What Is Kam Heong, Actually? Here Are The Origins Of The Iconic Malaysian Dish

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From hawker centres and mamaks to cute cafés and classy restaurants, our noses are always on the trail for good food. Sometimes literally, hehehe!

We've all been there — deciding on a place to eat, solely from the yummy smells that come wafting through. Or, when you get takeout and your food order causes you to salivate all the way home, hehe.

Either way, our noses sure can pick up good food! :P

This dish is certainly no stranger to most Malaysians.

While it works well with multiple types of protein, you'll typically find chicken or fish cooked in kam heong style and served with white rice for a simple, everyday fare. You've also probably ordered kam heong lala or crab when dining out with family.

Since Malaysia is a culturally rich and diverse country, our cuisine has naturally followed suit.

With a stir-fry like kam heong, you'll get to taste a uniquely Malaysian mouthful that draws upon the various cultures we're blessed with, all at once!

A signature dish in our country, kam heong is a perfect mix of savoury spices and fresh aromatics that impart a delicious fragrance you'll be able to sniff from a mile away.

It incorporates ingredients from various cultures and races, consisting of kitchen staples like dried shrimp, lemongrass, curry leaves, shallots, oyster sauce, and more.

In an interview, chef Andy Lau of The Regent Chinese Cuisine in Kuala Lumpur said, "It represents our multicultural society incorporated in one dish.

"Aside from traditional Chinese ingredients brought by the early Chinese settlers, you have curry leaves and fish curry powder, with its blend of aniseed, coriander, and turmeric, pointing to an Indian influence, while herbs like lemongrass and torch ginger are reminiscent of Malay cuisine."

It is this combination of ingredients from various cultures, together with the wok stir-frying method that is common in Chinese cooking, that makes kam heong a uniquely Malaysian cooking style.

Celebrating the best of Malaysian flavours, McDonald's is excited to welcome you to try the locally-inspired Spicy Kam Heong burger with unique spices, a new menu item that is #MemangCukupMalaysia.

Available in your choice of chicken or fish patty, the new Spicy Kam Heong burger is crispy on the outside and packed with a yummy mix of umami and spiciness reminiscent of the local dish we all know and love. The pedas sauce it comes with is soooo syok, y'all!

It will surely be a hit with all Malaysians, thanks to its comforting and familiar taste profile. Best of all, every spicy Kam Heong Burger set order comes with an Orange McFizz to tingle your taste buds.

You can get it at your nearest McDonald's restaurant, via McDelivery, Drive-Thru, or through the order and pick up function on the McD app.