Malaysian Food is not one particular distinction of food but a culinary diversity originating from it's multi-ethnic population of Malay, Indian, Eurasian, Chinese, Nyonya and the Indigenous peoples of Borneo. A brief look into the past and how this multi-ethnic country came to be, is essential in order to comprehend how such a cosmic array of food, has now come to be known all over the world as 'Malaysian Food'. Presented here are some of the various delicious and popular dishes from this rainbow of gastronomic spectrum, with pictures and detailed recipes, from each unique ethnic kitchen.
The Malays are the people who inhabit the Malayan Peninsula and some of the nearby islands, including the east coast of Sumatra, the coast of Borneo and smaller islands that lie between the area. These tribal proto-Malays were a seafaring people. Present day Malays of the Peninsula and coasts of the Malay Archipelago are "anthropologically described as deutero-Malays" and are the descendants of the tribal proto-Malays mixed with modern Indian, Thai, Arab and Chinese ancestry. Malay culture itself has been strongly influenced by that of people of neighboring lands, including Siamese, Javanese, Sumatran and Indians. The influence of Hindu India was historically very great, and the Malay people were largely Hinduized before they were converted to Islam in the 15th century. For 2000 years, the traffic of traders between the Malayan Archipelago and India resulted in frequent intermarriages especially Tamils and Gujeratis. Some Hindu rituals survive in Malay culture, as in the second part of the marriage ceremony and in various ceremonies of State. Malays have also preserved some of their more ancient beliefs in spirits of the soil and jungle, often having recourse to medicine men called bomohs [shamans] for the treatment of ailments.
In the northern states of Perlis and Kedah, intermarriages with Thais were commonplace. The east coast state of Kelantan still has traces of Javanese culture that date back to the era of the Majapahit Empire of the 14th century. The Sumatran kingdom of Acheh dominated Perak for over a century. The Bugis from Indonesia's Celebes Islands colonized Selangor and fought for rulers in States along the length of the peninsula - from Kedah to Johor. The Minangkabaus from Sumatra had their own independent chiefdoms in what is today the state of Negri Sembilan. This mix of different ethnic groups form what is the modern Malay and can be clearly seen in the lineage of, for example, Malacca's royalty. Sultan Muhammad Shah married a Tamil from South India. Sultan Mansur Shah married a Javanese, a Chinese and a Siamese; the Siamese wife bore two future Sultans of Pahang. It was this diversity of races, cultures and influences that has the given the modern Malay race the rich and unique historical heritage it has today.
This rich historical heritage has evidently resulted in it's exotic cuisine. In Malay cuisine fresh aromatic herbs and roots are used, some familiar, such as lemongrass, ginger, garlic, shallots, kaffir limes and fresh chilies. Both fresh and dried chilies are used, usually ground into a sambal or chili paste to add hotness to dishes. There are however, less commonly known herbs and roots that are essential in Malay cooking; such as daun kemangi [a type of basil], daun kesum [polygonum, commonly called laksa leaf], bunga kantan [wild ginger flower buds or torch ginger], kunyit basah [turmeric root], lengkuas [galangal] and pandan or pandanus [screwpine leave]. Dried spices frequently used in Malay cooking are jintan manis [fennel], jintan putih [cumin] and ketumbar [coriander]; Other dried spices used are cloves, cardamom, star anise, mustard seeds, fenugreek, cinnamon and nutmeg. Both fresh and dried ingredients are frequently used together, usually ground into a rempah ['spice paste]. The rempah is then sautéed in oil to bring out it's flavorful aroma and toasted goodness. Santan [coconut milk] is the basis of Malay lemak dishes. Lemak dishes are typically not hot to taste; it is aromatically spiced and coconut milk is added for a creamy richness [lemak]. Assam Jawa, or tamarind paste is a key element in many Malay assam dishes for adding a sour or tangy taste; especially for fish and seafood dishes. What is tamarind paste? Tamarind paste is the pulp extracted from tamarind pods commonly used as a souring ingredient in Latin America, India, Africa and Asia. While the prime taste is sour, the underlying tang is slightly sweet, reminiscent of dried apricots or dried prunes. The pulp or paste is commonly sold in the form of a semi-dry flat block. To use, simply pinch a small lump from the block and soak it in some warm water. Use your fingers to squish it about in the water to separate the seeds and fibers; the resulting paste or tamarind water is used for cooking.Many Malay signature dishes require a key ingredient called Belacan [also spelt Belachan, Blacan, Blachan], pronounced blah-chan. Tiny baby shrimp or brine are allowed to ferment, cured with salt, sun-dried and formed into a small brick or cake. Similar to how anchovy paste is used in Italian cooking, belacan is used much the same way, that is, sparingly. Not overly 'fishy', a tiny amount of belacan adds 'sweetness' to meats and intensity to fish & seafood. It adds a 'kick' to vegetable dishes, such as the famed Malaysian dish Kangkong Belacan. Belacan is also the basis of a well-loved Malay condiment - Sambal Belacan. It's made by first roasting a small lump of belacan, which is then pounded with fresh chilies and lime juice is added. This appetizing condiment is almost always present in any typical Malay meal. Belacan also makes a flavorful base for sauces and gravy, adding depth and an intriguing taste that you can't quite decipher. When uncooked, the pressed cake has a powerful scent like "stinky cheese". But don't be put off; it mellows out and harmonizes in the cooking leaving behind an understated richness that simply cannot be reproduced. Best described as all 'natural' flavor enhancer, belacan is what gives many of the foods from Southeast Asia - Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam - that authentic flavor and zest!
As in most countries of Southeast Asia, rice is staple. It is served for lunch, dinner and often breakfast. Originally eaten as a hearty breakfast Nasi Lemak is a meal of rice cooked in santan [coconut milk] served with a side of Sambal Ikan Bilis [dried anchovies cooked in a sambal], cucumber slices, hard boiled egg and peanuts, and traditionally packaged in a fresh banana leaf. Most meals are eaten with fingers and utensils are kept to a minimum. All dishes are served at the same time, usually accompanied by a refreshing drink such as air sirap [rose syrup] or air limau [lime juice]. Seafood such as shrimp or rather prawn [which is the general term commonly used in Malaysia for all types/sizes of this crustacean], squid and fish in particular, are popular in Malay cuisine. Fish caught from local waters such as ikan kembong [chubb or Indian mackerel], ikan tenggiri [wolf herring] and ikan tongkol, also called ikan kayu [tuna], are seasoned very simply with salt, pepper, a sprinkling of turmeric powder and quickly deep fried. Often the fish is stuffed with sambal belacan before frying or grilling. Grilling or barbequing is another favorite way of cooking fish; fish is typically kept whole, seasoned, wrapped in banana leaves and grilled over hot charcoals. Many local Malay hawker stalls specialize in Ikan Panggang [Grilled fish] or Ikan Bakar [Barbecued Fish].
Depending on the main basic 'flavoring' ingredient; Malay dishes can be more or less, distinguished into several 'styles' of cooking: Masak Lemak [coconut], Masak Pedas [sambal, hot chilies], Masak Assam [tamarind], Masak Merah [tomato sauce], Masak Hitam [dark-sweet soy sauce] and Masak Assam Pedas [tamarind & sambal, hot chilies]. These basic styles of cooking can be applied to a variety of food, from meats, poultry and vegetables to all kinds of seafood and fish. Popular dishes are Ayam Masak Merah; chicken cooked in a spicy tomato sauce, goes great with nasi tomato [tomato rice]. Udang Masak Pedas; prawns cooked in a hot chili sauce, Ikan Masak Assam Pedas; fish cooked with tamarind and sambal or hot chilies and Nangka Masak Lemak; young jackfruit cooked in coconut milk. There are innumerable renowned and distinguished Malay dishes; many of which can only be had at home. The best way to experience typical Malay food is to be invited for makan [meaning 'to eat', in Malay] in a Malay home. There are also regional dishes which are specialties of different parts of the country. One of the most celebrated Malaysian dish worldwide is Beef Rendang; a must-have for celebrations and special occasions! Soup is not necessarily prevalent in Malay cuisine; however there is a soup or stew that is particularly popular Sup Kambing [mutton soup], made of mutton bones, shanks or ribs slow simmered with aromatic herbs and spices. Pork however is forbidden in Malay cooking as it is against religious beliefs to consume pork. Another famous Malay classic is the 'meat-on-a-stick' Satay. Chicken, beef or mutton satays are cooked over hot charcoals and served with fresh cucumber, onion and a spicy peanut dipping sauce. The spicy peanut dipping sauce is what makes satay special, and great for dipping ketupat, a Malay rice cake.
Many Malay restaurants and stalls serve what is called Nasi Padang; the name originated from Padang, a district in West Sumatra. It is not one particular dish but rather a meal of rice served with any number of meat, fish, poultry and vegetable dishes. The rice can be plain [nasi kosong] or lightly flavored such as nasi kunyit [turmeric rice]; rice spiced with turmeric, or nasi minyak [ghee rice]; rice cooked with ghee [clarified butter]. A wide array of dishes are available for you to choose to eat with your choice of rice; from highly spiced and tongue-burning hot dishes, to mild, aromatically spiced stews and sauced dishes, and delicious deep-fried foods. Some of the popular dishes are Sambal Udang or Sambal Sotong; prawns or squid in a spicy chili belacan sauce. Ayam Panggang; grilled chicken Malay-style, Otak Otak [fish mousse]; a mildly spiced coconut milk fish mousse steamed or grilled in banana leaves. Other popular dishes are Sambal Tahu Goreng; deep-fried tofu topped with sambal sauce, Daging Masak Kicap; beef cooked in a dark-sweet soy sauce and Ayam Kampung Masak Lemak Cili Padi; free-range [village] chicken cooked in santan [coconut milk] and cili padi [Thai bird chilies]. The all-time everyday favorites and quick-fix's are Nasi Goreng [fried rice] and Mee Goreng [fried noodles] cooked Malay style. Another everyday favorite is a delicious, satisfying noodle dish called Laksa; fresh rice noodles, garnished with fresh cucumbers, onions, lettuce and served in a savory and tangy fish soup or gravy.
Nasi Kerabu or Nasi Ulam, is a regional specialty from the state of Kelantan on the east coast of Malaysia. Traditionally, the rice is tinted bright blue from petals of flowers called bunga telang [clitoria in English]. For a family size serving of rice, hundreds of these petals have to be sun-dried and boiled in water. There are several varieties of local herbs; daun kentut, daun kudu, cekur, seven types of daun larak and kucing seduduk, which is used to tint the rice in different colors; red, black or blue. The most used variety for Nasi Kerabu is the 'blue color' variety of petals. This naturally tinted 'blue rice' is served with Ulam. Ulam is combination of fresh aromatic herbs; local mint, basil, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, turmeric leaves and raw vegetables; bean sprouts, long green beans, shallots, cucumber, are combined together with strong flavored ingredients such as salted fish, dried prawns, fish crackers, kerisik [fried grated coconut] and other savory garnishing.
One of the most unique Malay culinary creation is Roti Jala ['net' bread] which is a sort of crepe or thin pancake. It is made from a crepe-like batter of plain flour, eggs, butter and coconut milk with a dash of turmeric for coloring. A special mould or cup with small holes is used to make a 'lacy' crepe, cooked briefly over a hot greased griddle. Roti Jala is an ideal accompaniment to dishes with lots of rich curry sauces or gravy, and is usually served during special occasions. Desserts are often served after a meal or an an afternoon snack; many are home-made although most are easily available from local hawker stalls and restaurants especially during Ramadan, the religious fasting period. Malay desserts are quite exceptional, using ingredients such as Santan [coconut milk], fresh grated coconut, palm sugar and a unique plant leave called pandan or pandanus [screwpine]. This locally grown plant leave is used often in dessert making. It lends essence rather than a taste, much like the ubiquitous vanilla bean. During the Malay New Year [Hari Raya or Eid], the variety of cakes and dessert are endless; many are unique creations made by home chefs, not found anywhere in the culinary circle of the dessert world!
The Malayan Peninsula with it's small kingdoms and chiefdoms had a long history of trade with merchants from India. These traders have come and gone over the centuries bringing with them Hindu influences, seen in the customs and rituals of local rulers. However it was not until the 19th century, after the Portuguese and Dutch colonists were eclipsed by the British, who took control of the Malayan Peninsula that mass Indian migration took place. Rubber seedlings from Brazil were found to grow successfully in this equatorial land, and much needed manpower were recruited from British East India for the burgeoning rubber industry. Road, waterworks as well as railway infrastructure were also breaking new ground in this equatorial jungle nation. 80% of Indians were Tamils from South India employed in the rubber industry, while Sri Lankan Tamils and Malayalees were employed in supervisory and clerical positions. Of the North Indians, the Punjabis were employed in the police force while the Gujaratis and Sindhis were in business, mainly textiles. Despite the mass exodus of Indians returning to India after Malaysia's independence from the British in 1957, many stayed on and today Indians constitute the third largest ethnic group, making up 8% of Malaysia's population of 27 million.
Indian food is now not only very Malaysian; unique and new versions of Indian food, not found in India, have ultimately been created. Indian cuisine can be divided into two mainstreams, North Indian and South Indian cuisine.
North Indian cuisine - A typical North Indian meal would consist of breads - made from wheat flour such as Chapatis or Rotis [unleavened bread], Parathas [unleavened bread fried on a griddle] - served with vegetarian and non-vegetarian curries. North Indian cuisine boasts of a diet rich in meat. Grilled meat kebabs, koftas, spicy roasts of lamb, chicken and quails, are served alongside rich curries and kormas. North Indian curries are luxuriantly spiced with distinctive aroma and taste of ground and whole spices. The curries are not particularly hot - rather it's intricate use of various blends of spices together with yogurt and ghee [clarified butter] makes for sophisticated Indian dishes - as in it's Mughlai cuisine. Mughlai cuisine is the cuisine that comes from the kitchens of the ancient Indian aristocracy of the Moghul Emperors!
South Indian cuisine - is mainly fish and vegetables, often cooked in coconut milk, an important ingredient in South Indian cooking. Rice is a staple in South India and served with seafood, mainly fish and vegetable dishes. Fish, prawns, crabs and squid are cooked in a variety of ways, most commonly in coconut milk, chilies and spices. Breads are lighter, made with rice flour instead of wheat - Dosas [thin rice pancakes], Vada [made from fermented rice and dhal], Appams [rice pancake] and Idli [steamed rice cakes]. Idli, with it's soft spongy texture, is especially ideal to eat with Sambar [also spelt Sambhar]. Sambars are stews made from pulses, usually dhal [lentils] cooked with vegetables - peas, potatoes, carrots, eggplant, okra, drumsticks and cabbage. South Indian cuisine boosts the very best fish and vegetarian meals!
Spices are the heart and soul of Indian cooking. The quantity and proportions vary with each geographical boundary. In true Indian cooking, curry powder is almost never used. Spices are freshly grounded and added in many different combinations, giving each dish a unique and distinct taste. Spices commonly used are coriander, cumin, turmeric, fennel, mustard and fenugreek. Other fragrant spices added are cardamom, clove, cinnamon and star anise. Both fresh and dried chili peppers are used in varying degrees for different curries - from mild sambars to fiery hot curries such as Vindaloo and Madras curries.
There are numerous Indian restaurants in Malaysia serving authentic Northern and Southern Indian cuisine. Many cater to specialized regional Indian cuisine and customary needs. Indians in Malaysia come from different religious sects - Hindu, Sikh, Christian, Muslim and other religions. The most widespread local Indian stalls, eateries and restaurants you will find in Malaysia, are Indian-Muslim. Affectionately referred to by locals as Mamak stall or Mamak restaurant, they serve an extraordinary cuisine of Indian-Muslim food - a culinary assimilation of Indian and Malay cooking styles. The curries and entrees are unmistakably Indian, yet unlike those found in India. Mamak means 'Uncle' in Tamil. In spite of the equatorial climate, a hot beverage of Indian-style tea is very popular, called teh tarik. Teh is tea in Malay and tarik means to pull or to jerk or to tug. The milky tea is prepared by using out-stretched hands, pouring [pulling] the piping hot tea from one mug to another several times. The higher the pull, the thicker the froth, the thicker the froth, the yummier - kind of like a 'frappe'. Many of these Mamak stalls and restaurants are open 24 hours, much appreciated and well-loved by late-night owls! Good eats to be had at these round-the-clock joints are Tandoori Chicken, Murtabak and Roti Canai [pronounced Chan-nai]. Roti Canai is also called Roti Prata or Paratha [the original Indian name]. Roti Canai is now well-known as a popular 'Malaysian' appetizer - on menus in Malaysian restaurants all over the world. It is served with a side of curry, usually a Malaysian Chicken Curry. There are curries and there are curries... a Malaysian Chicken Curry, however, with it's unique formula and blend of spices - is distinctly 'Malaysian tasting'.
Mamak stalls and eateries, also specialize in what is called Nasi Kandar. Nasi Kandar basically, is a meal of steamed rice which can be plain or mildly flavored such as nasi biryani, and served with a variety of curries and side dishes. Indian-Muslim style curries in Malaysia are quite distinctive in taste. One such unique culinary creation, is Malaysia's famed Fish Head Curry. The word Nasi Kandar, came about from a time when nasi [rice] hawkers or vendors would kandar [balance] a pole on the shoulder with two huge containers of rice meals. The name has remained and today the word Nasi Kandar is seen on most Indian restaurants and Mamak stalls offering rice meals. Eaten with fingers, rice or bread is served on a thali or circular metal tray, on which small metal bowls called katori are placed with your choice of entrees and curries. Nowadays, a regular dinner plate and several small bowls, usually made of melamine, are the norm. Cutlery is provided but diners still have the option to eat & enjoy the food with their fingers.
There are also Indian restaurants, specializing in an all vegetarian or non-meat cuisine, mainly South Indian style. Food is quaintly served on fresh banana leaves, instead of plates, in some restaurants. Aptly called Banana Leaf restaurants, they specialize in some of the most delicious vegetarian and non-meat entrees one can ever taste! Rice is served in the center of a banana leave, followed by various curries, sambars and dhals ladled around the rice - and the meal is typically eaten with fingers. Banana Leaf restaurants have now become trendy, serving more hearty Indian fare, including meat dishes. Although it is quite the norm to eat with fingers in many homes in Malaysia, eating food with fingers served on a banana leave in a Banana Leaf Restaurant, has become quite trendy, and a novelty to try for many 'fork & spoon' diners.
Chinese merchants and traders have long ago been linked to the Malayan Peninsula in the South China Sea. The natural port of Malacca was a strategic trading post and a vital link to other traders from far across the globe. In order to establish trade and diplomatic ties, the ruling Chinese Emperor ordered a royal entourage to escort Princess Hang Li Po to marry the Sultan of Malacca. This historic juncture marked the first Chinese settlers in the port town of Malacca on the Malayan Peninsula. Many of these early settlers intermarried and integrated with local Malays, forming a unique community called Peranakan.
It was, however, later in history during the 1800s, that the Chinese came in masses to the Malayan Peninsula. It was during the era of the last European colonists, the British, that a large influx of Chinese journeyed to the Malayan Peninsula for employment. Tin had long since been discovered in the jungles of the Malayan Peninsula. It was only now under the British, that large scale tin mining was viable and operational. The booming tin mining industry attracted the much needed workforce of Chinese who came in large numbers, mostly from the Southern provinces of China. These early Chinese migrants were guest workers who came with the intention of one day returning to their homeland and families. Although the majority of Chinese were employed in the tin mining industry, some were small business merchants and artisans. Various small businesses, those supporting the tin mining industry and those in general soon contributed to the initial economic growth of the country. When Malaysia gained independence from the British in 1957, many Chinese returned to their homeland in China; and many more chose to stay, making up 26% of today's population of 22 million in Malaysia.
The Chinese brought with them not only their skills, culture, languages and customs but also the various provincial styles of Chinese cuisines. Chinese cuisine in Malaysia is mainly Cantonese, Hokkien, Hainanese, Teochew and Hakka styles of cooking. Chinese cuisine is generally milder compared to Malay or Indian fare. But thanks to the influence from this multiethnic country, Chinese cuisine in Malaysia, has taken on a spicier touch, often reinventing classic Chinese dishes. Many Chinese dishes are unique in Malaysia and not found in China. Chilies are used frequently to bestow fiery hotness to many of it's dishes such as the famous Chili Crab - also known as Singapore Chili Crab in Singapore.Cantonese specialty is Dim Sum or 'little heart'. Dim sum is usually consumed during lunch or as a brunch, popular on weekends. Dim sum restaurants are usually large, noisy affairs - the dim sum served in little baskets or bowls and are whisked around the tables on individual trolleys or carts. As they come by , you simply ask for a plate of this or a bowl of that. At the end the meal you are billed according to the empty containers on your table. The dim sum has between 10 to 30 items and includes delights such as Steamed Pork & Shrimp Dumplings, Steamed Pork Riblets, Steamed Vegetable Dumplings, Steamed Soft Noodles with shrimp, Steamed Crabsticks stuffed with fish paste, Deep-fried Dumplings with salted eggs, Steamed Red Bean cakes and delicious desserts of Baked Egg Custard to name a few. Cantonese cuisine offers dishes from one end of the gastronomic spectrum - pricey delicacies like Braised Abalone, Shark's Fin Soup, Bird's Nest Soup to meals on the cheap like Mee [noodles] and Congee [rice porridge] - on the other end of the spectrum.
The best known and most popular variety of Chinese food is Cantonese food. The food is quickly stir-fried with just a touch of oil and the result is crisp and fresh. With Cantonese food, the more people sitting at a meal the better, because dishes are traditionally shared so everyone will manage to sample the greatest variety. A corollary of this is that Cantonese food should be balanced: traditionally, all foods are said to be either Yin [cooling] like vegetables, most fruits and clear soup; or Yang [heat-y] like starchy foods and meat. A cooling food should be balance with a heat-y food and with not too much of one or the other.
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Far less familiar than the food from Canton are the cuisines from the North and the West of China - Szechuan, Shanghai and Peking. Szechuan food is the fiery food of China, where red pepper and chili really get into the act. While food from Canton is delicate and understated, Szechuan food flavors are strong and dramatic - garlic and chilies play their part in dishes like Szechuan Beef, Ma Po Tofu [Chili Tofu] and the ubiquitous Hot & Sour Soup.
Beijing or Peking food is, of course best known for the famous Peking Duck. Beijing food is less subtle than Cantonese food. Beijing food is usually eaten with hot steamed buns, pancakes or noodles, as rice is not grown in the cold regions of the north of China. In Malaysia, the traditional pancakes served with Peking Duck are often omitted, rice being favored by diners in local Chinese restaurants.
Shanghai food is not easily found in Malaysia. Since most of Malaysia's Chinese are from the South, particularly from Hainan and Hakka, it is quite easy to find food from this region. Throughout Malaysia, one of the most widespread economical meal is Hainan Chicken Rice. The Hainanese are also famous for Steamboat, an Oriental version of the Swiss Fondue or Japanese Shabu-Shabu. Thin slices of raw meat, seafood and vegetables are cooked at the table in a pot of soup broth heated by hot charcoals. Nowadays 'electric Steamboats' are more the norm especially in restaurants.
Although Hokkien food is rated on the lower end of the Chinese gastronomic scale, it has provided the popular Hokkien Fried Mee; thick egg noodles fried with meat, seafood and vegetables in a rich soy sauce. Another famous Hokkien treat is Popiah or Hokkien Spring Rolls; a vegetable filling of stewed jicama [sengkuang], carrots and bean sprouts are rolled in a rice paper wrapper with minced prawns, fried shallots and lettuce. A very popular Hokkien herbal soup is Bak Kut Teh [also spelt Bakuteh], which in English is translated as 'Pork Rib [Pork Bone] Tea', traditionally served for breakfast as an invigorating tonic to start the day with Ewe Char Koay [Chinese crullers]. Pork ribs are long simmered in a 'tea' of Chinese medicinal herbs and whole cloves of garlic, often with dried shitake mushrooms added for a rich, earthy flavor. A chicken version Chi Kut Teh [also spelt Chikuteh] is also popular.
Teochew food, from the area around Swatow in China, is another style noted for it's delicate and at the same time robust flavors. This cuisine is famous for it's seafood as well as it's Congee [rice porridge]. Teochew Congee is a simple meal; a bowl of rice porridge is served with a medley of small appetizing side dishes, to pick and choose from. The most popular Chinese hawker dish is Char Kway Teow; flat rice noodles fried with fresh shrimp, cockles, bean sprouts, egg, and chives made hot to taste with a smoky chili paste.
Hakka dishes are also easily found in food centers. The best known Hakka dish is the Yong Tau Foo. Soy Bean cakes [tofu], bitter gourd, whole red chilies and various other vegetables are stuffed with a fish or seafood paste, then steamed or boiled in a broth and served with a chili dipping sauce.
Mooncakes are a must during the Mid Autumn or Mooncake Festival, when the moon is at it's brightest all year. Rich and sweet, these special celebratory cakes are made with various fillings of sweet red bean paste, white lotus seeds, lotus seed paste and a whole egg yolk, symbolizing the full moon.
In Malaysia, there are countless Chinese restaurants, hawker stalls and Chinese coffee shops "Kopitiams". Kopitiams typically serve customers coffee and other hot or cold beverages. Independent hawker stalls operate in the same way, offering customers a myriad of culinary delights. There are upscale Chinese restaurants offering Chinese specialties and delicacies, many of which are large scale premises; especially in major hotels, that also cater to special celebrations and wedding banquets. For everyday dining, there are Hawker Centers everywhere selling noodle type dishes and other local fare. Hawker Centers can range from 3 or 4 hawker stalls together in one spot, to huge Hawker Centers with never-ending hawker stalls offering a bewildering array of food.
