"You Have To Try It To Believe It" — M'sians Share Their Fave Dishes From Their Hometowns
Without all the different cultures, we wouldn't have all this amazing Malaysian food.
By Tamara Jayne — 21 Aug 2024, 03:00 PM
1. "Ikan Sembilang Salai Masak Lemak Cili Api"
"This is my family's favourite dish. We will cook this dish together during family gatherings, including Hari Raya and during puasa. The dish requires us to do some prep and it takes some time to cook.
"My task is to light up the fire with charcoal while my brothers and sisters will scale the fish and cook them using coconut oil, turmeric powder, salt, tamarind, and cili padi.
"Huaaa tulis macam ni pun I dah rasa lapar nak makan. That's what make this dish so special and close to my heart. Slayyyy."
— Zaidi, 30 (Negeri Sembilan)
2. "Sarawak laksa!"
"A special, halal, must-go is 126 Laksa. They've got laksa but Pattaya style! Extra eggs, extra prawns — your choice!"
— Jolina, 33 (Kuching, Sarawak)
3. "Beef noodle (Seremban Beef Noodle) at Pasar Besar Seremban"
"Personally, I like their dry noodle. Minced beef meat with the dry noodle is already satisfying. Complemented with their homemade chilli sauce makes it even tastier. Their beef brisket and all are tender and taste good too.
"You have to try it to believe it."
— Min Wai, 35 (Negeri Sembilan)
4. "Fried kuey teow from Lau Wan Kuetiau Goreng in University Gardens Petaling Jaya"
"Kuey teow noodles can be eaten several ways but the best is still fried with seafood and lots of egg!"
— Ida Zurina Marzuki Lam, 52 (Selangor)
5. "Pulut Ayam. It might be a Northern state thing or any state that is near Thailand's border."
"It's like sticky rice with a really good fried chicken, usually like ayam goreng rempah. People always have their own version of ayam goreng for pulut ayam.
"And you sprinkle the sticky rice with fried shallots and add sweet chilli sauce. You get the sweet/spicy flavours from the sauce and a very juicy fried chicken, and eat it with sticky rice is so good."
"I usually go to Warung Bang Teh in Arau, Perlis."
— Mikhail, 30 (Perlis)
6. "Lo Bak Rice"
"From Lo Bak Rice Kopitiam in Alor Gajah."
— Shye Hui (Melaka)
7. "Char koay kak in Penang"
"When people think of Penang, they think of laksa or char kuey teow. But for me? Char koay kak, and it has to be that particular stall in the pasar that's just walking distance to my house in Penang.
"It's in Jelutong Pasar. I grew up eating from the same uncle and he's still asking me if I'm studying in KL every time I visit, even though I have graduated a long time ago."
— Bernice Por, 27 (Penang)
8. "Dry noodles with fishballs and fish cakes"
"Big Tree and Let's Rock in Ipoh are good, but most of the shops in Perak have their own specialities. Bonus if you get dry curry soy sauce meehun mee."
— Vishnu, 40 (Perak)
9. "Nasi dagang. The pulut-like rice paired with creamy spicy fish gravy is a satisfying combination."
"Authentic nasi dagang is often accompanied with ikan ayer, which is tuna. Not forgetting, the fresh and zesty acar that balances out the flavours and completes the dish.
"One of my favourite spots to enjoy this dish is Kedai Nasi Dagang Kak Pah, or the renowned Nasi Dagang Atas Tol."
— Syazwan, 29 (Terengganu)
10. "Chee cheung fun from Liew Kee in Diamond Bay!"
"On busy nights, you get long queues of people not from the town."
— Poh Lin (Perak)
12. "My favourite food from my hometown is always pasembur!"
"It is because pasembur is known for its variation of food, such as prawn fritters, crab sticks, tofu, veggies, and boiled eggs. Besides that, its topping of sweet spicy sauce makes it 1000× better!
"Even though most Penangites won't agree with my suggestion, I think Padang Kota is the best place to get pasembur.
— Farhan, 22 (Penang)
14. "Taugeh ayamm!"
"It's from this one corner shop, Taugeh Ayam Lou Wong. This dish is usually served with a plate of rice, steamed or roasted chicken, and beansprouts.
"The dish is simple but delightful, with a perfect balance of textures and flavours. The sauces used enhance the flavours without overpowering the natural taste of the chicken and beansprouts. Even the rice is quite different compared to normal rice, it's more fragrant. And I think this is one of my favourite food here in Ipoh."
— V, 21 (Perak)
15. "I'm a big fan of nasi dagang because of the gulai ikan tongkol (tuna curry)"
"It's a special dish from the East Coast, and for me, the best version is definitely from Terengganu.
"Plus, it takes a long time to make, which makes it even more delicious and unique. I usually go to Nasi Dagang Kampung Ladang since it's my mum's favourite spot and the prices are super cheap."
— Hazril, 30 (Terengganu)
16. "Hands down, nasi lemak is my number one. But let's be real, Ramly burger deserves a Datukship!"
"It's the one thing I'll miss like crazy when I travel, especially because I can't find it in Singapore or even in Europe, where there's a wider variety of burgers.
"There's just something about the Ramly burger, with its flood of sauces and mayonnaise, that nothing else can beat. These two are my ultimate comfort foods, guaranteed to make any day a little better. My best pick for Ramly is from Burger Selayang Jaya, right in front of 7/11 Selayang Jaya!"
— Kalpana, 34 (Kuala Lumpur)
