Food in Malaysia: 5 Traditional Dishes to Look out For - Savour the mouth-watering local tastes of the charming Southeas

A staple in Malay cuisine and the national dish of Malaysia, no other dish in the Southeast Asian nation is as famous as nasi lemak. Thanks to the coconut milk that the rice (the primary ingredient of the dish) is cooked in, nasi lemak is a dish of both incredible deliciousness and fragrance. The scrumptious rice dish is traditionally served on a pandan leaf, with the addition of anchovies, cucumbers, peanuts, and boiled eggs. While Nasi Lemak was enjoyed only as a breakfast dish originally, due to its popularity over time, the dish found its way into a local favourite that's been eaten all the time.

The aptly named char kway teow, where char is for "stir-fried" and kway teow is for "flat rice noodles", is one of the most popular street foods in Malaysia. In its basic form, Char kway teow is a combination of shrimp, eggs, cockles, bean sprouts, chives, Chinese sausage, and of course, flat rice noodles, where all of which are fried and coated in soy sauce. Rice noodles are one of the most popular in local cuisine, so much so that a number of regional varieties of the dish have emerged over time.

Coming to life during the festive season of Chinese New Year, yee sang has its roots deeply embedded in south China and is a well-favoured delicacy of the Chinese living in Malaysia. Yee sang, also known as yusheng, yuu sahng, and Prosperity Toss, is a rather simple dish, which includes strips of raw fish and shredded vegetables seasoned with a variety of sauces and condiments. The delectable salad is traditionally served as an appetiser, accompanying a multi-course dinner.

Anyone who has had a taste of the famous roti varieties of Indian cuisine would immediately recognise roti canai's close resemblance to the Indian dish. In fact, it is believed that labourers who migrated to Malaysia from India introduced the dish to the Southeast Asian nation. The flatbread is made with a dough consisting of flour, water, eggs, and fat, which is folded repeatedly to give its layered texture and the crispy outer layer.

Well known for its rich and spicy broth, laksa is a comforting noodle soup dish relished throughout many Southeast Asian countries including Malaysia. Those looking to savour a mouthful of scrumptious laksa could find the dish being served at some of the best restaurants in Langkawi, including the likes offered by Pelangi Beach Resort & Spa, and eateries in other parts of the country as well.