What To Eat In Kuala Lumpur: 7 Local Dishes To Try

By Author: David Jon
Total Articles: 2
Comment this article

Many people talk about the modern landmarks and beautiful tourist attractions of this city. But very few would discuss the multicultural food scene this city offers to tourists. And it's not that travellers do not enjoy food but it gets overshadowed by the natural beauty of this place. You will see Chinese and Indian influence in their food scene. And the best thing about this city is that you won't have to go to a fancy place. You can enjoy local food in any food street or a roadside stall and make your holidays to Malaysia memorable. This article will introduce you to 7 amazing local dishes that you shouldn't miss on your tour.
1.    Nasi Lemak: Malaysia's Iconic Rice Dish
You can call this dish the most common and the most favourite local dish in this city. And not just in this city but you will find it throughout the country. It is a very basic dish in which they cook rice in coconut milk. Sometimes, they add screwpine leaves to it for fragrance and eat it as is. Moreover, there are also many options that you can ...
... try with this dish such as fried anchovies and boiled eggs. Also, some people try it with peanuts and cucumber while others add fried chicken or beef with it. It is commonly associated with breakfast but it is available throughout the day.
2.    Roti Canai: A Crispy Mamak Favourite
If you haven't been to Malaysia before, then you should know Mamak is the term they use for Indian Muslims. This dish is the favourite dish of Mamaks and they consume it almost every day. It is basically a crispy flatbread which Mamaks eat for breakfast with tea or milk. Moreover, it is very chewy from the inside but its exterior is extremely crispy which makes it more tempting. Also, the preparation of this bread is very interesting as they stretch the dough for hours. And then they put it on a hot griddle. Furthermore, it is one of the most favourite items in restaurants in Kuala Lumpur and the most affordable item as well.
3.    Char Kuey Teow: Smoky Wok-Fried Noodles
It is one of the most favourite and most consumed dishes in the country. These are prepared from rice noodles stir-fried in very hot oil. Typically, people like to consume these noodles with prawns and eggs alongside cockles and beans. The main thing about this dish is the high heat, which creates the smoky flavour. Moreover, after adding all the ingredients, they also add soy sauce and other sauces that provide the dish's savoury depth. Furthermore, you will find two versions of this dish in this city. Chinese people consume this dish with pork or lard, while Muslims do not use these ingredients. So, there will be a halal version of this dish in the city, you can try whichever you want.
4.    Satay: Charcoal-Grilled Skewers
Skewers are basically small pieces of meat and it can be chicken or beef but you can add any meat. And depending on the choice of your meat, you can use any sauce you want. They usually serve this grilled meat with peanut sauce or rice cake. Moreover, some people like to eat this meat with cucumber and onion. In some areas they use sweet peanut sauce with this grilled meat. You should try that version as it works very well with that combination.
5.   Curry Laksa: A Bowl Packed with Spice
You will find so many versions of this dish throughout this country. And many travellers know only a few of them because they haven't tried them all. It is basically a rich coconut soup with noodles in it. For the base, they add chilli and turmeric along with lemongrass and belacan, which makes it spicy. Moreover, you don't have to eat this dish only with noodles. Some people use rice with it and try many different things. For example, you can also use fish balls with this soup or fried tofu. Experienced travellers suggest that you should try all the variations to make the most out of your holidays to Malaysia.
 
6.    Rendang: Slow-Cooked, Rich and Aromatic
This dish comes from Malay culture and it is prepared with different meats. You can either use chicken or beef depending on your choice. But it is a very thick and spicy dish so you should be careful if you aren't comfortable with spices. Moreover, they prepare this dish through a slow-cooked process which makes the meat so tender. Also, the meat absorbs the spices via this process which also makes it very aromatic. Furthermore, this dish is associated with Hari Raya which is a festival Muslims celebrate. In other countries this festival is called Eid-ul-Fitr which marks the end of Ramadan.
 
7.    Nasi Kandar: A Hearty Indian-Muslim Meal
It is not just a dish but an important part of the Indian-Muslim culinary tradition. The main ingredient of this dish is steamed rice and it is accompanied by so many things. These things include curries and sauces along with vegetables and meats. Moreover, they also include seafood and many different kinds of meat as well. It is your choice whether you can try this only with rice and one sauce. Or you can try it with several other things mentioned before to make it tasty.
 
Final Verdict
The food in this city also allows you to explore its multicultural identity. And there are so many options that you might need to plan another vacation to try them all. To have the most memorable holidays to Malaysia, book your plan with Virikson Holidays. They are the best when it comes to planning and executing a seamless vacation.