Malaysian Literature

     Malaysian literature is the collection of literary works produced in the Malay peninsula until 1963 and in Malaysia thereafter. Malaysian literature is typically written in any of the country's three main languages: Malay, English and Chinese. It portrays various aspects of Malaysian life and comprises an important part of the culture of Malaysia.
     The earliest works of Malaysian literature were transmitted orally, in the absence of writing scripts. Oral literature encompasses a variety of genres of Malay folklore, such as myths, legends, folk tales, romances,epics, poetry, proverbs, origin stories and oral histories. Oral tradition thrived among the Malays, but continues to survive among the indigenous people of Malaysia, including the Orang Asli and numerous ethnic groups in Sarawak and Sabah.
     Early Malay literature was influenced by Indian epics, such as the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, which later included other traditions that now form the Malay literary heritage, such as the Hikayat Mara Karma, Hikayat Panca Tanderan and Hikayat Gul Bakawali. Malay romantic tales were also sourced from the Panji cycle of Hindu Java. There were also several forms of Malay poetry, which still remain popular until today.
For the Orang Asli, literature was and still is constituted by accounts of actual events. Different ethnic groups have different versions of the same story, although there are several recurring themes and elements in every tale.
     The cultural practices of the indigenous people in Sarawak are shaped in part by oral traditions. Themes like the relationship of the people to their past, particularly their ancestry, and the spirit world, including its influence on the production of food and health are the primary themes of the oral literature of various ethnic groups in Sarawak. The recitation of oral literature is often accompanied by rituals.

     The oral traditions of Sabah encompass folk tales and legends, such as creation myths, that have been preserved by the ethnic groups in the state. This oral literature is recited during ceremonies conducted by priestesses, who serve as ritual specialists, faith healers and spirit mediums.

     By the 19th century, oral literature on the Malay peninsula was superseded by written literature. This was attributed largely in part to the introduction of Islam to the Peninsula by the 15th century and the adoption of the Jawi script. This tradition was influenced both by earlier oral traditions and Islamic literature from the Middle East. Works during this time ranged from theological literature and legal digests, to romances, moral anecdotes, popular tales of Islamic prophets and even animal tales, which were written in a number of styles ranging from religious to the Hikayat form.

     The literary traditions of the Malay sultanates were distinct in that scribes were hired to record the significant events of the time. One important work of this period was Sejarah Melayu (The Malay Annals), which was written during the era of the Malacca Sultanate, rewritten in 1536 and revised in 1612.

     Traditional Malay poetry was used for entertainment and the recording of history and laws. There are three forms of traditional Malay poetry: the mantera, the pantun and the syair. Modern Malay poetry consists of the sajak.

Some examples of Malaysian literature in English are :

• The Gift of Rain
• Chronicle of Malaysia
• A Children's History of Malaysia
• The Encyclopedia of Malaysia
• The Malay Dilemma
• Malaysia And The Club Of Doom
• Of Bunga Telur and Bally Shoes
• The Pencil
• The Dead Crow
• Si Tenggang's Homecoming
• Monsoon History

Some examples of literature in Malay are :

• Hikayat Muhammad Hanafiah
• Hikayat Seri Rama
• Hikayat Amir Hamzah
• Hikayat Iskandar Zulkarnain
• Sejarah Melayu
• Hikayat Hang Tuah
• Hikayat Patani
• Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa
• Kisah Pelayaran Abdullah ke Kelantan
• Bawang Putih Bawang Merah
• Hikayat Abdullah Munsyi

Traditional Music

     Traditional Malay music and performing arts appear to have originated in the Kelantan-Pattani region with influences from India, China, Thailand and Indonesia. The music is based around percussion instruments, the most important of which is the gendang (drum). There are at least 14 types of traditional drums. Drums and other traditional percussion instruments are often made from natural materials. Besides drums, other percussion instruments (some made of shells) include: the rebab (a bowed string instrument), the serunai (a double-reed oboe-like instrument), the seruling (flute), and trumpets. Music is traditionally used for storytelling, celebrating life-cycle events, and times like harvest. It was once used as a form of long-distance communication.

     In East Malaysia, gong-based musical ensemble such as agung and kulintang are commonly used in ceremonies such as funerals and weddings. These ensembles are also common in neighbouring regions such as in the southern Philippines, Kalimantan in Indonesia and Brunei.

     The Malays of Kelantan and Terengganu are culturally linked to peoples from the South China Sea area, and are quite different from the West Coast of Malaya. The martial art of silat Melayu developed in the Malay peninsula since the beginning of common era also popular in Malaysia, while essentially still important as a branch of the self defence form. Similar to t'ai chi, though of independent origin, it is a mix of martial arts, dance and music typically accompanied by gongs, drums and Indian oboes.

     The natives of the Malay Peninsula played in small ensembles called kertok, which performed swift and rhythmic xylophone music. This may have led to the development of dikir barat. In recent years, the Malaysian government has promoted this Kelantanese music form as a national cultural icon.

Gong

 Gongs are broadly of three types. Suspended gongs are more or less flat, circular discs of metal suspended vertically by means of a cord passed through holes near to the top rim. Bossed or nipple gongs have a raised centre boss and are often suspended and played horizontally. Bowl gongs are bowl-shaped, and rest on cushions and belong more to bells than gongs. Gongs are made mainly from bronze or brass but there are many other alloys in use.

Suspended Gong

Bossed Gong / Nipple Gong

Bowl Gong

Gendang / Kendang (Drum)

The typical double-sided membrane drums are known throughout Maritime Southeast Asia and India. One of the oldest image of kendang can be found in ancient temples in Indonesia, especially the ninth century Borobudur and Prambanan temple.

Among the Javanese, Sundanese, or Malay peoples, the kendang has one side larger than the other, with the larger, lower-pitched side usually placed to the right, and are usually placed on stands horizontally and hit with the hands one either side while seated on the floor. Among groups like the Balinese, Tausug, or Maranao, both sides are of equal size[citation needed], and are played on either one or both sides using a combination of hands and/or sticks.

Within Gamelan, the kendhang is smaller than the bedug, which is placed inside a frame, hit with a beater, and used less frequently. The kendang usually has the function of keeping the tempo (Laya) while changing the density (Irama), and signaling some of the transitions (paralihan) to sections and the end of the piece (suwuk).

In dance or wayang, the kendhang player must follow the movements of the dancer, and communicate them to the other players in the ensemble. In West Java, kendang are used to keep the tempo of Gamelan Degung. Kendang are also used as main instrument for Jaipongan dance. In another composition called Rampak Kendang, a group of drummers play in harmony.

Gendang

Dikir Barat

Dikir barat is typically performed by groups of ten to fifteen members, though there is no actual set size, even in competitive environments. A group usually sits cross-legged on a platform, sometimes surrounded by the audience. Where the dikir barat is performed competitively, the two competing groups will both be on the stage at the same time.

In a typical dikir barat performance, the group will perform two segments. The first is led by the tok juara,who is often the person in charge of the musical training of the group. This first segment usually contains the more complex musical arrangements, and will likely feature the awok-awok (chorus) singing in unison with the tok juara, as well as responsorial segments of singing, similar to what the tukang karut does with the awok-awok, later in the performance. Though musically more complex than what will follow, the first segment is seen as the "low-key" segment of the performance.

The creative leader of a dikir barat group is the tukang karut. The tukang karut (who is often himself a former tok juara) is expected in his performance to utilize current social and political issues which will be relevant to the audience. His ability to do this helps to uphold the reputation of the dikir barat group. Leading the awok-awok during the second and concluding segment of the performance, the tukang karut sings pantuns—most of which are likely original and improvised on the occasion of the performance, but some which may be known to the audience. (Pantuns are an oral poetry form indigenous to the Malay region, and are not exclusive to the dikir barat.) That the dikir barat uses pantuns does not mean that it is a performance of poetry. Like any poet, the tukang karut is expected to create lyrics that touch upon everyday life, but he can also address social issues, legal matters, politics, government regulations, and human foibles. The tone can be satirical, sarcastic, or simply humorous, but above all it is expected that it be clever. The tukang karut makes up and sings lyrics on the topic of the performance (which may be pre-established or simply the choice of the tukang karut), and the awok-awok sings the same lyrics back to him. During the performance, members of the awok-awok clap and perform rhythmic body movements, which bring energy to the performance.

Historically, dikir barat performances have been all-male. However, in recent years, especially with groups based in urban areas, female performers are beginning to appear.

While most musical instruments are excluded from dikir barat, some groups to employ percussion instruments, including the rebana, maracas, or a shallow gong.

Picture of a dikir barat performance

Rebana

     Rebana is a Malay tambourine that is used in Islamic devotional music in Southeast Asia, particularly in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, and Singapore. The sound of Rebana often accompany Islamic ritual such as the zikir. The name Rebana came from the Arabic word Robbana meaning "our God".
     There are many type of rebana, the biggest rebana known is Rebana Ubi. Rebana Ubi are widely use by the Malay people in East Coast Malaysia such Kelantan or Terengganu. This type of rebana is the only rebana with a decorative pattern on the body and the face. Smaller rebana also known as Kompang is widely use by Malay people when celebrating the bride and groom in a wedding ceremony. Rebana Hadrah came from the state of Johore.
     The Rebana is the image engraved on one side of the Malaysian 1 sen coin.

~Arts & Crafts in Malaysia~

Due to the fact that Malaysia is a multiracial country, it contributes in making Malaysia a country full of different arts and cultures. In the end, the many types of arts in Malaysia is what makes Malaysia a very great place to live in.

In terms of dancing, Malaysia is a country full of traditional dances. Some of those dances include Joget, Inang and many more. 

The Joget is the most popular traditional dance throughout Malaysia.
It is performed at cultural festivals, wedding celebrations and other social functions.
The Joget's origin has been traced back and associated with a Portuguese for dance which was introduced to Malacca during the era of the spice trade.

Joget

  Besides that, Malaysia has an art called Silat. Even though it is a form of martial art, it is often used as a type of performance art at special occasions such as weddings. Silat is usually accompanied by drums and gongs.

Silat

Malaysia is a rich country in terms of crafts. Common artworks in Malaysia include batik, songket, kite making, boat making, keris and so on which mainly centred around carvings, weaving and silversmithing. Batik is basically a cloth or silk patterned with colourful designs, usually with floral motives.

Examples of Batik :

Famous Traditional Sports

     Malaysia is very well-known for its traditional sports. One of Malaysia's most popular traditional sport is wau. A wau is a traditional Malay kite and is traditionally flown by the men of Kelantan. There are many types of wau such as wau kucing, wau kikik, wau helang and many more but the most popular form of this kite is the 'wau bulan' which directly translates to moon kite.

Wau bulan

     Wau bulan got its name from the crescent moon-like shape of its lower section. Given the right colour, wau bulan apparently resembles a rising crescent moon when flown. The size of this kite is bigger than any other traditional Malay kites and is 2.5 metres is width and 3.5 metres in length. This wau is also featured on the 50 sen Malaysian coin. The logo of Malaysian Airlines (MAS) is also based on this very kite.
     Wau can be used for kite-fighting where the players cut the strings of other players by coating the string of their waus with glass powder. Although skills are important in maneuvering the wau, the wind condition also influences the playing of the game.




     Another well-known traditional sport is Malaysia is congkak. Congkak is a mancala game of Malay origin played in Malaysia. This game is mostly played by girls and has simple rules that allows the board to have different number of holes. Congkak boards are often made of teak or mahogany wood. The word congkak is believed to originate from an old Malay word, 'congak', which means 'mental calculation' and is mainly practiced in this game. An efficient player mentally calculates a few steps ahead of the opponent to win this game.

Types of congkak boards with seven holes

     The congkak board has fourteen holes with seven holes on each side of the board. Each player controls the seven holes on their side and their score is the number of seeds in their left-hand side store. Player take turns moving the seeds except in the first turn which is performed simultaneously. After this first simultaneous  movement, once the first seed falls into an empty hole, the players' first turn is over. On a turn, a player chooses one of the seven holes they control and distribute all the seeds into every hole in a clockwise motion placing one seed in each hole. They must skip the opponent's store but does not skip his/her own store. This process is called sowing.

     If the last seed falls into an occupied hole, they must continue sowing from that hole. If the last seed falls into his/her store, they immediately gain another turn, which can begin at any of the seven holes they control. The game ends when the player has no seeds in his/her holes at the start of a turn. The remaining seeds are awarded to the opponent. The objective of this game is to capture more seeds than their opponent.

     

     

Malaysian Cuisine, read and drool :D

Malaysian Cuisine mirrors a lot from Indonesian cuisine, in particular some of the regional traditions from Sumatra.it has also been influenced by Chinese, Indian,Thai and many other cultures throughout history,producing a distinct cuisine of our own. Many Malay dishes revolve around a Rempah, which is a spice paste or mix similar to an Indian Masala. Rempah are made by grinding up fresh or dried herbs to create a spice paste which is then sauteed in oil to bring out the aromas.

Malay Delicacies
Apam balik - a bread like puff with sugar, corn, and coarse nut in the middle.
Ayam percik - grilled chicken with spicy sauce.
Ayam goreng kunyit - deep fried chicken, marinated in a base of turmeric and other seasonings.
Ikan bakar - grilled/barbecued fish with either chilli,turmeric or other spice based sauce.
Ikan pari - barbecued stingray
Ikan asam pedas - A sour stew of fish (usually mackerel), tamarind, chili, tomatoes, okra and Vietnamese coriander (Malay: daun kesum).
Keropok lekor, a specialty of the state of Terengganu and other states on the east coast of Peninsula Malaysia, is a savoury cake made from a combination of batter and shredded fish. Sliced and fried just before serving, it is eaten with hot sauce.
Kuih (plural: kuih-muih) is usually a selection of cakes, pastries and sweetmeats eaten as a snack during the morning or during midday, and are an important feature during festive occasions. It is a tradition shared by both the Malay and the Peranakan communities. Some example include:
       Onde onde - small round balls made from glutinous rice flour with pandan [screwpine] leaves essence, filled with palm sugar and rolled in fresh grated coconut.
      Kuih talam - steamed layered coconut pudding made of rice flour, sago flour and coconut milk is cooked by steaming. Pandan leaves lends aroma and the green color to one layer. A white coconut layer goes on top.
Layer Cake - a sweet cake with many layers
Nasi berlauk - Plain rice served with different variety of dishes
Nasi Dagang - the Nasi Lemak of east coast Peninsula Malaysia, in the state of Terengganu and Kelantan.
Nasi kerabu - a type of rice which is blue in color (dyed by a kind of blue flower or bunga telang), originated in Kelantan state.
Nasi Paprik - originated from southern Thailand, rice with "lauk", typically chicken.
Nasi goreng - fried rice. Nasi goreng kampung is a typical variant, traditionally flavored with pounded fried fish (normally mackerel), though recently fried anchovies are used in place of it.


Sate
Satay - is a popular food in Malaysia. Made from marinated meat or chicken and burnt on charcoal grill. Cooked satay is dipped in special peanut sauce. A favourite Malay food in Johor, mostly found in Johor Bahru and Muar.
Telur pindang - Eggs boiled together with herbs and spices, popular during wedding feasts in Johor.
Kacang Pol- This dish is influenced by Arab Culture where special baked bread was served with special sauce and a 'sunny side up' egg.
Pisang Salai or Gimpi smoked banana cooked into perfection
Mee Bakso - This is almost identical with soto, only this dish have meatball instead of slices of chicken meat.
Lontong - Dish using combination of pressed rice and special coconut soup with vegetables. Served with boiled egg and chili.
Burasak - It is a type of Buginese food.
Kerutup ikan - Fish is steamed with variety of local fragrant leaves.
Pecal - It is a Javanese traditional cuisine which consists of long beans, slice of cucumber, beansprout, tauhu, tempe mix with special peanut sauce.
Tauhu bakar- it is made from soybean where it is burnt on a grill and cut into cubes and dip with special sauce.
Pendaram
Mee Siput - It is a mixture of flour that will expand in term of size when deep fried.
Rojak Petis - It is a combination of local vegetables mix with special black colored sauce made mostly from shrimp(Otak Udang).
ABC - ABC is abbreviation of 'Air Batu Campur' or known as Ice Kacang Johor. It is a special desserts created from shaved ice added with corn, jelly, redbeans, groundnut, syrup, pasteurized milk, and liquid chocolate.


Indian Delicacies,the Malaysian Style
Malaysian Indian cuisine of the ethnic Indians in Malaysia is similar to its roots in India, especially South India although there are many notable foods with influences from North India too. Before the meal it is customary to wash hands as cutlery is often not used while eating, with the exception of a serving spoon for each respective dish. This cuisine consists of curries which uses a lot of spices, coconut milk, and curry leaves. Some of the most popular curries include chicken curry, fish curry, and squid curry.

Type of food found in Malaysian Indian Cuisine
Banana leaf rice is white rice served on banana leaf with an assortment of vegetables, curry meat or fish and papadum.
Thosai (in Johor Bharu spelt Dosai) is a batter made from lentils and rice blended with water and left to ferment overnight. The batter is spread into a thin, circular disc on a flat, preheated pan, where it is fried with a dash of edible oil or ghee until the dosa reaches a golden brown colour. Then the thosai may optionally be turned over on the pan, and partially fried. The end product is neatly folded and served. Thosai is served with sambar (vegetable curry) and coconut chutney.
Naan bread is a leavened, oven-baked flatbread. It is usually eaten with an array of sauces such as Chutney and curries such as Dhal curry. Some examples of Naan bread include Garlic Naan, Butter Naan, Garlic Butter Naan, Cheese Naan, Garlic Cheese Naan.
Roti canai is a thin bread with a flaky crust, fried on a skillet and served with condiments. It is sometimes referred to as roti kosong. In Singapore, it is referred to as prahta. Roti telur is a roti canai with egg in it. Telur means egg.
Maggi goreng is a dish of fried Maggi instant noodles with flavouring (usually curry), vegetables, egg, tofu and occasionally chicken.(practically our favorite food whenever we visit a mamak )

Murtabak is a dish of savoury stuffed roti, usually including minced mutton, garlic, onion, and folded with an omelette, and is eaten with curry sauce.

Nasi Beriani or Biryani is a rice dish made from a mixture of spices, basmati rice, meat/vegetables and yogurt. The ingredients are ideally cooked together in the final phase and is time-consuming to prepare. Pre-mixed biryani spices from different commercial names are easily available in markets these days, which reduces the preparation time though the taste differs considerably.
Teh tarik literally meaning "pulled tea", is a well-loved drink amongst Malaysians. Tea is sweetened using condensed milk, and is prepared using out-stretched hands to pour piping hot tea from a mug into a waiting glass, repetitively. The higher the "pull", the thicker the froth. The "pulling" of tea also has the effect of cooling down the tea. Teh tarik is an art form in itself and watching the tea streaming back and forth into the containers can be quite captivating.

Mamak Culture
Mamak (Indian Muslims) dishes have developed a distinctly Malaysian style. Available throughout the country, the omnipresent Mamak stalls or restaurants are particularly popular among the locals as they offer a wide range of food and some outlets are open 24 hours a day. A type of Indian Muslim meal served buffet-style at specialist Mamak eateries is called nasi kandar (analogous to the Indonesian nasi padang, where you pay for what you have actually eaten), white rice or briyani rice served with other dishes of curry either with chicken, fish, beef, or mutton, and usually accompanied with pickled vegetable and papadums.


Malaysian Chinese food

Malaysian Chinese food is derived from mainland southern Chinese cuisine such as Fujian cuisine and Hakka cuisine but has been influenced by local ingredients and dishes from other cultures though it remains distinctly Chinese. Most Chinese meals have pork as their sub-ingredient, but due to the popularity and unique taste of the actual food, there are chicken options available for the local Malays (most Malays are Muslims). Some Chinese food restaurants nowadays can be found serving halal food. Chinese restaurants serving food in halal can introduce a wider range of customers to it.


Bak Kut Teh (Chinese : 肉骨茶) (pork ribs soup). A soup cooked with herbs, garlic and pork ribs which have been boiled for many hours. The city of Klang is famous for it. In some towns, additional ingredients include sea cucumber and abalone. Bak kut teh is believed to have medicinal properties.
Bakkwa (Chinese : 肉干), Known also as barbecued pork and it literally means dried meat. This delicacy is sold everywhere throughout Malaysia and is especially popular during the Chinese New Year celebrations period.


Char Kway Teow (Chinese : 炒粿條，炒河粉). Stir fried rice noodles with prawns, eggs (duck or chicken), chives and beansprouts. Usually, with an option of cockles as well.
Chee cheong fun (Chinese : 豬腸粉) is square rice sheets made from a viscous mixture of rice flour and water. This liquid is poured onto a specially-made flat pan in which it is steamed to produce the square rice sheets.
Curry Mee (Chinese : 咖喱面). A bowl of thin yellow noodles mixed with beehoon (rice vermicelli) in spicy curry soup with coconut milk with dried tofu, prawns, cuttlefish, chicken, mint leaves and topped with a special sambal.

Hainanese Chicken Rice (Chinese : 海南雞飯). steamed chicken served with rice cooked in margarine or chicken fat & chicken stock and chicken soup. The rice is usually served in a bowl or a plate but in Malacca (a historical town), the rice is served in the form of rice balls.

Kaya toast or Roti bakar is a traditional breakfast dish. Kaya is a sweet coconut and egg jam, and this is spread over toasted white bread. Traditionally served with a cup of local coffee/tea and soft-boiled eggs in light/dark soya sauce & ground white pepper.
Pan Mee or Ban Mian (Chinese : 板面) is a Hokkien-style egg noodle soup, some forms of Ban mian, comprises hand-kneaded pieces of dough, while others use regular strips of noodles.
Pao (Chinese : 包) also known as bao, is a steamed bun made of wheat flour, with fillings of various types of meat. It is usually a menu item found in Dim Sum places, although these days it can be seen in most coffee stalls.
Popiah (Chinese : 薄饼), Hokkien/Chaozhou-style rolled crepe spring roll style, stuffed mainly with stewed vegetables, usually shredded tofu, turnip and carrots. Other items may also include egg, Chinese sausage ("lup cheong").
Tau foo fah or Dau Huay (Chinese : 豆腐花 or 豆花) is a curdled version of soya bean milk and is flavoured with syrup. It looks much like Tau Foo but it is very tender. Sold in many places. It is a popular dessert among Malaysians and Singaporeans.

Wantan Mee
Wonton Mee (Chinese : 雲吞麵), Chinese noodles with Chinese dumplings (Chinese : 雲吞), chooi sam and BBQ pork . Dumpling are usually made of Pork and/or prawns. The noodles may be served either in a bowl of soup with dumplings or on a plate with some dark soya sauce flavoured with oil and slices of roast pork and vegetable. For the latter, the dumplings will be served in a separate bowl with soup.
Wu Tau Guo (Chinese : 芋頭糕), is yam cake that is made of mashed yam and rice flour. It has deep fried onion and shrimp on top, and usually served with red chilli paste.
Yau Zha Gwai or Eu Char Kway or You Tiao (Chinese : 油炸鬼 or 油条) is Cantonese doughnut, a breakfast favourite eaten either like a doughnut—with coffee, or as a condiment for congee. It is shaped like a pair of chopsticks, stuck together. The name itself amusingly translates into "greasy fried ghosts".
Zuk or zhou (Chinese : 粥) is congee, a rice porridge that comes with such ingredients as fish slices, chicken breast, salted egg, century egg and minced pork. Mui is the teochew version of rice porridge, and is usually more watery with visible rice grains. It is often cooked with sweet potato and served with an assortment of Chinese dishes like vegetables, meat and salted egg.

 Peranakan Dishes
Nyonya food was developed by the Nyonya (Straits Chinese) and Peranakan (mixed Chinese/Malay ancestry) people of Malaysia and Singapore. It uses mainly Chinese ingredients but blends them with South-East Asian spices such as coconut milk, lemon grass, turmeric, screwpine leaves, chillies and sambal. It can be considered as a blend of Chinese and Malay cooking with some Thai influence .
Examples of Nyonya dishes include:
Acar - various pickled meats and vegetables like acar keat lah (honey lime/calamansi), achar hu (fried fish), acar kiam hu (salt fish), acar timun (cucumber), acar awat (mixed vegetables).
Asam Laksa (Malay: 亞三叻沙). A bowl of thick white rice noodles served in a soup made of fish, tamarind, onion, basil, pineapple and cucumber in slices.
Ayam pongteh, a chicken stew cooked with tauchu or salted soy beans and gula melaka. It is usually saltish-sweet and can be substituted as a soup dish in peranakan cuisine.
Ayam buah keluak, a chicken dish cooked using the nuts from Pangium edule or the "Kepayang" tree, a mangrove tree that grows in Malaysia and Indonesia.
Bak Chang. Similar to the original zongzi, or Chinese rice dumpling, made from glutinous rice wrapped in leaf along with pork, shiitake mushrooms, nut and salted egg yolk of a duck's egg. A common Peranakan variant (Nyonya zong (娘惹粽) involves pandan leaves being used as the wrapping instead.
Cincalok, a distinctly Nyonya condiment made of fermented shrimp
Itek Tim or Kiam Chye Ark Th'ng is a soup whose main ingredients are duck and preserved mustard leaf and cabbage flavoured with nutmeg seed, Chinese mushrooms, tomatoes and peppercorns.
Jiew Hu Char is a dish made up mainly of shredded vegetables like turnip or jicama, carrot, and cabbage and fried together with thinly shredded dried cuttlefish.
Kerabu Bee Hoon is a salad dish comprising rice vermicelli mixed with sambal belacan, honey lime (limau kesturi/calamansi) juice, and finely-chopped herbs and spices. Other famous salad dishes are kerabu bok née (black fungus/tikus telinga), kerabu kay (chicken), kerabu kay khar (chicken feet), kerabu timun (cucumber), kerabu kobis (cabbage), kerabu kacang botol (four angled bean), kerabu bak poey (pork skin).
Laksa lemak is a type of laksa served in a rich coconut gravy.
Laksa Johor is from Johor. It differs from Laksa Penang by having coconut milk added during cooking. It also differs from other laksas by using spaghetti instead of rice-based noodles.
Lam Mee is long yellow rice noodles cooked in a rich gravy made from the stock of prawns and chicken. It is always served at birthdays to wish the birthday boy or girl a long life, and is also known as birthday noodles.

Being a multicultural country, Malaysians have over the years adapted each other's dishes to suit the taste buds of their own culture. For instance, Malaysians of Chinese descent have adapted the Indian curry, and made it more dilute and less spicy to suit their taste.
Chinese noodles have been crossed with Indian and Malay tastes and thus Malay fried noodles and Indian fried noodles were born.




A bowl of cendol
Desserts in Malaysia tend to make use of generous amounts of coconut milk. Some common desserts include:
Cendol. Smooth green rice noodles in chilled coconut milk and gula melaka (coconut palm sugar).
Ais kacang (also known as air batu campur or just ABC. "'air batu' is ice in Malay") Sweet corn, red beans and cincau (grass jelly) topped with shaved ice, colourful syrups and condensed milk.
Bubur cha cha. Yam and sweet potato cubes served in coconut milk and sago, served hot or cold.
Honeydew sago. Honeydew melon cubes served in chilled coconut milk and sago.