Malaysian Food Part 2

Curry Laksa. This is the authentic Laksa that is available at pretty much every marketplace. The thick broth is spicy more than creamy. Served with some fresh basil, the highlight is the clams and the fried bean curd. The bean curd absorbs the spicy soup and is delicious. The standard Laksa is made with a combination of two types of noodles, vermicelli and a yellow noodle. Other ingredients include curry chicken and bean sprouts.


Tom Yam Pan Mee : Flat noodles cooked in tom yam soup with imitation crab meat, fish balls and fish cakes. Tom yam is a more recent introduction into Malaysia. There is even tom yam ramen available in Japanese restaurants. Given that Malaysia is so close to Thailand, it is no wonder that it has become a more common staple. The flavor is spicy and sour, but the broth is light and not overpowering. The noodles are freshly made, and cooked just right, with a slight chewiness to the noodle.


Kam Heong Crab: Crab stir fried with salted egg yoke. Nothing taste better than fresh crab cooked with just ginger and spring onions... UNLESS it is made with salted egg yoke! I cringed at the first thought of this dish because salted egg yoke was NOT one of my favorites. However, this dish was absolutely fantastic. The salty egg yoke coats the crab in a light layer, and is a perfect complement to the natural sweetness of the crab.

Warning: you should NOT be worrying about you cholesterol while eating this dish.

Malaysian food galore

From a recent trip back to Asia I had just enough time to eat a little of everything. The select few that made this list are the ones that are impossible to find locally. I have yet to find an authentic Malaysian restaurant here. I would love to hear from anyone that knows of a place. Well until I do find one, I have only pictures to savor. Enjoy!


Mee Goreng Sotong:
Spicy stir fried noodles in soy sauce with cuttlefish and bean sprouts. A common local dish that can be made with any choice of meat. Mildly spicy.


Poori with curry chicken
Poori is another type of Indian flat bread. The curry is flavorful and full of spices. The curry has depth and a lot more spices than most curries you find locally. The spices, not the coconut milk, takes center stage. The 2 slices of poori are served with Dal, a lentil and curry sauce that is served with any Indian breads. The 2 slices of poori with Dal only cost about C$1, which is why I can never bring myself to order roti at the restaurants in Vancouver. Why do they charge me $2.50 for a tiny piece of roti?


Hainaneese Chicken Rice:
To those that know this, need I say more? The essence is in the the rice, made with chicken stock, ginger and other ingredients, this is a staple hawker store offering. There is steamed chicken as well as roasted chicken rice. Either way it is always good.


Claypot chicken rice
This is available at all food courts. The pot is heated on the fire with rice and any assortment of meat and soy sauce. Simple, and straightforward. The best part of this dish is the rice at the bottom of the pot. This soaks up all the sauces and tastes so good.

Ice Kacang
This dessert is straightforward. Shaved ice, mixed beans and jellies, drizzled with condensed milk and rose water. Every Asian country has its own version of shaved ice. I think the rose water is what makes it uniquely Malaysian.