Simple Malay Food Recipes

 

Simple Malay Food

Looking for simple Malay recipes? Here are some Malay dishes recipes listed.

A variety of Singaporean Malay recipes from Mee Rebus to Soto Ayam & Sambal Sotong. Learn to cook easy malay food recipes quickly and easily.

  • Coconut-flavored Rice Meal – is rice cooked in coconut milk made aromatic with pandan leaves [screwpine leaves]. It is typically served with Sambal Ikan Bilis – fried dried anchovies cooked in a dry sambal sauce, and garnished with cucumber slices, hard boiled egg and roasted peanuts. Traditionally packaged in a banana leaf, it is usually eaten as hearty breakfast fare.
  • The dish is made of yellow egg noodles, which are also used in Hokkien mee, with a spicy slightly sweet curry-like gravy. The gravy is made from potatoes, curry powder, water, salted soya beans, dried shrimps, and peanuts. The dish is garnished with a hard boiled egg, calamansi limes, spring onions, Chinese celery, green chillies, fried firm tofu (tau kwa), fried shallots and bean sprouts. Some eateries serve it with beef, though rarely found in hawker centres, or add dark soya sauce to the noodles when served. The dish also goes well with satay.
  • Mee Siam, which means “Siamese noodle”, is a dish of thin rice noodles (vermicelli) in spicy, sweet and sour light gravy. It is one of the popular one-dish meals in Singapore. A “dry” version, which is essentially stir-frying the rice noodles with the same spices used in the “gravy” version, are also popular among the Malays and Chinese in Singapore.
  • Gado-gado is part of a wide range of Indonesian sauce & salad combinations; with lotek, pecel and karedok. In many places, to retain authenticity in both the production and flavor, the peanut sauce is made in individual batches, in front of the customers (see picture on right-hand side). However, since the dish has gained popularity (because of the increase of Asian-themed restaurants) Gado-gado sauce is now mostly made ahead of time and cooked in bulk, although this is probably more common in Western restaurants rather than in Indonesia. Compared to both standard Western salads and Indonesian versions of this dish, Gado-gado has much more sauce in it. Instead of being used as a light dressing, the vegetables should be well coated in the sauce.
  • Soto ayam is a yellow spicy chicken soup with vermicelli, commonly found in Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia. Turmeric is added as one of its ingredients to get yellow chicken broth. Besides chicken and vermicelli, it is also served with hard-boiled eggs, slices of fried potatoes, Chinese celery leaves, and fried shallots. Sometimes, slices of Lontong (compressed rice roll) are also added. Occasionally, people will add “koya”, a powder of mixed fried garlic with prawn crackers or bitter Sambal (orange colored). Krupuk are a very common topping.
  • BBQ Sticks – This famous meat-on-a-stick appears on menus from New York to Amsterdam. The secret of tender, succulent satay is, of course, in the rich, spicy-sweet marinade. The marinated meat; chicken or beef, are skewered onto bamboo sticks and grilled over hot charcoals. Some satay stalls also serve venison and rabbit satay. A fresh salad of cucumbers & onions are served together with a spicy-sweet peanut sauce for dipping. Ketupat, a Malay rice cake similar to Lontong, is also an accompaniment to satay, great for dipping in satay sauce.
  • Nasi Tomato, or tomato rice, is a Malay rice dishes that is commonly found at Malay stalls and Malay night markets or pasar malam. Tomato rice is also served at Malay weddings.
  • Malay Spiced Coconut Beef – This hot, dry spiced dish of tenderly simmered meat offers the typical Malay taste of coconut, balanced with robust, tangy spices. Rendang is a must-have on special occasions such as weddings, ideally served with nasi kunyit [turmeric rice]. During Ramadan & Eid, the Malay New Year, Rendang is sure to take center stage on bountiful tables of feast in homes everywhere. During this festive season, a special rice cake called Lemang is made to eat with Rendang. Lemang is made from glutinous rice and santan [coconut milk], carefully packed into bamboo poles lined with banana leaves and cooked in the traditionally way over low open fires.
  • Spicy Prawns – whole prawns or shrimp are cooked in a classic Malay sauce; a spicy robust sauce made with chilies, shallots, garlic, stewed tomatoes, tamarind paste and belacan [also spelt belachan or blacan], a dried shrimp paste paste. Sambal Udang is the perfect accompaniment to the country’s un-official national dish – Nasi Lemak.
  • A Sambal can be a condiment, an ingredient or a dish which will always contain a large amount of chilis. The word is of Indonesian and Malaysian origin. Sambals are popular in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the southern Philippines and Sri Lanka, as well as in the Netherlands and in Suriname through Indonesian influence.
  • Red-Cooked Chicken – is similar to the Italian famous dish Chicken Cacciatore except for it spicy hotness. Pieces of chicken are first pan-fried to a golden brown then slowly simmered in a spicy tomato sauce. This popular Malay dish is especially scrumptious with nasi tomato [tomato rice].
  • Chicken in Coconut Cream with Birds Eye Chili in English, is a spicy rich yellow coconut gravy that is cooked with chilli padi.
  • Dalca is a stewed vegetable curry with lentils (Dalca Sayur in Malay) which is famously served with Briyani Rice,Tomato Rice or Nasi Minyak.
  • Noodles in Tangy Fish Soup – Thick rice noodles are served in a tangy fish soup/gravy. Not at all fishy, the soupy gravy is made with mackerel and lots of aromatic herbs. Fresh garnishing of shredded cucumber, lettuce, pineapple, onion and fragrant mint leaves finishes the dish. In general the term Laksa refers to Malay style laksa, sometimes called Malay Laksa. There are slight variations in different parts of the country. The key ingredient is tamarind, used as a souring agent, giving it a tart tangy taste. This version of laksa from the ‘hawker food capital’ – Penang, is especially famous and well known as Penang Laksa or Penang Assam Laksa.
  • Indonesian style Noodles – is a popular Malay noodle dish influenced by the Indonesian island of Java. The soupy gravy is made from fresh prawns and ladled over yellow egg noodles [chow mein]. Slices of potato, tofu [soy bean cake], egg, vegetables and shrimp garnishes the dish.
  • ‘Net’ Bread or Crepe – is a net-like or lacy type of crepe made from a flour batter. A special cup or mould with small holes, is used to form a lacy crepe cooked on a hot griddle. Roti Jala, an alternative to rice, is an ideal accompaniment to curries such as Chicken Curry, Mutton Kurma, Chicken Kapitan, Lamb Cashew Korma [also spelt Korma].
  • BBQ Fish – or Ikan Panggang is a general term meaning grilled or barbecued fish. A popular local fish for grilling is Ikan Kembong [chubb mackerel, also called Indian mackerel]. The fish, kept whole is marinated in spices, coconut milk, and sometimes stuffed with sambal, then wrapped in fresh banana leaves and grilled over hot charcoals.
  • BBQ Stingray or Skate Wings – A popular method of cooking stingray or skate wings is by barbequing. The wings are marinated in spices then wrapped in banana leaves and grilled over hot charcoals. A spicy sambal sauce with fresh shallots is served with it.
  • Spicy Squid – fresh squid [calamari] are cooked in a classic Malay sauce; a spicy robust sauce made with chilies, shallots, garlic, stewed tomatoes, tamarind paste and belacan [also spelt belachan or blacan], a dried shrimp paste. Sambal Sotong is also a popular accompaniment to the country’s un-official national dish – Nasi Lemak.
  • Asam Pedas “sour spicy,” Fish is a classic Malay dish cooked in tamarind (asam) fruit juice. Asam Pedas is popular in Singapore and Malaysia and everyone has their own interpretation for this favorite dish.
  • ‘Chili-ed’ Eggs – an ‘egg-cellent’ recipe for those days when all you’ve left in the fridge are eggs.. Hard-boil those eggs, ‘chili’ them up with sambal, kick it up a notch with a touch of belacan; serve with steamed rice and you’ve got yourself a meal!
  • Malay Fish Mousse – fresh fish fillets are blended with light spices, coconut milk, kaffir lime leaves and other aromatic herbs, into a sort of fish mousse. The fish mousse is wrapped in banana leaves and steamed or grilled. It makes an exotic appetizer or cocktail party bite!
  • Mutton Soup – mutton bones, shanks or ribs are slow simmered with aromatic herbs and spices. Garnished with fried shallots and fresh cilantro, it is a hearty meal served with steamed rice. This flavorful soup – surprisingly earthy, satisfyingly meaty, elegant and subtle – will forever change the way you view soup. Oxtails are perfect in this recipe to make Sup Ekor, also called Sup Buntut [Oxtail Soup].
  • Coconut Vegetable Stew – Sayur Lodeh means a variety of vegetables in coconut gravy. Vegetables such as cabbage, carrots, green beans and cauliflower, are stewed in a lightly spiced coconut broth. For a complete and hearty meal, the vegetable stew is served with a Malay rice cake called nasi impit more familiarly known as Lontong. A great vegetarian dish!
  • Indian Pastry Pancake – Indian in origin, this rich and flaky pastry pancake has now come to be known as a favorite Singaporean and Malaysian ‘appetizer’. Roti Canai [also called Roti Prata] is served with a side of curry for dipping, usually an Indian Chicken or Fish Curry.
  • Kari Ayam in Malay, is a typical chicken curry cooked in almost all Singaporean homes. This basic recipe uses a Made in Singapore Meat Curry Powder. It has just the right blend of spices for an authentic ‘Singapore-tasting’ curry! Some ingredients may vary – Malay homes might add serai [lemongrass], lengkuas [galangal], kunyit [fresh turmeric root] or assam jawa [tamarind].
  • Coconut Poppers – small round balls made from glutinous rice flour with pandan [screwpine] leaves essence, filled with palm sugar and rolled in fresh grated coconut. A delight to eat as it pops in your mouth with a sweet sensation of oozing palm syrup!
  • Steamed Coconut Pudding – this 2 layered pudding made of rice flour, sago flour and coconut milk is cooked by steaming. Pandan [screwpine] leaves lends essence and the green color to one layer. A white coconut layer goes on top. A not too sweet and light dessert!
  • Glutinous Rice with Coconut Topping – a kind of ‘dry’ rice pudding made from glutinous rice & coconut milk. It is cooked by steaming. The dessert rice is topped with fresh grated coconut sweetened with palm sugar. It is traditionally wrapped in banana leaves folded into a pyramid shape.
  • Black Rice Pudding – a rice pudding made from black glutinous rice sweetened with brown palm sugar. A surrey of creamy coconut milk is swirled over the rice pudding before it is served.
  • Agar-Agar Pandan or Coconut milk pandan flavored jelly.
  • Roti Boyan is a pancake bread made of dough composed of fat, egg, flour and water. Roti Boyan is traditionally served with “Sambal Ikan Bilis”, which is a really satisfying snack.
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  1. Nasi Padang

    wah….best and sedap sedap lah. this is what i am searching for. terima kasih!

    Reply
  2. gg

    i love malay and indonesian food!

    Reply
  3. mark deniel

    Oh what a great idea! I think I need to make this for dinner soon.It looking delicious.you can follow food and recipe books for more details

    Reply
  4. frozen food suppliers

    Otak Otak is my favorite food and there are some more dishes in this post which are my favorite. Recipes are simple and food can be prepared in 30 minutes.

    Reply
  5. Jessy@Prince2 Exams

    I like Ikan Pari Bakar and Assam Laksa. I spent my last vacation in Singapore so I got a chance to taste both. It was a nice experience. Thanks for sharing. Now I can give a try to make this at home.

    Reply
  6. Jain @ Direct Flights to Colombo

    Wow… great collection. I’m going to Malaysia next month for the vacation, I think I will get a chance to try all these dishes..

    Reply
  7. Learn To Trade

    Wow, what a wonderful collection of foods. I have to say a big thanks for you because my husband like to eat these variety of foods, so I can make them for him and make him happy.

    Reply
  8. Anonymous

    Thanks for sharing the wonderful recipes! It would be even better if you could share Malay fried bean sprouts recipe which we usually could get it from the Malay nasi Padang stall.

    Reply