ExploFood · Asia
What to eat in Malaysia
Five dishes to try in Malaysia, the most typical first. One is vegetarian.
Five dishes to try in Malaysia
Nasi lemak
Coconut rice with sambal, fried anchovies, peanuts, cucumber and egg.
How to have it: Sold wrapped in banana leaf from morning stalls; add fried chicken or rendang for a full meal.
Roti canai
Flaky griddled flatbread served with dhal and curry for dipping.
How to have it: A mamak-stall staple open late into the night; order it with teh tarik.
Char kway teow 炒粿条
Flat rice noodles wok-fried with prawns, cockles, egg, bean sprouts and soy.
How to have it: Penang hawker centres are famous for it; look for the stall with the longest queue.
Laksa
Noodle soup in either a sour tamarind fish broth or a rich coconut curry.
How to have it: Try asam laksa in Penang and curry laksa in Kuala Lumpur or Malacca.
Satay
Skewers of grilled marinated chicken or beef with peanut sauce.
How to have it: An evening hawker dish, ordered by the stick with rice cakes, cucumber and onion.
What to eat next door
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Questions
What food is Malaysia famous for?
Nasi lemak (coconut rice with sambal, fried anchovies, peanuts, cucumber and egg) comes first on our list, followed by Roti canai, Char kway teow, Laksa and Satay.
What is the national dish of Malaysia?
Ask ten people and you get several answers. The dish we put first for Malaysia is Nasi lemak: coconut rice with sambal, fried anchovies, peanuts, cucumber and egg. Sold wrapped in banana leaf from morning stalls; add fried chicken or rendang for a full meal.
Which dishes in Malaysia are vegetarian?
One of the five on this page is vegetarian as usually made: Roti canai. Recipes vary, so ask about stock, lard or fish sauce.
What street food should I try in Malaysia?
Char kway teow (flat rice noodles wok-fried with prawns, cockles, egg, bean sprouts and soy) and Satay (skewers of grilled marinated chicken or beef with peanut sauce).
How reliable is this list?
The dishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, where you can also tick off the ones you have tried. Recipes vary by region and by family, so take it as a starting point.
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Get ExploDishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, with links to Wikipedia. Recipes and names vary by region.