We Can't Get Enough Of Malaysian Indian Food Here, But These Are The Best Ones You Simply Cannot Skip Out On!

Some Malaysian Indian dishes look and sound identical to South Indian dishes and North Indian cuisine, but did you know that Malaysian Indian food is not Indian food in its literal sense? It is actually the Malaysian take on authentic Indian cuisine that was brought over between 1786 to 1957, which is said to be the period where Southern Indians migrated over to Malaya.

Fast-forward to this day and age, and you can see several mamak restaurants or stalls in almost every neighbourhood across Malaysia. These are popular food spots throughout the day with locals popping in throughout the day for a quick meal.

But because of the general nature of Malaysian Indian food, you won’t find dishes that involve alcohol nor non-halal ingredients such as pork. And certainly not south Indian Chettinad cuisine nor northern Indian dishes like paneer tikka masala and sweet Indian delicacies like payasam.

That’s why we’ve compiled a list of only the most delicious Malaysian Indian food that is well-loved throughout Malaysia (not just in Kuala Lumpur and Penang island!) by the locals and even Malaysia’s Indian community. Read on and take your pick to sample at your nearest mamak restaurant or learn how to cook a comforting batch of it in your very own Cosmic Cookware piece today.

15 Delicious And Comforting Malaysian Indian Food You Cannot Miss Out On According To Locals

1. Roti Canai

The ever popular roti canai needs little to no introduction as one of the nation’s most popular dishes. You could even say it’s more popular than our national dish, nasi lemak!

Roti canai is a flaky flatbread with a crispy exterior and slightly chewy inner that is often served with a side of sambar (most locals know of it as “dhal”), curry, and sometimes sambal. It was said to have been introduced by early Indian Muslims from the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, and it has now become a staple in Malaysian Indian eateries.

This multi-layered flatbread is made from a dough of flour, water, and ghee with a dash of salt. The process to make roti canai involves kneading and stretching the dough into thin layers, then folding it repeatedly to create its signature flaky texture. Once done, the processed dough is fried on a griddle or frying pan until it comes out lightly golden and crisp on the outside.

Some of the most popular variations of roti canai you can find in Malaysia include roti telur, roti planta, roti bom, roti tisu, and roti pisang.

2. Banana Leaf Rice

South India’s traditional Indian meal, the humble banana leaf rice, is one of the quintessential dishes anyone must have at least once in Malaysia. But of course, most people who say they’ll only have it once are often kidding themselves. ;)

The ever popular banana leaf rice is just like its namesake, freshly steamed rice served on a banana leaf alongside various side dishes, curries like dhal, fish curry, or chicken curry, papadum, and pickles. The usual suspects for side dishes are typically chicken, mutton, or fish which are either curried, stir-fried, or deep-fried.

Banana leaf rice is traditionally enjoyed with hands over cutlery for an authentic Southern Indian experience, and it is also widely regarded as one of the most eco-friendly ways to enjoy the meal. The only real downside to a scrumptious banana leaf rice is the food coma that follows after such a hearty meal!

Bonus Tip: Get a cup of mango lassi to truly complete your banana leaf rice meal the Malaysian way.

3. Nasi Kandar

If a combination of steamed rice with a variety of rich gravies, flavourful curries, assorted side dishes from fried chicken to beef rendang, seafood, and stir-fried vegetables sounds like comfort on a platter to you, then you’ll definitely want to enjoy nasi kandar.

This hugely popular northern Malaysian rice meal originated from Penang, where it was introduced to the local community by Indian-Muslim vendors who used to carry containers of rice and curries – known as “kandar” – door-to-door.

Today, this popular street food is a staple in Malaysian Indian cuisine, especially in mamak restaurants. Its core ingredients typically include white rice or biryani, served with a selection of mild to spicy curries that feature fish, lamb, beef, chicken, or crab, and assorted vegetables from snake gourd to cabbage and okra. The curries are always poured over the rice in true “banjir” style to create the most comfortingly rich, flavourful meal.

4. Appam

Don’t confuse appam with another popular Malaysian street food known as apam balik. Malaysian Indian appam is a type of fermented rice pancake with crispy edges and a soft, fluffy core that is commonly served with coconut milk, sprinkles of jaggery (shaved gula melaka), or curry.

Appam’s origins lie in the southern Indian states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, where it was brought by early Indian immigrants to Malaysia as a breakfast or snack dish in Malaysia. Today, it is still a popular breakfast or tea time snack in mamak restaurants and Indian households.

The key ingredients of appam include rice flour, coconut milk, and yeast or fresh toddy to ferment the batter. The mixture is left to ferment overnight, following which the batter is poured into a mini, shallow pan called an appachatti and swirled about to create its signature thin, crispy edge while keeping the center soft and fluffy.

5. Mee Goreng Mamak

Mee goreng mamak is perhaps one of the most popular dishes served in mamak eateries throughout Malaysia. Think yellow egg noodles stir-fried with ingredients like tofu, cubed potatoes, eggs, chicken or mutton, bean sprouts, and greens like cabbage or chopped long beans, and seasoned with soy sauce, chopped chillies, and sweet soy sauce (kicap manis).

This gets you a vibrant, smokey dish that combines sweet, savoury, and spicy elements to bring you a truly mind blowing mix of flavours and textures, making it one of the nation’s most favoured Malaysian Indian food. Mee goreng mamak is unique in the sense that it was not brought over, but made and developed over the years by the Indian-Muslim community in Malaysia.

One of the best ways to enjoy a plate of mee goreng mamak is to squeeze the accompanying lime wedge over the dish with a side of sambal or chopped chillies to give it an extra layer of oomph. Another bumped up version of this dish involves switching out the yellow egg noodles for Maggi noodles - you’ll definitely not want to miss out on this!

6. Nasi Biryani

Nasi biryani (sometimes known to locals as “briyani”), is a fragrant dish of basmati rice cooked with a blend of spices with a protein such as chicken, mutton, egg, or vegetables. This particular rice dish is often accompanied by a side of raita (a yoghurt sauce with chopped onions and cucumber in it) or curry.

Biryani is said to have originated from Persia (now Iran) and was then brought to India, where it was subsequently introduced to Malaysia by Indian immigrants. While biryani was originally a festive dish that was served in weddings, religious holidays, and festive occasions during and before the 20th century, this dish has now become a daily staple in Malaysian Indian cuisine.

One of the more traditional methods to cook biryani involves first mixing raw basmati rice and meat with spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, star anise, and cloves, ghee, and meat or vegetables. The rice mixture is then sealed in a pot and left to slow-cook over several hours to allow the flavours to meld.

7. Teh Tarik

Walk into any mamak restaurant or stall and you are bound to see a few tables enjoying a creamy, frothy drink in a glass mug. That, my friend, is none other than the national favourite - teh tarik, which literally translates to “pulled tea”.

Teh tarik is a creamy, frothy drink made out of black tea, condensed milk, and sometimes sugar. It was introduced by Indian-Muslim immigrants and has been popular since colonial times, partly thanks to its preparation method and naturally strong flavours.

The way to make teh tarik involves pouring the mixture of tea and condensed milk back and forth repeatedly using two large stainless steel mugs from a height. This is also known as the “pulling” method, and also the reason behind this famous tea’s name. Not to mention, this particular mixing method is also what gives teh tarik its frothy texture.

Bonus Tip: Teh tarik tends to be incredibly sweet, so opt for a moderately sweet level by asking for “teh tarik kurang manis” (teh tarik with less sugar)!

8. Mamak Rojak

Most countries have their version of salad, like how Thailand has somtam (papaya salad) and the Middle East has tabbouleh. Ours is the famous mamak rojak, also known as pasembur or Indian rojak to some locals. 

It consists of fried fritters, boiled eggs, tofu, potatoes, sengkuang, beansprouts, and shredded cucumbers, drenched in a rich, sweet, yet spicy nut sauce made from ground peanuts, chilli, sugar, and tamarind, reflecting a fusion of Indian and local Malay flavours.

9. Poori

It looks like an inflated chapati, but don’t be fooled. Poori is a deep-fried Indian bread made from unleavened wheat dough that puffs up when fried. This gives it its crispy exterior and soft, hollow inside.

Poori’s origins lie in North Indian cuisine, where it was then introduced to Malaysia during the early days as a breakfast item or snack. That said, breakfast is definitely the more popular time to enjoy poori with a side of potato curry, chickpea curry, or vegetarian dishes.

The process to make poori involves kneading a dough made from whole wheat flour, salt, water, and a little bit of oil, rolling the said dough into small discs, then deep-frying it until it puffs up and turns golden brown.

10. Putu Mayam

This will probably bring up memories of an Indian uncle driving about neighbourhoods on his motorbike with an aluminium storage box behind him shouting “putu mayam, putu mayam!”.

Putu mayam, also known as idiyappam in South India, is a South Indian noodle dish that is typically served with grated coconut and jaggery or gula melaka. Some have it for breakfast, some have it as a snack, but one thing is certain - it’s a light and mildly sweet delight enjoyed by locals young and old alike.

This particular dish is made from a dough of rice flour, water, and salt, where the dough is pressed through a mould to form thin noodle strands, then steamed until cooked and served with the sweet sides of grated coconut and jaggery, or enjoyed savoury with chicken curry.

11. Rasam

In almost every Malaysian Indian restaurant, you’ll be served a little cup that contains a slightly clear broth that tastes tangy with a hint of spiciness. This particular broth is known as rasam, and it is often served as part of a large meal especially in Indian restaurants.

Rasam is made using tamarind juice, tomatoes, and spices like rasam powder, cumin, black pepper, mustard seeds, and curry leaves. This creates a clear-ish broth that cleanses the palate and aids digestion after enjoying hearty traditional Indian dishes.

12. Uppuma (or Upma)

Uppuma, or upma, tends to be a little confusing as almost every Malaysian Indian restaurant I’ve visited says it one way or the other. But for the sake of consistency, let’s call this uppuma.

This particular dish is a savoury traditional South Indian dish made from semolina that is lightly spiced and cooked to a thick porridge-like consistency. It’s commonly enjoyed for breakfast as a hearty dish to signal the start of a full day.

The ingredients of uppuma typically include semolina which is roasted and cooked with water or stock. Mustard seeds, curry leaves, onions, and green chillies make up the spice mix which is sautéed in ghee before the semolina is added in and cooked until it reaches a fluffy texture. Uppuma is then enjoyed with a side of coconut chutney, sambar, or thick dhal.

13. Vadai

You may have seen little doughnuts or disc-shaped fritters sold by some Malaysian Indian street food vendors and Malaysian Indian restaurants, but did you know that these aren’t sweet, but savoury?

These fritters are called vadai, and they are actually made from lentils or chickpea flour that are spiced with herbs and chillies. You’ve got two types, masala vadai (the crispy disc-shaped ones), and medu vadai (soft, doughnut shaped ones). These fritters are usually enjoyed with chutney, chilli sauce, or sambar on the side as a snack.

14. Tandoori Chicken

Tandoori chicken is perhaps one of the most famous and popular dishes in Indian Malaysian restaurants here. It originated from Northern India, in particular Punjab, and it was introduced to Malaysia by North Indian immigrants.

Tandoori chicken is best characterised by its distinctive red colour and smoky flavour. It is made by marinating chicken in yoghurt with a mixture of spices that include cumin, coriander, turmeric, garam masala, and chilli powder, then roasted in a tandoor (clay oven). This beloved chicken dish is best enjoyed with naan bread, mint chutney, and a wedge of lemon for added tanginess.

Bonus Tip: Instead of ordering plain naan with tandoori chicken, jazz it up further with cheese naan, butter naan, or garlic naan!

15. Murtabak

Some people think that murtabak originated from Indonesia and you have those who think that it originated from India. But did you know that murtabak’s origins actually lie in the Middle East?

Murtabak was actually brought to Southeast Asia by Indian-Muslim traders, where it has evolved over the years to suit local taste buds. It is a popular stuffed pan-fried flatbread that is commonly enjoyed in mamaks or from Malay street food vendors during Ramadan.

The murtabak’s dough is first made from wheat flour, water, and a little oil, then kneaded and stretched using techniques similar to making roti canai. Then it is filled with minced meat (chicken, beef, or mutton), eggs, onions, garlic, and a mixture of spices and pan-fried on a griddle until it develops a nice crispy golden brown exterior.