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Malaysia cuisine is extremely
diverse. Each racial group has contributed to the great
Malaysia gastronomic heritage. You can have a different dish
daily for a year and still not have tried them all.
Generally, Malay and Indian cuisine are spicier while
Chinese cuisine is milder in taste. There are also cuisines
of other ethnic groups, and a growing range of international
cuisines. To add to appeal, eating out in Malaysia is
relatively inexpensive.
The interesting potpourri of
local cuisine has been complemented with cosmopolitan
influences and European, Japanese, Thai and Vietnamese fare
is available at specific restaurant. There is also plenty of
entertainment to be found in virtually all states with the
capital of Kuala Lumpur taking the lead for most number of
entertainment venues, restaurants , pubs and discotheques.
Malaysia also has a great variety of refreshing tropical
fruits. Some are seasonal while others are available
throughout the year. Local fruits which are especially
popular include papaya, passion fruit, water melon and
pineapple.
Malaysia Food
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Malaysian Cuisine
Natural, home-grown ingredients figure prominently in
Malay food. Coconut, chili, lemon grass, lime leaves,
spices and turmeric are basic ingredients cooked with
fish, meat or vegetables. A traditional accompaniment to
meal is a hot sambal made of ground chili, prawn paste
and condiments. The famous dish of satay consists of
skewers of marinated beef or chicken barbecued over
charcoal and served with a sweet and spicy peanut sauce
dip. It is accompanied with cucumber, onions and ketupat
(rice cubes boiled in palm leaf)
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Chinese Cuisine
The Chinese enjoy rice as a staple served with a number
of generally non-spicy vegetables and meat dishes but
noodles feature prominently in great variety and
combinations. The noodles are usually served in a soup
base or fried with sliver of meat, prawns and
vegetables. Curried noodles usually come with chicken
and taufoo
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Indian CuisineSpices
are the heart and soul of Indian cooking. But the
quantity and proportions vary with the geographical
boundaries. Spices are freshly grounded and added
in many different combinations. Spices commonly used are
coriander, turmeric, cumin, chilies, fennel, and
fenugreek. Other fragrant spices added are cardamom,
clove, cinnamon and star aniseed.
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Nyonya Cuisine
Nyonya food, also referred to as Straits Chinese food,
is an interesting amalgamation of Chinese and Malay
dishes thought to have originated from the Peranakan
(Straits Chinese) of Malacca over 400 years ago. This
was the result of inter-marriages between Chinese
immigrants and local Malays, which produced a unique
culture. Here, the ladies are called nyonyas and the men
babas.
Malay Fruit
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Banana
There are
several kinds of bananas available and varieties grown
can be grouped into two categories: those eaten raw for
the fine flavour, Jamaican banana, pisang mas, pisang
rastaii and those which are made into goreng pisang or
banana fritters.
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Carambola
Much better
known as the starfruit because of its shape when sliced,
this fruit's yellow flesh enclosed in a crisp skin is
soft and juice. Its flavour varies from sour to sweet.
Starfruit is available all year around. Although it is
eaten fresh, starfruit juice is very popular as it is
believed to lower blood pressure.
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Cempedak
Like the
jackfruit, this is a compound fruit. Each fruit contains
dozens of seeds covered with a sweet fragrant, rich
yellow flesh. When eaten raw, the seed is discarded. A
popular way of eating cempedak is to deep-fry it in
batter. The cooked seed, which tastes like young potato,
can be eaten too.
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Ciku
Resembling kiwi
fruit, ciku is granulated and yellowish to pinkish brown
in colour and has a soft and sweet flesh.
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Durian
Be adventurous
when trying this. The locals call it the 'king of
fruits'. Controversial for its smell, this thorny
football-size fruit fetches a very high price,
especially the hybrid variety. Its flesh defies all
description. You'll just have to taste it. The durian is
a seasonal fruit although commercial cultivation has
made it available most times of the year.
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Guava
The guava is
usually eaten fresh. it can also be processed into
juice, jam, nectar and canned fruit slices. It is
estimated to contain two to five times the Vitamin C
content of fresh orange juice. If you are heading to
Perak, do try the famous guavas of Bidor.
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Langsat and Duku
Covered with a
thick, golden brown skin, both the langsat and the duku
are regarded as belonging to the same species. The
flavour of both fruits varies from sweet to sour, their
juicy flesh 's Ciku white in color. Do not bite into the
bitter seeds.
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Mango
Many varieties
of mango are found in Malaysia including the apple
mango, the malgoa, harumanis and mahe.
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Mangosteen
This seasonal
fruit is loved for its sweet slightly acidic flavour.
The fruit is round, about the size of a tennis ball,
with a firm smooth rind which turns deep crimson when it
ripens.
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Rambutans
This red, furry
fruit, indigenous to Malaysia, is largely consumed fresh
although there are rambutans canned in syrup. It is
available seasonally from roadside stalls and in
markets.
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Pomelo
The pomelo, also
known as the shaddock, is the biggest of all citrus
fruits. The size of a soccer 6all, the pomelo has a peak
harvest which coincides with Chinese festive seasons and
it is often exchanged as a gift.
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