Malaysian Cuisine

[Tepee]

Ditto!

[spinoza]

Stuffed baked crabs are now a Kemaman / Chukai (think the town itself is called Chukai but is in the district of Kemaman ... and the port's called Kemaman too) specialty. One of the more well-known shops that serves this is Tong Juan Restaurant. It's on a row of pre-WWII shop houses that faces the river - does this sound familiar spinoza?

Brilliant!

Thanks shiewie - that's probably the one.

I'm headed there on my next trip home...

Nowadays they consist of 2 weeks of rushing around Malaysia eating 6 meals a day

[PCL]

- stall at coffee shop on Jalan Dang Wangi (what used to be Campbell Road) near the bridge - it's breakfast only as well - can't remember the name of the shop (it's opposite this other coffee shop called Yut Kee).

Thanks Shiewie, will check out the site, looks good from a glance.

I noticed you mention "Yut Kee" on Campbell Road, is that behind the Sheraton Imperial Hotel on Sultan Ismail??... 'cos if it's the same animal... man, Yut Kee is totally retro awesome cool.

I was working on site when the hotel was going up and my dad introduced me to Yut Kee. The best Swiss Rolls and butter cakes from the kitchen out the back of the shop, the WHOLE OF KL... it's not halal, but I must mention for non-Muslim M'sians that the pork chops are way good, as are the Hokkien Mee, kopi-o.

Wow, nostalgia... will definitely check it out next week!!

[PCL]

I haven't tried all of them of the list thoguh only Nasi Lemak Antarabangsa, Nasi Lemak Tanglin and Nasi Lemak Cikgu.

Antarabangsa is currently my ALL-TIME FAV!!!....

missed it when I was last in KL about 3 weeks ago, won't be making that mistake again...

my folks live in TTDI so we generally head to Damansara Uptown mamak for Nasi Lemak, they're good too, especially the Ayam Goreng....oooohhh... it's 2.20am in Melbourne at the moment... no mamak stalls, .... mouth watering...

also, the site mentions Madam Kwan's in Bangsar... if you're serious about food and Nasi Lemak, avoid at all cost. The place is a dressed up, overpriced Bangar-Yuppie-Kia-Su type place. The food? Um, can't remember how it was I was so disappointed, although they did use to have a good happy hour deal, not sure about now, drink first, then head to the mamak down the road for the real deal.

...must go have Maggi Mee... cepat dimasak, sedap dimakan!

Edited June 2, 2004 by PCL (log)

[Gul_Dekar]

the Ayam Goreng....oooohhh... it's 2.20am in Melbourne at the moment... no mamak stalls, .... mouth watering...

Hmmm...I remember my brother mentioning that there IS a mamak (or at least mamak-style shop since it probably can't be done by the roadside and open air during the winter months) in Melbourne when he was living there...I could ask him. Unless you know about it already. *typo*

Edited June 3, 2004 by Gul_Dekar (log)

[SG-]

- stall at coffee shop on Jalan Dang Wangi (what used to be Campbell Road) near the bridge - it's breakfast only as well - can't remember the name of the shop (it's opposite this other coffee shop called Yut Kee).

Thanks Shiewie, will check out the site, looks good from a glance.

I noticed you mention "Yut Kee" on Campbell Road, is that behind the Sheraton Imperial Hotel on Sultan Ismail??... 'cos if it's the same animal... man, Yut Kee is totally retro awesome cool.

I was working on site when the hotel was going up and my dad introduced me to Yut Kee. The best Swiss Rolls and butter cakes from the kitchen out the back of the shop, the WHOLE OF KL... it's not halal, but I must mention for non-Muslim M'sians that the pork chops are way good, as are the Hokkien Mee, kopi-o.

Wow, nostalgia... will definitely check it out next week!!

Don't forget to Yut Kee's seafood laden "lam mee"(sp?) which they're famous for! Their kaya and shrimp toast are quite good too.

[Shiewie]

PCL

Nasi Lemak Antarabangsa used to be one of my favourites. But when I last went to Nasi Lemak Antarabangsa sometime last year, I thought that their quality has dropped . The rice was a bit mushy, I like the grains of rice in my nasi lemak to be fairly firm and separate and not in clumps. The sambal also tasted a bit raw ... as if it hasn't been tumis'ed well.

If you're in the PJ area, it seems there's a good nasi lemak stall near Castell at the roundabout bu Sultan Abdul Samad school. Seems there are different stallholders in the morning and at night but they're both supposedly good. TTDI? The nasi kerabu stall at Restoran Hasanah in TTDI (mornings only, same row as Secret Recipe) also sells nasi lemak - haven't tried it though as I always succumb to the nasi kerabu whenever I go there.

I also recently tried the lauk at Chef Ismail's food kiosk at the food court at Bangsar Shopping Centre - the ayam masak merah was yummy. Think they also sell nasi lemak there so it may be worth a try.

If you like Yut Kee, another coffee shop in the same vein is Seng Nam - it's near the HSBC Bank in Medan Pasar. Actually, I think their Hokkien mee-hoon is better than Yut Kee's .

[PCL]

Hmmm...I remember my brother mentioning that there IS a mamak (or at least mamak-style shop since it probably can't be done by the roadside and open-air during the winter months) in Melbourne when he living there...I could ask him. Unless you know about it already.

Gul_Dekar.... FIND OUT WHERE THIS MYTHICAL PLACE IS PLEASE???

I've lived here most of my life, and have known of no such creature... if your information proves to be correct, I shall be eternal grateful and will sing your praises on eGullet forever more....

...and... SG, I haven't tried the lam mee, but then again, I'm not a fan of that particular specialty...

Shiewie... I totally forgot about the kaya toast, man almost as good as the one in a tiny Hainanese coffe shop in KK, Sabah!!.... thin toast, rich butter, and dripping with viscous KAYA!!!.... also, will take your words to heart and attempt the Hokkien Mee at Seng Nam. Also, thanks for the TTDI tip, I've seen people in Secret Recipe but I tend to avoid places like that when I'm in KL.

Cheers!!

[Shiewie]

PCL - I didn't mean Secret Recipe (don't like it and generally try to avoid it though I live in KL ) - was referring to the nasi kerabu stall (which also sells nasi lemak) outside Restoran Hasanah, which is on the same row as Secret Recipe.

[kenteoh]

Hmmm...I remember my brother mentioning that there IS a mamak (or at least mamak-style shop since it probably can't be done by the roadside and open-air during the winter months) in Melbourne when he living there...I could ask him. Unless you know about it already.

Gul_Dekar.... FIND OUT WHERE THIS MYTHICAL PLACE IS PLEASE???

I've lived here most of my life, and have known of no such creature... if your information proves to be correct, I shall be eternal grateful and will sing your praises on eGullet forever more....

Hi PCL, I'm Gul's brother. Here are the details of the mamak-style shop (found on CitySearch):

Bismi 

848 Sydney Rd, Brunswick 

(03) 9386-8611

It opens until pretty late (by Melbourne standards), around 12 or 1am. They serve roti, murtabak, various curries and you can even get teh-o-ais-limau if you tell them how to make it. ;)

The food is not exactly the same as what you get in Malaysia as it is opened by Singaporean mamaks, but for any homesick Malaysian, it is a godsend. Lots of Malaysian and Singaporean students can be seen hanging around till late there.

BTW, just as a sidenote, in case you didn't know, there is a pretty good and authentic Malaysian restaurant called Red Wok or something on Toorak Road in South Yarra opposite the Watergrill seafood restaurant. AFAIK it is the only place which serves butter prawns in Melbourne! And don't forget to try the ladies-fingers with sambal belachan, good stuff! The owners are Hongkies but the chefs are from Ipoh.

Hope that helps. :)

Edited June 3, 2004 by kenteoh (log)

[JustKay]

What about Nasi Beriyani? Although that's not technically a true Malaysian dish.

I don't quite fancy the mamak kind. I prefer the Johor Nasi Beryani Gam but rather hard to find good ones in KL. There's one Aladin Cafe at the Souq (Putrajaya) but it's quality has declined some.

There's a House of Beriyani at Diamond Square in Bangi. Verrry clean restaurant and they make 3 different types of Beryani - Arab, Pakistan and Afghanistan. The lauks are all very good too. It's open from 11am till about 3pm or so.

Another restaurant in Bangi, Ghazal sells Nasi Beryani Johor, supposedly. But I find the lauks a tad too sweet. They also sell the 'sirap bandung' like the ones you get at Malay weddings.

But for true Beryani, I 'd go for Bombay Palace's Handi Beryani anytime.

Do you guys know of any good place for (non-mamak) Beryani in KL/Malaysia?

[Pan]

What about Nasi Beriyani? Although that's not technically a true Malaysian dish.

It isn't? Is Tom Yam Soup a true Malaysian dish? There used to be a Restoran Biryani in Kuala Terengganu in the 70s, when Tom Yam Soup wasn't to be found in Malaysian restaurants. I daresay, Indian influence has been deeper and more widespread for a longer time in the Malay Peninsula than Thai influence, and I need only cite Roti Canai as an example. I would say that Biryani (however you spell it) is an Indian dish that is part of the amalgam that constitutes Malaysian food.

[JustKay]

What about Nasi Beriyani? Although that's not technically a true Malaysian dish. 

It isn't? Is Tom Yam Soup a true Malaysian dish? There used to be a Restoran Biryani in Kuala Terengganu in the 70s, when Tom Yam Soup wasn't to be found in Malaysian restaurants. I daresay, Indian influence has been deeper and more widespread for a longer time in the Malay Peninsula than Thai influence, and I need only cite Roti Canai as an example. I would say that Biryani (however you spell it) is an Indian dish that is part of the amalgam that constitutes Malaysian food.

But Pan .... there is no Roti Canai in India! From what I've heard and read, Roti Canai is truly a Malaysian concoction by the Indians here in Malaysia.

Tom Yam is definitely Thai, I would say.

Beryani is Indian, or is it Middle East since saffron rice and pilaf are also a Persian and Arabic dish? No?

And Pan .... even the mamak restaurants have Tom Yam and other Thai dishes offered nowdays! Some also have all the Western dishes such as steak, chicken maryland and such on the menu.

And there's this Tom Yam stall along the old trunk road to KLIA that makes great Nasi Daging Merah and Tom Yam and one of the side dishes is Fries.

[Pan]

But Pan .... there is no Roti Canai in India! From what I've heard and read, Roti Canai is truly a Malaysian concoction by the Indians here in Malaysia.

Vikram doesn't agree. Here's part of what she wrote in a review of Madhur Jaffrey's The Ultimate Curry Bible:

Noting that Malaysian roti canai is simply the Kerala style flaky parottha made even larger, she suggests that ‘canai’ is another form of ‘Chennai’ which was, even then, the name by which South Indians knew the port from they set sail.

Tom Yam Soup is definitely Thai in origin, but at what point does something qualify as Malaysian? If almost every Malaysian restaurant in and outside of Malaysia serves something, isn't it Malaysian?

[JustKay]

But Pan .... there is no Roti Canai in India! From what I've heard and read, Roti Canai is truly a Malaysian concoction by the Indians here in Malaysia. 

Vikram doesn't agree. Here's part of what she wrote in a review of Madhur Jaffrey's The Ultimate Curry Bible:

Noting that Malaysian roti canai is simply the Kerala style flaky parottha made even larger, she suggests that ‘canai’ is another form of ‘Chennai’ which was, even then, the name by which South Indians knew the port from they set sail.

Tom Yam Soup is definitely Thai in origin, but at what point does something qualify as Malaysian? If almost every Malaysian restaurant in and outside of Malaysia serves something, isn't it Malaysian?

Well then .... interesting. We do have Roti Pratha here too.

I have never been to Kerala nor tasted Kerala flaky parottha, so I can't compare. But even my Indian neighbor (an expatriate living here) said there's no Roti Canai in India, but then he's from Kalkoota. Perhaps, our Roti Canai has evolved somewhat (which explains the difference), but is in fact a derivative of the Kerala flaky Parottha (which accounts for the similarity). Canai is also a Malay word meaning 'to flatten'.

I have no idea as to what single dish is truly a bona-fide Malaysian dish.

Edited June 4, 2004 by kew (log)

[Pan]

kew:

I have no idea as to what single dish is truly a bona-fide Malaysian dish.

I would say that sambal belacan is Malaysian, but it's quite difficult to draw a hard line between Malaysia and Indonesia, given the amount of shared history and movement of people and goods throughout the region. But that's ultimately my point: Malaysia and Malaysian cuisine are a product of the meeting of diverse influences. Malaysian cuisine is an example of a spectacularly successful fusion of cuisines. And that's why Roti Canai, Hainanese Chicken Rice, and Kangkung Belacan are all Malaysian.

Edited June 4, 2004 by Pan (log)

[tan_cl]

My favourite beriani - (not going to get into the debate of whether or not it's truly Malaysian - Mamak-style or Indian-style or Arab-style) no longer exists - I use to go to Kassim's along Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman back in the late 70's/early 80's - each plate was huge, with a chunk of mutton buried inside the rice . The biggest treat was to be able to sit in the air-conditioned dining room on the third floor, away from the "plebs" on the ground floor! Then one day, I realised it had disappeared and there was, instead a Restoran Bismi there. Bismi is about the closest I can get to that style of nasi beriani now. I know a lot of people say that Insaf - those two Mamak restaurants on the opposite side of Jalan TAR - is good but I've always found their rice a bit too oily.

Have also heard about this mythical place in the back streets of Jalan Masjid India where they cook the meat with the rice in huge tin cauldrons and dole it out at lunch-time to a long queue of diners.......but haven't found it yet.

[Shiewie]

Nicely put Pan !

Actually Hainanese Chicken Rice as we know it is a Malaysian / Singaporean dish ... though derived from the Hainanese Wenchang chicken.

One of my cousins followed her mum and grandad to on a visit to her ancestral village in Wenchang District on Hainan Island and she reported back that although Wenchang chicken (the poached chicken) is commonly found all over the island, it's always served with with plain rice and never with the rice cooked in chicken broth .

There's also Mee Goreng Mamak ... think that's uniquely Malaysian too no?

[Pan]

I would guess it is!

[JustKay]

I would say that sambal belacan is Malaysian, but it's quite difficult to draw a hard line between Malaysia and Indonesia, given the amount of shared history and movement of people and goods throughout the region. But that's ultimately my point: Malaysia and Malaysian cuisine are a product of the meeting of diverse influences. Malaysian cuisine is an example of a spectacularly successful fusion of cuisines. And that's why Roti Canai, Hainanese Chicken Rice, and Kangkung Belacan are all Malaysian.

Indeed. You have best describe Malaysian cuisine.

I've had sambal belacan in Indonesian Restaurants and theirs taste better, I think. My (former) Indonesian maid boiled all the ingredients first. While yet another maid, fried the sambal for a short time after being made. My Mom never put anything else besides roasted belacan and chillies (and calamansi juice, and salt of course) in her sambal belacan while my MIL always add some small red onions.

The Beryani Gam Johor is derived from Handi Beryani, which has fruits and nuts in the rice and the seasoned meat is buried within the rice and the whole thing is then steamed in huge clay pots which is sealed with dough. The rice is cooked when the dough is cooked.

Shiewie - do any Chinese restaurants offer Nasi Beryani?

What about Nasi Lemak? Is that truly Malaysian? I think there is a dish in the Pihilippines where the rice is cooked in coconut milk? But not the sambal and the fried anchovies and other condiments that go with Malaysian Nasi Lemak though.

Edited June 4, 2004 by kew (log)

[Shiewie]

Shiewie - do any Chinese restaurants offer Nasi Beryani?

Don't think so... but there is a mamak eatery in PJ (SS2) where the chef-owner is of Chinese descent (there was a write-up on it in The Star some time back) and I suppose they must serve Beryani .

[trillium]

kew:

I have no idea as to what single dish is truly a bona-fide Malaysian dish.

I would say that sambal belacan is Malaysian, but it's quite difficult to draw a hard line between Malaysia and Indonesia, given the amount of shared history and movement of people and goods throughout the region. But that's ultimately my point: Malaysia and Malaysian cuisine are a product of the meeting of diverse influences. Malaysian cuisine is an example of a spectacularly successful fusion of cuisines. And that's why Roti Canai, Hainanese Chicken Rice, and Kangkung Belacan are all Malaysian.

I know a Singaporean who would argue with you over that claim... or is Singapore just getting lumped into Malaysia (hee hee)?

My grew-up-in-Thailand friend says the Thais do a nearly identical dish to Hainanese chicken rice found in S'pore, but it goes by the name of chicken fat rice. I think the chilli prep is different though.

regards,

trillium

[JustKay]

And the Thai's have "Muslim Pan-Fried Bread" which is the Malaysian Roti Canai.

[Pan]

kew:

I have no idea as to what single dish is truly a bona-fide Malaysian dish.

I would say that sambal belacan is Malaysian, but it's quite difficult to draw a hard line between Malaysia and Indonesia, given the amount of shared history and movement of people and goods throughout the region. But that's ultimately my point: Malaysia and Malaysian cuisine are a product of the meeting of diverse influences. Malaysian cuisine is an example of a spectacularly successful fusion of cuisines. And that's why Roti Canai, Hainanese Chicken Rice, and Kangkung Belacan are all Malaysian.

I know a Singaporean who would argue with you over that claim... or is Singapore just getting lumped into Malaysia (hee hee)?

Which of those dishes are not Malaysian, as far as a Singaporean is concerned?

And since you brought it up, are there any Singaporean dishes which are uniquely Singaporean and not served in Johor?

[Shiewie]

kew:

I have no idea as to what single dish is truly a bona-fide Malaysian dish.

I would say that sambal belacan is Malaysian, but it's quite difficult to draw a hard line between Malaysia and Indonesia, given the amount of shared history and movement of people and goods throughout the region. But that's ultimately my point: Malaysia and Malaysian cuisine are a product of the meeting of diverse influences. Malaysian cuisine is an example of a spectacularly successful fusion of cuisines. And that's why Roti Canai, Hainanese Chicken Rice, and Kangkung Belacan are all Malaysian.

I know a Singaporean who would argue with you over that claim... or is Singapore just getting lumped into Malaysia (hee hee)?

My grew-up-in-Thailand friend says the Thais do a nearly identical dish to Hainanese chicken rice found in S'pore, but it goes by the name of chicken fat rice. I think the chilli prep is different though.

regards,

trillium

I think someone posted a link in one of the other threads to an article about the Hainanese community in Thailand ... so it's likely a similar dish morphed out from the Hainanese community there ...