17 Malaysian Recipes to Introduce You to the Country’s Vibrant and Varied Cuisine

Malaysia can be a confusing country to define—even if you, like me, were born here and have lived here all your life. The ebb and flow of migration throughout history, along with numerous waves of colonization by the Portuguese, Dutch, English, and Japanese, have resulted in a complex identity, culture, and cuisine. Add to that the myriad ethnicities that call this country home and have contributed greatly to its culture, and there isn’t quite a monolithic identity that one can hold onto, leading many of us to wonder what exactly makes us Malaysian.

Though there are people native to Malaysia, it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly where each group came from and when, as reliable written records are scarce. Many stories, skills, and recipes have been passed down orally, from parent to child or teacher to student, making it challenging to trace the exact history and origins of communities and their traditions. 

Situated in Southeast Asia, a region with a convoluted history of colonization, immigration, and trade, Malaysia is divided into two separate land masses with the South China Sea in between. Peninsular Malaysia, an extension from the south of Thailand, lies to the west, while East Malaysia sits on the northern part of Borneo, an island shared with neighboring Indonesia and Brunei.

Before colonization, Southeast Asia was a borderless region where people, often following the seasons of agriculture and commerce, migrated as they pleased. Many debates about the specific origins of certain dishes began only after European colonizers drew arbitrary lines in the sand to mark their territories—because of these new boundaries, members of different cultural groups felt the need to stake a claim on certain dishes. The many periods of colonization, along with the flow of traders (mainly from the Indian subcontinent and the Chinese empire) who stayed, settled, and intermarried, have resulted in a rich cultural tapestry that has been evolving for centuries.

Malaysia had no set borders until the British government and Siamese monarchy decided jointly, in 1909, on what is now the peninsula’s northern border. According to Thanet Aphornsuvan, a historian and author of Rebellion in Southern Thailand: Contending Histories, Britain and Siam wanted clear demarcation, and both parties signed a treaty in 1909 to define this specific border, which exists to this day. The northern Borneo states of Sabah and Sarawak joined the federation of Malaysia in 1963, and Singapore, once a part of Malaysia, seceded in 1965, shifting the country’s borders and further complicating the discussion on what dishes belong to which national cuisine. (A famous example is the discussion on who really “invented” bak kut teh, a spiced pork rib soup enjoyed in both Malaysia and Singapore.)

In order to understand Malaysian cooking, it’s crucial to recognize just how many cultures and ethnic groups exist in the country and how their contributions have shaped the cuisine. Today, the main ethnic groups in Malaysia are Malay, Chinese, Indian, and others of mixed heritage, including Portuguese Eurasians, the Peranakan Chinese, and Nyonya peoples. There are also other various indigenous groups throughout Malaysia, with some as large as the 700,000 Dayaks in Sarawak, and others as small as the Kanaqs—today, there are fewer than 100 Kanaqs living in the Southeast of the peninsula. 

Each group’s cuisine has been shaped by the local geography and climate, as well as the blending of cultures through migration and intermarriage. A quick rundown:

• Orang Asal are the native groups of people across Malaysia. There are over 80 different Orang Asal groups, and their members make up at least half of the population in East Malaysia. As different as each group is, their food cultures are similar; they are all rooted in deep respect and reverence for the land, and never foraging or hunting more than they need to survive.
• Malays are ethnoreligious people and are the predominant race in peninsular Malaysia. They use a prolific amount of coconut milk in their cooking, along with aromatics like shallots, garlic, chiles, lemongrass, and various rhizomes like ginger, galangal, and turmeric. Both saltwater and freshwater fish, along with local greens like water spinach and pennywort, make up a majority of their diet. Pork is strictly prohibited in Islam, though it isn’t uncommon for folks of other ethnicities to make Malay-style dishes with it, like pork rendang.
• Chinese people came to Malaysia in several waves, most significantly between the early 1800s and the mid 1900s. Many came as laborers to work in mining and agriculture, and settled throughout the country. In the north and northeastern peninsular states that border Thailand, the Hokkiens and the Hakkas are predominant. Many dishes incorporate Thai ingredients and culinary techniques. There are many distinct Thai-Chinese flavor combinations like a crispy fried pork with a local Malay fermented fish sauce called “budu,” an ingredient that is unique to this region. Cantonese folks mostly settled in the central states of Perak and Selangor; their simple braises and stir-fries (like wat tan hor, noodles tossed in a thick egg sauce) allow the natural flavors of local ingredients to shine. In the south, the Hokkien population is also significant; here, you can find heartier dishes like tau eu bah (soy sauce pork) and bak kut teh (herbal pork soup). Chinese-style fermented vegetables like pickled mustard greens occasionally make an appearance in other dishes, like the Southern Malay sour and spicy fish dish of asam pedas.
• Indians make up about seven percent of Malaysia’s population. Many Indians arrived under British rule as forced labor; these workers brought spices, like black pepper and turmeric, that heavily influenced local cuisines. Curry powder stars in dishes like the local griddled omelet sandwich roti John and kam heong, a style of cooking that incorporates curry powder along with dried shrimp and oyster sauce. Malaysian curries most closely resemble the spicy gravies of the southern Indian region of Tamil Nadu, where many Malaysian-Indians hail from. The biggest Indian influence on Malaysian culture and cuisine may be the many mamak shops throughout the country. These establishments are operated by Tamil Muslims who serve South Indian-style food, and are important cultural institutions where people across socio-economic lines come together for cups of frothy milk tea called teh tarik.
• Mixed heritage ethnic groups such as the Portuguese Eurasians, Chinese Peranakans (also known as Nyonya), and Indian Peranakans (also known as Chitty) each have their own specialty dishes that have become popular in mainstream Malaysian cuisine, like Nyonya-style curry laksa and spicy Portuguese baked fish. These traditions have survived centuries, and many are a result of migration—like the Portuguese who remained after the Dutch wrested control from them in 1641—or intermarriage between the different groups who integrated into local Malaysian communities.

All of this is to say, it’s incredibly difficult to neatly categorize Malaysian cuisine, and it’s not uncommon for groups to put their own spin on dishes from other local cuisines. For example: The Chinese community sometimes prepares nasi lemak (Malaysian coconut rice) with pork curry, while the Indian population often enjoys the dish with a sweeter sambal. Because there’s so much crossover within Malaysian cuisine, it’s much easier to organize this guide by meal, which will more broadly cover what many different ethnic groups eat each day. The Malaysian dishes below are essential to me, and are also based on my own experiences and conversations with home cooks and food writers across the country.

The Essential Flavors of Malaysian Cuisine

The flavors and ingredients that often appear in Malaysian cooking are similar to those of its Southeast Asian neighbors. You’ll find aromatics like shallots, ginger, galangal, lemongrass, and makrut lime leaves, along with woody spices, fermented seafood, and the liberal use of coconut in all its forms. Even seemingly “imported” cuisines like Indian or Chinese—groups that have assimilated over centuries—make use of these ingredients. 

What sets Malaysian flavors apart, at least in my opinion, is their sheer intensity. We’re not shy about flavor and turn almost everything up to 11. If it’s umami, it’s incredibly umami. If it’s spicy, it’s especially spicy. Though there is balance and nuance, many dishes pack a punch and will likely knock your socks off.

How Malaysian Meals Are Served

Malaysians love to eat, no matter the hour. Three square meals is nice and is definitely the norm, but many of us tend towards a more hobbit-like schedule, munching whenever something particularly tasty—be it a steamed dessert like kuih or bite-sized curry puffs filled with spiced potatoes— crosses our path. At three in the morning, it might be roti canai (Indian-style flaky flatbread) at an Indian Muslim eatery, or hot-and-sour tom yam soup from a roadside stall that’s ready to serve hungry diners at all hours. 

Because dining out is relatively affordable in Malaysia, busy folks often take their meals outside of the home. Malaysians dine out like it’s a sport; we are constantly comparing notes on which char kueh teow spot has the best wok hei, or if one curry mee stall is better than the other. Still, many people cherish a good home-cooked meal, jumping at invitations to eat rice and lauk (side dishes) prepared lovingly by someone’s parents. The ability to cook a full meal from scratch is hugely admirable, especially in a country where a good and affordable meal in an eatery is so easily available. 

It may sound like Malaysians are passionate about food, but that’s not quite it. To paraphrase the much-lauded and award-winning Malaysian chef Darren Teoh: “Malaysians don’t like food, per se. They like to eat.” The following are some of the dishes we love eating the most.

Breakfast

Nothing gets us out of bed in the morning like the fear that our favorite breakfast might sell out. In Malaysia, breakfast is typically a grab-and-go-affair that’s purchased, but a home-cooked breakfast may include nasi lemak, fried rice studded with pantry ingredients or leftovers, or a quick approximation of kaya toast, all washed down with strong coffee or Milo, a beloved malted chocolate drink.