Due to Malaysia’s multi-ethnic communities, the nation’s cuisine is very diverse which also means there are plenty of dishes to savour; here are some of the culinary highlights to introduce your taste buds to!

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Starters & Snacks

Rojak is an Indonesian dish popular in Malaysia too, though along with the usual fruits and vegetables, boiled eggs and potatoes, fried tofu, prawn fritters and spicy peanut sauce are also added; this version is called rojak mamak. Also popular are lor bak made with seafood, meats, veggies or tofu, the “Ramly Burger” and roti canai of Indian origin; you can easily try these dishes on your city explorations be it while staying at Bukit Mertajam apartments or Kuala Lumpur hotels.

Rice & Noodle Dishes

A national dish of Malaysia, nasi lemak features rice cooked in coconut milk as well as pandan leaf and is generally served with roasted peanuts, spicy sambal and sometimes with the addition of meats; try it at restaurants like Nasi Lemak Permatang Rawa close to Sky Residence Prai in Bukit Mertajam. When it comes to noodle dishes, curry laksa, asam laksa popular in Penang and a Chinese noodle soup called koay teow th’ng are not to be missed.

Meats & Seafood

A broth that features pork ribs (you get a chicken version too), bak kut teh also has ingredients like cloves, cinnamon and star anise that make it a delicious dish to try. Sate which is the name given for various types of meat or seafood that are grilled over charcoal and served with a flavour-filled sauce is a perennial local favourite; not to be missed are kari ayam, a chicken curry dish with Indian influences and rendang typically made with beef, though chicken, crab or even stingy ray can be used.

Desserts

No foodie tour of Malaysia is complete without indulging in some of the yummylicious desserts on offer. A great thirst quencher on a hot sunny day, ais kacang features shaved ice with condensed (or evaporated) milk, colourful syrup and ingredients like grass jelly and roasted peanuts. Very similar is cendol another iced dessert to try, while banana fritters known as pisang goreng and a sweet stuffed pancake-like culinary creation called apam balik will also satisfy those with a sweet tooth.