Ask a Malaysian about their country and the conversation will turn to food within minutes. Malaysian cuisine combines Malay, Chinese, Indian and Peranakan (Straits Chinese) cooking, and the best of it is found at hawker stalls, coffee shops (kopitiam) and 24-hour mamak restaurants rather than formal dining rooms.

Malay dishes

  • Nasi lemak: rice cooked in coconut milk and pandan, served with spicy sambal, fried anchovies (ikan bilis), peanuts, cucumber and a boiled or fried egg. Often wrapped in a banana leaf, it is Malaysia's unofficial national dish and is eaten at any time of day.
  • Rendang: beef or chicken slow-cooked in coconut milk and spices until almost dry. It is a centrepiece of Hari Raya feasts.
  • Satay: marinated skewers grilled over charcoal and served with peanut sauce, cucumber and compressed rice cakes (ketupat). Kajang, near Kuala Lumpur, is famous for it.
  • Nasi kerabu: blue rice coloured with butterfly pea flowers, from Kelantan.

Chinese-Malaysian dishes

  • Char kway teow: flat rice noodles stir-fried over very high heat with prawns, cockles, Chinese sausage, egg and bean sprouts. The smoky "wok hei" is everything.
  • Hokkien mee: in Kuala Lumpur, thick noodles in dark soy sauce; in Penang, a spicy prawn noodle soup.
  • Bak kut teh: pork rib soup simmered with herbs and spices, a speciality of Klang.
  • Hainanese chicken rice: poached or roasted chicken with fragrant rice and chilli sauce.

Indian and mamak food

Mamak restaurants, run by Indian Muslims, are open late or 24 hours and are where Malaysians gather to watch football and chat. Order roti canai (flaky flatbread with dhal or curry), nasi kandar (rice with mixed curries poured over it) and teh tarik, sweet milky tea "pulled" between two jugs to create froth. Banana leaf rice, served at South Indian restaurants, is eaten with your right hand.

Laksa

Laksa is a family of noodle soups. Curry laksa uses a rich coconut curry broth, while Penang assam laksa is sour and fish-based, with tamarind, mint, pineapple and shrimp paste. Sarawak laksa, from Borneo, is another distinct version.

Penang

Penang's George Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is widely seen as Malaysia's food capital. Gurney Drive and the old town's hawker centres serve char kway teow, assam laksa, cendol (shaved ice with coconut milk, palm sugar and green rice-flour jelly) and Nyonya kuih (colourful Peranakan cakes).

Festivals and open houses

Malaysia's main festivals include Hari Raya Aidilfitri (the end of Ramadan), Chinese New Year, Deepavali and Christmas. During these, many families hold an "open house" where friends, neighbours and colleagues of every background are welcome to eat. Accepting an invitation is a great way to experience Malaysian hospitality.

Etiquette

  • Use your right hand to eat, give and receive, especially with Malay and Indian hosts.
  • Remove your shoes before entering homes, mosques and temples.
  • Dress modestly at religious sites; mosques usually provide robes.
  • Pork and alcohol are not served at halal restaurants. Look for halal signs if eating with Muslim friends.
  • Point with your thumb rather than your index finger.
  • During Ramadan, avoid eating or drinking openly in front of fasting colleagues.

How much does food cost?

A hawker meal typically costs 6 to 15 ringgit, and a teh tarik about 2 to 3 ringgit. Food is one of the reasons Malaysia's cost of living is so attractive: see our Malaysia guide for full costs.