EAT
Eating is every Malaysian way of life
Visit any Malaysian home and the first thing the hostess will ask is
"Have you eaten? This gracious hospitality is ingrained in every Malaysian
for generations. For many centuries, Malaysia has been a crossroad for the
ancient eastern spice route, and considered a melting pot of Asia blessed with
a potpourri of international class cuisine. Therefore, Malaysian cuisine is not
one particular distinction of food but a culinary diversity originating from
its multi-ethnic communities, from Malay, Chinese, Indian, Peranakan to
Eurasian and the indigenous people of Borneo (Sabah and Sarawak).
This diversity makes Malaysia a truly unique food paradise.
MALAY CUISINE is characterised by the elaborate use of coconut milk
and spices, and differs according to regions. For instance, cuisines from the
northern states use tamarind profusely due to the Thai influence while Negeri
Sembilan uses "cili padi", the hottest of all chillies. Overall,
Malay dishes are quite spicy and flavourful as in Nasi Kandar, Nasi Lemak,
Satay, Beef Rendang, Nasi Kerabu, Ikan Bakar and Sup Kambing.
CHINESE CUISINE varies
according to the different ethnic groups. In Malaysia, the types of cooking are
Cantonese, Hokkien, Hakka and Teochew. Chinese cuisine has been influenced by
local ingredients and dishes from other cultures although it remains distinctly
Chinese. Stir-frying, deep-fried, steaming, sauteed and soups are quite popular.
Among the highly recommended dishes are Wanton Mee (egg noodles), Char Kway
Teow (fried noodles), Hokkien Prawn Mee, Hokkien Mee (thick fried noodles),
Curry Mee, Hainanese Chicken Rice, Penang Assam Laksa (fish mackerel noodles),
Yong Tau Foo and more.
INDIAN CUISINE can be divided to South Indian and North Indian food.
South Indian cuisine is spicier than North Indian's. Perhaps the most popular
dish is "Banana Leaf Rice", rice served with choices of meat,
vegetables and curry on banana leaf. Roti Canai (prata) and Thosai are South
Indian while Naan, Chapati and Tandoori Chicken are North Indian cuisine.
Another interesting and popular dish among the locals is the Mamak Mee Goreng
(Indian Muslim fried noodles).
PERANAKAN CUISINE is a unique mix of Chinese and Malay cooking
styles originated from the inter-marriage between the Malay and Chinese
community centuries ago. The hallmark of this cuisine is the use of spices and
pungent roots with typical Chinese ingredients. Among them are Otak-Otak (fish
paste), Perut Ikan (fish stomach), Enche Kabin (fried chicken with tangy dip),
Jiuhu Char (lettuce wrapped in turnips), Acar (pickled vegetables) and Kiam
Chai Boey (salted vegetable soup).
EURASIAN CUISINE refers to cuisines created from the influence of
inter-marriage between the Europeans and the locals here. In Malaysia, the
unique cuisine has evolved from a blend of Portuguese colonization of Melaka in
the early 16th Century, and later the Dutch and British rule. These dishes may
have Portuguese origins as well as absorbed local ingredients like chillies,
sambal belacan and pickles (acar). Some were inspired by British and Indian
food such as roasts, sweetmeat, patties, spicy Mulligatawny Soup, stews, pies
and kedgerees. Among the famous Eurasian dishes are Devil Curry Chicken, Pork
Vindaloo, Melaka Black Pepper Crab, Prawn Bostador, Tuna Mornay and Ham Hock
Curry. Whatever it is, one thing is certain - Eurasian dishes are not as widely
available as other communities but the cuisines are kept alive by individuals.
ETHNIC BORNEO CUISINE refers to the food created by the many tribes
and indigenous groups of Sabah and Sarawak. Interestingly, they are able to
turn wild plants, herbs and fruits into culinary delights. As the states are
also decorated with sweeping coastlines and many large rivers, they can create
specialities from the abundance of seafood and freshwater fish. Their
famous dishes are Jaruk (Wild boar or fish cooked with rice in bamboo shoots),
Hinava (fermented dish of fish, ginger,shallots, chillies cooked in lime
juice), Manok Pansoh (chicken, mushrooms, lemongrass and tapioca leave in
bamboo shoots), Sarawak Laksa and Kolok Mee.
INTERNATIONAL CUISINES include both Asian and Western cuisines.
Thai, Japanese, Korean, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Turkish and Arabic dishes can
be found in hotels and restaurants. There are also many Western eateries.
Whether it is fast-food joint or five-star restaurant, cities in Malaysia serve
American, French, Italian, German, Swiss, German, Russian and many more
specialities. Expatriate chefs are also brought in to give the food an
authentic taste.
WHAT TO EAT
AIS KACANG
Ais Kacang or mostly known as “ABC” (acronym for Air Batu Campur or Mixed
Ice) is a Malaysian dessert that is perfect to refresh one’s senses. In the
past, it was made of only shaved ice and red beans but today, the dessert has
been given a sophisticated appeal and came in bright colours and with all kinds
of fruit cocktails and dressings. These include attap seed (palm seed), sweet
corn, grass jelly, jelly cubes, cendol, peanuts (kacang) and ice cream. The
final topping will be evaporated and condensed milk and coconut milk will be
drizzled over the mountain of ice together with red rose syrup and sarsi syrup.
Traditionally, the big ice cube will be shaved by hand using a special
ice machine but today, it is made easier with a motorized machine. In Malaysia,
Ais Kacang can be easily found in coffee shops, food courts and market
centres.
AYAM PERCIK
The word “Percik” means “splash”. And it certainly fits well into this
chicken dish which is served with a special sauce that gives you a splashing
good taste. Ayam Percik or Grilled Chicken in Coconut Sauce is a Kelantanese
cuisine and is usually served with Kerabu Rice. This tastefully seasoned
chicken is barbecued over a charcoal fire and slathered in spicy chilli, garlic
and ginger sauce mixed with coconut milk. If American is famed for Kentucky
Fried Chicken, this staple Malaysian street food packs more zing than anything
the Colonel can muster.
ASSAM LAKSA
A visit to Malaysia will not be complete without a taste of Assam Laksa.
And CNN Go couldn’t agree it better when it listed Assam Laksa at number 7
on World's 50 most delicious foods in 2011, ahead of
Thailand’s Tom Yum Goong and Singapore’s Chicken Rice and Chilli Crab.
The interesting thing about Assam Laksa is its origin. This dish Laksa is
the quintessential fusion of Chinese and Malay cuisine. In Penang, it is
called Penang Laksa. The popularity of Penang Laksa is so overwhelming that
many food stalls or restaurants selling Assam Laksa outside the state and
overseas will name the dish as Penang Laksa on their menu or
signage. That’s not all. There are many variants of laksa such as Perlis
Laksa, Kedah Laksa, Ipoh Laksa, Kuala Kangsar Laksa, Johor Laksa, Kelantan
Laksa and Sarawak Laksa. Whatever it is, one thing is certain. Assam Laksa
never fails to excite anyone. A must-try for all tourists!
BANANA LEAF RICE
It is a
typical scene to see Malaysians, especially the Malay and Indian community eat
with their bare hands the Banana Leaf Rice, a dish originated from South India
consisting of a mound of plain rice, vegetables and choice of chicken, mutton,
beef, squid or fish. The dish is also enhanced with chutneys and pickles and a
choice of spinach or onion curries as well as “dal”, a chickpea based gravy.
Banana leaf would not be complete without the crunchy pappadom, which are like
large crisps made out of lentil, chickpea and gram flour as well as rice flour.
Rasam, a sour soup and Lassi, a yoghurt drink are also served together. Banana
Leaf Rice is an environmentally friendly dish as the leaf is easily disposable.
Tourists will find this dish to be a unique experience, especially eating with
their bare hands!
CENDOL
Cendol is
served in a small bowl and the sweet and smooth texture of the ice and the
ingredients create a heavenly feeling for those who simply love cool sweetness.
The most famous Cendol can be found in Penang Road, Penang. However, in
some food outlets, Cendols are now served in a tall glass mug and slurping the
green cendol strip with the straw can be as exciting as the dessert itself.
So remember go Cendol-icious on your holiday in Malaysia!
SHOPPING
AWARDS &
INTERESTING FACTS
- Kuala Lumpur was ranked as the 4th shopping destination in the world by CNN Travels in 2012, beating big cities like Paris, Madrid, Hong Kong, Buenos Aires, Vienna and Dubai.
- Kuala Lumpur is the 2nd best shopping city in Asia Pacific, edging other major cities like Singapore, Bangkok, Seoul, Tokyo and Sydney (Global Shoppe Index 2012).
- Malaysia has been rated the world's top Muslim-friendly holiday destination over Egypt, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Singapore in a survey released by Singapore-based Muslim travel consultancy Crescent rating.
- Pavilion Kuala Lumpur is the winner of 24 local and international retail awards.
- 1Utama is the largest shopping mall in Malaysia, and the fourth in the world. The Mall covers 5 million square feet, combining the New Wing and Old Wing.
- Datuk Jimmy Choo, the famed shoe designer actually started to make his own shoe at the age of 11 and hailed from Penang.
- Berjaya Times Square Kuala Lumpur set a Guinness World Records in 2013 for building the world's largest capsule vending machine in celebration of the shopping mall's 10th Anniversary campaign, aptly titled The Big Ten-Rific Bash.
- Sunway Pyramid shopping mall is easily recognizable with its Egyptian-inspired architectural marvel featuring a sphinx.
WHEN TO SHOP
Every day is a good day for shopping in Malaysia, not just during
holidays, festivities and sale periods. This is because Malaysians love to shop
and hardly need a reason to hit the malls and stores. It is so infectious that
even tourists will spend some time stocking up their shopping cart during their
stay here.
SHOPPING DURING THE 3
ANNUAL BIG SALES
The whole
nation is celebrating MyFEST 2015 and lots so activities are lined up to
welcome tourists from the world over, including sales! There will be three big
sales organised by Tourism Malaysia:
1Malaysia GP Sale (March,
2015)
1Malaysia Year End
Sale (November – December, 2015)
1Malaysia GP Sale is held in conjunction with the annual Formula 1 Grand
Prix. This is the ideal time for tourists to enjoy the Formula 1 race and at
the same time go for a shopping adventure. On the other hand, 1Malaysia Mega
Sale Carnival, the "mother of all sales" offers tourists a wide range
of discounts, incentives and promotions across many services nationwide.
1Malaysia Year-End Sale is a grand shopping event that wraps up the year with a
bang. Shoppers can expect an interesting line-up of fashion-related events,
entertainment and nationwide shopping promotions. That’s not all! There will
also be 1Malaysia Unified Sale by the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives
and Consumerism Malaysia with the cooperation of the chambers of commerce and
trade associations.
SHOPPING DURING
FESTIVE SALE PERIODS
Malaysia is a nation of festivals and is among one of the few countries
with the most number of public holidays in the world. Malaysia celebrates two
types of public holidays - national and state holidays. The national holidays
are celebrated all over in Malaysia and the state holidays are celebrated in
certain states. Sales are normally held in conjunction with these national
festivals, such as Hari Raya (Eid ul-Fitr), Chinese New Year, Deepavali and
Christmas Sales. These festivals may also coincide with the 3 annual big sales,
1Malaysia GP Sale, 1Malaysia Mega Sale Carnival and 1Malaysia Year-End Sale.
This is the perfect time to shop for gifts for your loved ones to celebrate
these festivals. Make them smile with a gift to express your appreciation.
SHOPPING DURING
SCHOOL HOLIDAYS
The long school holidays are also a perfect time for shopping as many
retailers will have sales and promotions, such as Back to School Sale and also
sales that coincide with the national big sales. There are normally 3 terms of
school holidays annually, including the longest one on end of the year.
SHOPPING DURING
SPECIAL EVENTS
Malaysia is fast emerging as one of the most preferred business
destinations in Southeast Asia. As such, many exciting events will be held
during MyFEST 2015. Among them are 1Malaysia International Shoe Festival,
Malaysia International Furniture Fair, International Beauty Expo, Malaysia
International Jewellery Fair and more. During these fairs and expos, there will
be business trade exchange and sales activities. This is the time when industry
players and consumers may take advantage of the offers and promotions.
WHAT TO BUY
ARTS AND CRAFTS
Malaysian handicrafts are beautiful objects d’art that reflects the
diverse and aesthetic values of the communities. As a truly Asia melting pot of
cultures, Malaysian craftsmen are imbued with fascinating skills and materials
to create their arts and crafts. From the batik sarong and silverware to tribal
bamboo blowpipes and gigantic kites, these arts and crafts make perfect gifts
and souvenirs for all travellers and their loved ones.
Kites
Wau or Kites make great wall hangings, and one of the best places to buy
them is in Central Market in Kuala Lumpur. Wau in Malaysia can be traced
back to the 15th century when flying kites remains a hobby and passion for many
villagers, mostly in the East Coast including Kelantan state. The uniqueness
about Malaysian Wau is it is quite large with some range from 2 metres by 3
metres. Most kites are made from colourful waxed paper that has been glued over
a light bamboo frame. These are then decorated with flower and animal motifs as
well as geometry motifs. Wau Bulan, or Moon Kite, is the most well liked,
and it can be seen on Malaysia Airlines logo. There are still kite makers doing
their traditional craft in Kota Bharu, with the best ones being located on the
main road to Pantai Cahaya Bulan.
Pottery
Pottery comes in all shapes and sizes and is a cultural artefact that
reflects the skills of the community The 'Mambong’ pottery in
Kelantan, are fashioned from clay and characterized by a red shade. Malay
pottery can be categorized into Labu Sayong, Belanga, Buyong and Terenang. Labu
Sayong of Perak, the most famous pottery is made of clay and shaped like a
gourd and used to contain water. The black coloured Labu Sayong is the
most popular. The Belanga, often used to cook curry has a round base and a wide
rim. The round shaped base makes heat distributed evenly. Smaller Belanga is
brown periuk often used to cook rice. Buyung has a bulbous body and straight
neck to contain water. Lastly, Terenang is angular-shaped pottery popular in
Pahang and Terengganu helps carry water. It resembles brassware, and has a
concave neck and a convex-shaped body.
Weaving is a popular traditional craft among village women. In the past,
a maiden would be considered incomplete if she did not know how to weave.
Pandan and mengkuang leave weaving to make mats, placemats, bags, hats and
tudung saji (conical shape food covering) is popular. The process involves
leaves that have been stripped of thorns are split into strands, soaked, dried
and dyed and then woven according to the required designs. Other kinds of
weaving are bamboo and rattan to make baskets, bags, pencil holders and even
furniture.
Another interesting souvenir is “Ikat” which stands for cord, thread,
knot and part of the weaving process.It is a dyeing technique used to pattern
textiles. In East Malaysia, woven Ikat cotton cloth featuring ethnic patterns
is a common sight in local markets. Cotton ikat is produced on wooden looms and
called Pua Kumbu, and it is still woven by villagers. The design can be simple
and symbolic and it can also be vibrant with crocodiles, hornbills and lizards
as part of the design element. Today, there are many examples of these textiles
in the souvenir shops in Sarawak, and the cloth makes great wall hangings,
throw-overs, or even blankets.
Wood Crafts
Wood crafts such as gift boxes, photo frames, lamp stands, musical
instruments, utensils, blowpipes, shields, ceremonial masks and decorative
figurines reflect the fine artistry of Malaysian wood craftsmen. This craft
handed down by generations long ago use mostly floral motifs, geometrical
shapes and animal designs that capture the essence of Malaysian elements. In
Sarawak, local craftsmen are mostly natives while in Peninsular Malaysia, the
Mahmeri and Jan Hut aborigines are noted for their carvings of mythical
creatures related to their folklores. Wood crafts also include shutters,
friezes and panels of old Malay houses and these are sold as antique items in
some stores. You can also find wood crafts of miniature replicas of Petronas
Twin Towers, traditional Malay houses and other Malaysian elements. There are
also hornbills, figurines and ceremonial masks carved from timber and found
aplenty in Sarawak.
BATIK AND SONGKET
The word “Batik” means “drawing out with wax”. It is a national symbol
and heritage of Malaysia due to its worldwide appeal and affordability. Batik
is one of the most sought-after Malaysian products as souvenirs and gifts. This
fabric normally carries motifs that reflect the flora and fauna, geometry and
landscape of nature. Malaysian Batik is renowned for its vibrant colours, bold
prints and its versatility. It is soft, light and breezy and very well suited
for summer and tropical climate.
Batik fabric is made into shirts, dresses, crepe de chine, scarves,
kaftans, sarongs, pillow cases, bags, table clothes and many more items. The
production of Batik involves several processes – dyeing, waxing, and drying are
used to create deep and rich colourful patterns on a piece of fabric. The East
Coast is home to the craft of batik making. New dyes and techniques have also
enabled Batik to be printed onto various materials such as swiss voile, silk,
cheese cloth, velvet and satin. Many contemporary designers also incorporate
elements of this ancient craft into their colourful creations.
Apart from Batik, Songket is also a favourite souvenir among locals and
tourists alike. Songket is a brocade of woven silk or cotton interwoven with
either silver or golden threads. Real gold was once used in the past which
makes songket become an expensive cloth worn by the well-to-do or royalty.
Songket weaving is another old craft used to produce intricate fabric that is
still popular for wedding events and official ceremonies; it is known as the
“king of local textiles.” Like batik, the best songket is found in the East
Coast states of Kelantan and Terengganu.
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