"Mesti makan" means 'must eat' in Malay. For first-time visitors to Malaysia, these local delights should be on their list of things to savour.
Nasi Lemak
Steamed rice enriched with coconut milk accompanied by sambal ikan bilis (spicy ground chilli with anchovies), sliced cucumber, a wedge of hard-boiled egg, fried crispy anchovies and additional side dishes such as rendang (dry chicken curry with dry-fried grated coconut)
Roti Telur
This pan-fried South Indian bread requires the bread maker to
flatten, stretch and toss the dough several times before it hits the griddle. Sometimes an egg
is added to make it richer. Once cooked, it becomes fluffy and flaky.
Best enjoyed dipped in lentil curry.
Sweet & Sour Crab
This dish of crustacean slathered in sweet, tangy and subtly spicy sauce thickened with wisps of beaten egg gives the Singapore chilli crab a run for its money. Best enjoyed with slices of toasted bread and glasses of ice-cold beer.
Banana Leaf Rice
A South Indian speciality comprising a heap of steamed rice served on a piece of fresh banana leaf accompanied by assorted dishes: spicy meat or seafood curries, fried fish, chicken or squid, mango chutney and side dishes such as rasam (tangy tamarind soup), papadum (fried crackers), pickles, raita (cucumber yoghurt salad), fried bittergourd chips and lentil gravy.
Hokkien Mee
A favourite staple with the Chinese Hokkien community in the Klang Valley, fat yellow egg noodles are gently braised in dark and light soya sauces with choy sum (flowering mustard leaves), seafood and diced pork cracklings to viscous perfection. Ideally the dish should be cooked using high heat from a traditional charcoal stove to give it a deep-seated smoky tinge that connoisseurs refer to as 'wok hei' or the wok's breath.
Satay
The Malaysian equivalent to Turkish kebabs, these skewers of chicken, beef or mutton are first marinated in an aromatic marinade of turmeric, galangal and local spices before they are grilled over an open charcoal grill. Ubiquitous condiments include wedges of cucumber
and onion with chunky peanut sauce.
