You’ve Tried Malaysian Food, But Have You Tried Malaysia’s Traditional Malay Food?

Most of us know of Malaysian cuisine as a marriage of Malaysia’s major cultures. We love our local roti canai, murtabak, curry laksa, nasi briyani, char kuey teow, chicken rice, and the list goes on.

But did you know that most of these are actually delicious delights borne from merging the culinary traditions of two or more individual cultures? Which is why they’re often regarded as “Malaysian food” instead of having a specific cultural label attached to it.

That said, we’re all foodies here. So it is no surprise that we’re here to uncover one of Malaysia’s major culture’s culinary traditions - traditional Malay food.

Authentic traditional Malay cooking is an interesting insight into the Malay culture’s heritage and cultural norms. What distinguishes Malay cuisine from the other major cultures in Malaysia (the Chinese and Indian cultures) are their use of fresh herbs, strong and tangy dried spices and aromatics, fermented seasonings, and not forgetting the all important coconut milk.

Traditional Malay meals are commonly served with rice, which is a cultural staple for local Malays. But of course, you definitely have the odd noodle dish or two. 

Another interesting point is how Malay cuisine is often enjoyed with hands instead of cutlery. Think scooping up mouthfuls of rice laden with sambal or gulai with your fingers, followed by a bite of meat and vegetables. Most would balk at the thought of this but it’s actually said to be one of the best ways to fully immerse yourself in the food’s flavours and textures.

But enough of that because I’m sure you’re getting hungry from imagining it all. Let’s dive into some of the most popular traditional Malay meals in Malaysia that you can either try cooking yourself at home or seek out at our local warongs.

31 Most Popular Traditional Malay Food In Malaysia That You Simply Have To Cook Or Try!

1. Nasi Lemak

When it comes to traditional Malay meals, no list is complete without mentioning the humble nasi lemak. This dish is believed to have originated from the Malay farmers of Malaysia who traditionally enjoyed it as a hearty breakfast before starting a laborious day’s work. But today, it has now become Malaysia’s beloved national dish that is enjoyed by all ethnicities throughout the country.

An authentic nasi lemak typically features rice cooked in coconut milk, a side of sambal (a spicy chilli paste), fried crispy anchovies (ikan bilis), toasted peanuts, a slice of boiled egg, and slices of cucumber. The sambal is essentially a paste of blended chillies, onions, garlic, and belacan (shrimp paste) which are sautéed until it thickens.

This gets you a rich, aromatic dish that is complemented by the sambal’s slightly sweet yet spicy kick. It also delivers a medley of textures from the ikan bilis and peanut’s crunchiness, before winding down on the heat with the sliced cucumbers.

2. Asam Pedas

Asam pedas loosely translates to “sour and spicy”, a true representation of the flavours you can expect from this traditional Malay dish. This particular dish’s origin has its roots in the Malay and Peranakan (those of Malay-Chinese or Indo-Chinese descent) communities of Malaysia.

Much like its namesake, the asam pedas’ key ingredients typically include seafood (usually stingray, catfish, or mackerel), tamarind (also known as asam), chillies, lemongrass, galangal, turmeric, tomatoes, and vegetables such as okra and brinjal. 

The fish is first simmered whole in a large pot of tamarind-based broth along with the aromatics, before the vegetables are added in at the last step. What you’ll get after that is a delicious meal of fish served in a tangy and spicy gravy alongside tender okra and brinjal that is best enjoyed with rice.

3. Otak-Otak

One may be a little put-off once they discover that otak-otak literally translates to “brains”, but don’t shun this dish just yet. Otak-otak is a delicious fish cake made from steaming or grilling a paste of blended fish fillet or prawns, coconut milk, chillies, lemongrass, galangal, turmeric, and eggs, which is wrapped in banana leaves.

This results in a soft, custard-like fish cake with a complex smokey, spicy, savoury, and slightly sweet flavour profile. Its texture is also what inspired its name. You’ll commonly find otak-otak being served as Malay street food or the more formal variation in Indonesian, Malay, and Nyonya restaurants nationwide.

4. Ayam Percik

Ayam percik is a traditional Malay dish of grilled chicken (ayam means chicken) marinated in an assortment of flavourful spices that originated from the state of Kelantan in the northern reaches of Peninsular Malaysia. It’s a dish that reflects the culinary heritage of Malaysia’s east coast, where marinades and grills are the state’s prominent culinary techniques.

The spices used to create the percik marinade include coconut milk, cumin, chilli, lemongrass, tamarind, coriander, ginger, garlic, shallots, and palm sugar. The chicken is then marinated with the percik paste before it is grilled to impart a smoky aroma to the dish. Some cooks even baste the chicken with more percik marinade as it grills to ramp up the flavour while keeping the chicken moist. Ayam percik is then traditionally enjoyed with rice or the state’s favourite nasi kerabu.

5. Lemang

Lemang is a traditional must-have for every Malay household during the Hari Raya celebrations in Malaysia. It’s a deliciously sticky, chewy, and yet creamy glutinous rice cake made by soaking glutinous rice in coconut milk and salt, followed by having it packed in bamboo tubes lined with banana leaves, before having it cooked over open fire.

It is traditionally served wrapped in the banana leaves it was cooked in alongside rendang as its steadfast complement to its creamy and slightly sweet taste, while the smokiness from being cooked over open fire gives it a savoury depth of flavours that balance out its otherwise slight sweetness.

6. Rendang

Rendang may have its origins as a traditional dish of the Minangkabau ethnic group of Indonesia in West Sumatra, but this humble dish has long since become a staple in Malay cuisine especially during the Hari Raya celebrations. It’s a traditional Malay dish that is now often served during ceremonies and festive occasions to symbolise honour and respect for guests due to its long preparation time and rich, complex depth of flavours.

How rendang is made involves a lengthy slow-cooking process where a choice of protein (beef, chicken, or lamb) is slow-cooked in a mixture of coconut milk, kerisik, chillies, lemongrass, galangal, garlic, shallots, ginger, and turmeric. It is slow-cooked to allow the flavours to meld while reducing the coconut milk to create a thick, rich sauce that coats the meat beautifully.

The rendang is then traditionally served with lemang to balance out its spicy, slightly sweet, slightly nutty, and hearty depth of flavours.

7. Lontong

Lontong used to be a dish that was mostly served during the Hari Raya festive celebrations. But today, you’ll often find it enjoyed by Malaysians as a classic breakfast or lunch dish via our local warongs.

Lontong is basically a coconut milk-based stew flavoured by turmeric and lemongrass that consists of rice cakes, cabbage, carrots, green beans, tofu, tempeh, and boiled eggs, then served with a side of sambal for an extra spicy kick. It’s a rich and creamy stew that comes with a medley of textures and flavours thanks to its ingredients.

8. Nasi Dagang

Hailing from Malaysia’s east coast states of Terengganu and Kelantan is the scrumptious traditional Malay rice meal known as nasi dagang. This dish is commonly enjoyed by locals in those states for breakfast or lunch, and it features ingredients such as fish, chicken, and rice that represent the states’ coastal lifestyle.

That said, a complete nasi dagang dish typically consists of a combination of glutinous rice and regular rice cooked in coconut milk with fenugreek seeds and shallots, a side of fish curry, sliced hard-boiled eggs, pickled vegetables, sambal, and the addition of toasted coconut shavings. This gets you a rich, creamy tasting rice dish that is balanced out by the spicy tanginess of the fish curry. How delicious!

9. Nasi Kerabu

Kelantan’s traditional rice dish makes the list as one of the most popular traditional Malay dishes! It’s a unique dish that is known for its distinctive blue rice, which is naturally coloured using the petals of the butterfly pea flower. It’s culturally significant as a traditional dish as it showcases the use of natural ingredients native to the land along with the importance of rice in Malay cuisine.

Nasi kerabu typically features blue rice garnished with kerisik (toasted coconut shavings), ulam (raw herbs and vegetables), sambal, fried fish or fried chicken, and pickled vegetables. It’s a flavourful dish that combines savoury, spicy, and herbal notes for a deliciously complex dish.

10. Ayam Goreng Kunyit

You have the classic ayam goreng (fried chicken), and then there’s ayam goreng kunyit. This popular everyday dish in Malaysia is often found in Malay night markets, households, and restaurants, where it is easily recognisable thanks to the yellow-ish hue against its dark brown appearance.

Ayam goreng kunyit is essentially chicken marinated in a mixture of turmeric powder, salt, garlic, and shallots, which is then deep fried until it becomes golden brown and crispy. You’ll also often find curry leaves added during the deep frying process to enhance its overall flavour, resulting in an earthy flavoured fried chicken with a slight peppery hint and savoury taste.

11. Ayam Masak Merah

Ayam masak merah directly translates to “red-cooked chicken”, and it is named as such because of its vibrant red appearance. This traditional Malay dish was once a specialty dish for special occasions such as weddings, Hari Raya, and other celebrations, but it’s now an everyday dish enjoyed locally.

Much like its namesake, the process to make this deliciously sweet and spicy dish involves marinating chicken pieces in a sautéed paste of blended chillies, onions, garlic, ginger, and aromatics such as lemongrass, cinnamon, cloves, and star anise. The marinated chicken is then simmered in a sauce mixture of coconut milk and tomato sauce until it is thick and flavourful.

12. Cendol

With Malaysia being a humid, tropical country, it is no wonder why one of our traditional desserts is a chilled one. Meet the humble cendol, a refreshing dessert that consists of green rice flour jelly (cendol) served on a bed of shaved ice soaked in coconut milk, gula melaka syrup (palm sugar syrup), along with the optional sides of red beans, sweet corn, and grass jelly.

This combination of ingredients gives cendol its signature caramel-like sweetness with a side of creamy and chewy texture from the coconut milk and cendol.

13. Sambal Udang

Sambal udang (spicy prawn) is a popular accompaniment to nasi lemak during festive periods, and it is a staple in Malay cuisine that reflects the country’s coastal heritage. It features prawns cooked in a sambal paste mixture of blended chillies, onions, garlic, and belacan which is sautéed until it is fragrant. 

Most cooks also add tamarind juice along with sugar and salt to balance out the bold spiciness of the dish with a touch of sweetness and tanginess, simply to make sambal udang the perfect accompaniment to almost any flavoured rice dish.

14. Tempoyak

Tempoyak is a traditional Malay condiment made from fermented durian, one of the world’s most pungent fruits that you either love or hate. It’s a popular condiment in the eastern states of Malaysia, particularly in Pahang, Kelantan, and Terengganu that reflects the ingenuity of preserving food along with the cultural significance of durian, Malaysia’s beloved king of fruits.

Tempoyak is made by mixing ripe durian flesh with salt and sugar before leaving it to ferment in a jar for several days to a week. This naturally results in a distinctively sour and tangy paste with a hint of sweetness that is often mixed with chillies, onions, and other spices for a savoury sauce, or cooked with proteins such as fish or chicken to add a depth of umami.

15. Bubur Lambuk

Traditionally prepared and distributed during Ramadan in Malaysia, bubur lambuk is a humble, traditional porridge dish that symbolises generosity and community especially during the fasting month. It’s a comforting creamy, savoury, and fragrant porridge that makes for a satisfying meal.

Bubur lambuk is made by cooking rice in a large pot with water and coconut milk until it reaches a porridge-like consistency, followed by the addition of either chicken or beef along with spices and aromatics. It’s then allowed to simmer until the flavours meld together and the ingredients become tender, then garnished with some fresh herbs before it is served.

16. Dendeng

Dendeng has its roots in traditional Indonesian cuisine, but is now one of the Malay culture’s traditional dishes that you’ll often find during festive occasions and family gatherings such as Hari Raya.

It features thinly sliced beef which is marinated in a mixture of soy sauce, sugar, tamarind juice, and spices, then stir-fried until dry to create a jerky-like texture that tastes rich, sweet, and savoury.

17. Gulai

Gulai is a traditional Malay curry dish that has its roots in Sumatra’s Indonesian cuisine. But today, it has become a local staple in Malay cooking that is also commonly served in festive occasions and family gatherings.

The key ingredients that constitute a traditional gulai include a protein (usually chicken, beef, lamb, or fish) which is cooked in a fragrant broth mixture of coconut milk, ground chillies, lemongrass, galangal, turmeric, garlic, shallots, tamarind juice, and dried spices such as coriander, cumin, fennel, and star anise. 

This creates a velvety rich, creamy, and aromatic stew with a balance of spicy, savoury, and slightly tangy notes in every bite of the gulai’s meat.

18. Ikan Bakar

One of Malaysia’s most popular traditional Malay dishes is the beloved ikan bakar, a slightly spicy, smokey and tangy dish of grilled fish. Ikan bakar is commonly enjoyed at coastal and seafood restaurants in Malaysia, but you can easily find it in hawker centres as well these days.

Ikan bakar is made by first marinating either mackerel, stingray, or sea bass in a marinade of ground chillies, garlic, shallots, lemongrass, and tamarind. Then it is wrapped in a banana leaf to retain the meat’s moisture, and grilled over an open flame or charcoal grill until it appears slightly charred on the surface.

19. Satay

When it comes to the Malay culture’s traditional food, one of the most popular ones would definitely be satay. Satay has its origins in Indonesian cuisine, and eventually made its way to Malaysian shores as a popular traditional street food staple that symbolises the rich culinary heritage of the Malay Archipelago and the joy of eating together.

Satay is basically grilled skewered meat which is marinated in a blend of turmeric, coriander, cumin, garlic, and lemongrass that is served alongside rice cakes (ketupat), cucumber slices, and onion slices. Not forgetting its essential side - the highly popular peanut sauce, a rich sweet and savoury spicy sauce made from ground peanuts, chillies, tamarind, and assorted spices.

20. Serunding

Serunding is often a confusing dish for those new to Malay cuisine. Some know of it as a dry-toasted grated coconut garnish, while others know of it as a spiced meat floss dish. But when it comes to the Malay cuisine’s traditional food, serunding is actually a meat dish that features shredded meat (commonly beef) mixed with toasted-grated coconut.

Serunding is prepared by first cooking the meat in coconut milk, spices, and aromatics until it becomes tender, before shredding it to fine strands. The shredded meat is then cooked with a blend of chillies, sugar, and salt until it becomes dry and crispy, making it a delightfully flavour-packed accompaniment to rice and other dishes.

21. Ketupat

Ketupat is perhaps one of the most widely known traditional foods from the Malay culture as you’ll often see it during the Hari Raya celebrations. This particular dish is essentially rice cake wrapped in woven palm leaves which is commonly enjoyed together with satay, peanut sauce, and rendang during festive celebrations.

How it’s made involves washing rice before leaving it to soak briefly. The water is then drained, while the rice is packed into small pouches woven out of palm leaves. These pouches are then boiled in water until the rice within is fully cooked and is expanded to fill the pouch.

22. Keropok Lekor

We’ve been checking out the main dishes of traditional Malay cooking, so you’re in for a surprise with keropok lekor! Keropok lekor is a traditional Malay fish sausage originating from Malaysia’s east coast state of Terengganu. It’s a hugely popular snack that reflects the country’s fishing heritage and use of local ingredients to create this flavourful snack with its unique texture.

Keropok lekor is made out of fish paste that has been mixed with sago flour and salt to form dough. The dough is then shaped into long, cylindrical sausages and boiled until cooked. From there, most Malay vendors either slice it or deep-fry it as it is until it becomes crispy for a satisfying and addictive snack.

23. Sup Tulang

Sup tulang is the traditional Malay bone soup that many love for its rich, comforting, and hearty flavours. It’s a soupy dish that highlights the Malay community’s love for slow-cooked, flavourful broths and stews.

The key ingredients of sup tulang include beef or mutton bones that still contain its marrow, which are then simmered in water with pepper, aromatics, and vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, and onions. This combination of veggies impart a slight sweetness, resulting in a slightly sweet, rich, and peppery broth that is then garnished with fresh herbs before serving.

Bonus Tip: To make the most out of sup tulang, some locals opt to have flat rice noodles (kway teow noodles) added into sup tulang to enjoy it as a delicious soupy noodle dish.

24. Ulam

Think of ulam as a traditional Malay salad that is enjoyed alongside traditional Malay dishes such as nasi kerabu and nasi dagang. Ulam is a combination of raw or lightly blanched vegetables and herbs that’s an integral part of Malay cuisine, reflecting the importance of fresh, natural ingredients in Malay culture.

The vegetables and herbs that constitute ulam commonly include ulam raja, pegaga, kacang botol, daun selom, and petai. Ulam is often enjoyed together with sambal belacan and lime juice for added tanginess.

25. Mee Rebus

If you’ve been waiting for a noodle dish to appear, wait no further because we’ll be introducing you to mee rebus. Mee rebus is a traditional noodle dish served as a hearty meal for lunch or dinner.

It typically features yellow egg noodles soaked in a gravy made from sweet potatoes, fermented soybeans, dried shrimp, and assorted spices, and it is served alongside hard-boiled eggs, bean sprouts, and fried bean curd, then garnished with fried shallots, green chillies, and fresh herbs with a side of lime to be squeezed over the dish.

26. Kurma Curry

You haven’t tried every curry in Malay cuisine if you haven’t tried kurma! In traditional Malay cooking, kurma is a mildly spiced curry dish with origins in Indian cuisine, but has since been adapted and embraced in traditional Malay cuisine. Kurma is especially popular during festive occasions such as Hari Raya and is commonly served during special family gatherings in Malay households.

Kurma’s mild flavour and rich, creamy texture makes it a household favourite, especially amongst children and the elderly. It’s made out of meat marinated in a mixture of spices and aromatics such as coriander, cumin, fennel, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom, then simmered with potatoes in a rich sauce made from coconut milk and yoghurt.

27. Roti Jala

Roti jala used to be widely available only during the festive period of Hari Raya along with special occasions such as weddings and family gatherings. But these days, roti jala is thankfully accessible in Malaysia’s many Malay restaurants and stalls. Its name is derived from its lacy, net-like appearance, and it is commonly enjoyed with a rich curry - often chicken curry.

The trick to making roti jala lies in the specially made roti jala mould, which is often found in the shape of a perforated ladle. The mould is filled with a smooth batter made of flour, eggs, coconut milk, water, turmeric, and salt before it is drizzled over a hot, lightly oiled frying pan and left to cook before it is folded or rolled.