh cucumber/ salad on the side and also an egg. The fried chicken is often wrapped in banana leaves. The best places where you can be served a delicious plate of this are local eateries where you will find the locals flocking!! And often in the basement of malls where they have the food court.

5. Nasi Lemak

The second “nasi” item originated in Malaysia and is considered the national dish that consists of fragrant rice, cooked in coconut milk and pandan (a type of fragrant plant that has a sweet aroma to it) served with a variety of accompaniments like sambal (hot chilli sauce), fried anchovies, fried peanut, slices cucumber, hardboiled egg and lamb/ chicken/ beef curry.

6. Nasi Kandar

Originating in the state north-western state of Penang, Malaysia, heavily influenced by Indian flavours, the dish comes in lots of varieties of curries (around 40 to 50 different dishes) although the most common variety is serving white rice with the option of several Indian style chicken, beef, lamb or vegetable curries of okra or aubergine. Usually served in buffet style.

7. Ketupat

A type of compressed rice cake made from coconut fronds, originally from Indonesia but spreading its popularity in Malaysia. Variety of ketupats are found in Malaysia like ketupat bawang, ketupat palas, ketupat nasi, ketupat borneo and ketupat sotong. It can be sliced and eaten with or without gravy.

8. Hainanese Chicken rice

You will find this in any local Chinese eating place in Malaysia and every time it tastes different. The plate consists of rice made in chicken stock, roasted chicken with soup and a sauce.

9. Satay

Pretty popular snack in Malaysia where pieces of meat are threaded on to the skewers, grilled and served with peanut sauce on the side. You don’t need a table or a fancy plate. Just eat “on the go”!!!

10. Ayam percik

Spicy chilli, garlic and ginger sauce mixed with coconut milk spread lavishly over barbequed chicken (chicken is called “Ayam”). Mostly served in night markets or pasar malam, and roadside stalls traditional Malay dish is a filling go-to snack while exploring the streets of Malaysia.

11. Rendang

Originating in Minangkabau region of West Sumatra, Indonesia, it is a Minang dish known to be made especially with beef but can be replaced by chicken or lamb for those who do not consume beef. The meat of choice marinated with shallots, galangal (root spice that looks similar to ginger found in Indian shops where they sell exotic spices, also known as Thai ginger), cloves, lemongrass, ginger and dry chillies and slow cooked till the meat falls apart from the bones.

12. Fried Telapia

Fish has been an integral part of my life (I am a Bengali so that comes naturally) and I have always had Telapiar jhal or tel jhal. But here I was staring at a deep-fried tilapia, garnished with coriander and lemon. And you will find a lot of tilapia here because it is an invasive species (non-native species that disrupts the local ecosystem it colonizes) and catching and eating them is better than keeping their population thriving!!

13. Asam Pedas

It is a sweet and sour fish curry with okra. The combination might sound a little weird, but the dish is flavoursome. In some places the fish is sliced, and some places serve the fish whole.

14. Pandan flavoured rice and desserts

I went gaga over the desserts made with pandan and as mentioned above pandan flavoured rice. You also get pandan flavoured drink.

15. Durian

No one thought that I would fall in love with the “Smelliest Fruit in the World” in Malaysia!!! Although not for everyone, this fruit has a creamy custard like taste with a pungent smell (somehow, I find it sweet and LOVE it!!). It has a lot of varieties (species), but I like the wild variety BEST. A good thing to remember is that Durian is forbidden in all hotels and accommodations so NEVER carry it there. In fact, it is mentioned everywhere that it is not allowed. Also, if you consume durian, be prepared for some nasty stares in public places because you will reek of it!!!!

16. Mangosteen

Another forbidden fruit that cannot accompany you to your accommodation mostly because it leaves a stubborn stain which cannot be easily removed.

17. Rambutan

Closely related to lychee and a native fruit of Southeast Asia, this fruit has red leathery skin covered in soft red or green spines. I also had quite an interesting experience when, while trying to pluck rambutan was attacked by a colony of red weaver ants and I must admit it wasn’t very pleasant especially after 5 minutes when the bites began to sting!!! So, don’t try that if you see a rambutan tree (since these trees are everywhere on the outskirts of the city).

18. Langsat

Native to Southeast Asia this fruit has a thin skin and the flesh tastes sweet and sour.

Apart from the list of delicacies mentioned above, the bakery items should definitely be on your list as they are to die for!!! The cakes, the breads, the patties. EVERYTHING!!! Because………….if you want to explore you can’t do that with an empty stomach!!

The lot that I consumed