Pasembor
Pasembor is an Indian salad, though it tastes nothing like salads of the leafy green variety . More accurately, Pasembor is a concoction of three deep fried ingredients – prawn fritters, tofu (bean curd) and a coconut-flour pastry – topped with shredded cucumber and turnip, and a whole hard-boiled egg. Piping hot, spicy peanut is poured over to give the dish a tantalizing , spicy, crunchy bite. Most people also opt to add in squids, which is cut into thin strips.
Roti Canai
Simple yet satisfying, this humble version of bread is an all day favorite among all Malaysians . The most common 'Roti Canai' resembles a fluffy pancake and is eaten with a mixture of curries and lentil gravy or ‘dhal'. Variations include Roti with a choice stuffing of egg, sardines, cheese, margarine or even banana .
Murtabak
A close cousin of the 'Roti Canai', a rich batter of whipped egg, meat, chili and onion is folded into a Roti and cooked over a griddle. The thick, golden brown ‘murtabak' is delicious on its own but the accompanying curries and pickled onions certainly enhance the taste. Often, this pancake is cut into bite size pieces and served at banquet meals. This is also an all day favorite, although most people tend to favor it as a meal for the evenings.
Nasi Biryani
Known to be a favored item in the banquets of Moghul emperors, it is no wonder that the dish is often referred to as ‘food fit for kings'. Long grained ‘Basmati' rice grains are cooked with fragrant herbs and spices . Between the layers of rice, succulent pieces of meat are thrown in and cooked for hours to lock in the taste. Served with curries and vegetables, the Nasi Biryani is widely consumed during festivities.
Mee Goreng
Long, yellow noodles are fried in a base of chili paste and soy sauce with a generous amount of vegetables, meat, egg, potato fritters and sometimes seafood. It is an Indian Muslim specialty and is often referred to as ‘Mamak Mee Goreng'.
Teh Tarik
It translates as ‘pulled tea' but it is a hot, frothy tea and is widely regarded as the national drink. The froth results from the milky tea being swung between two mugs or containers in an action that seems like one is indeed ‘pulling' at the flow of the liquid.
Cendol
The popularity of this cold, sweet dessert spans from cart pushers by the roadside to elegant restaurants. Shaved ice is thrown into a bowl of sweet kidney beans, liquefied brown sugar and soft, green vermicelli before a ladle of thick coconut milk is poured over.

Banana Leaf Rice
While inedible, the banana leaf is one of nature's gifts for enjoying a wonderful Malaysian meal. The banana leaf rice is a dish of rice, vegetable assortments, curried meat and Indian crackers, papedom, served on a fresh and clean banana leaf. The aroma from the leaf blends exceptionally well with the piping hot food to bring out the full flavor of the dish. For the complete banana leaf rice experience, it is recommended that you eat with your finger's just like the locals do. |