Malaysian Raya Roundtrip
Malaysian Raya Roundtrip
Apart from rendang and lemang, as is commonly consumed during the Raya period in Selangor, here’s a look at some of the local faves in our surrounding states
Asam pedas is what your mouth will be watering for when headed back to Melaka. A balanced combination of sour and spicy notes, this signature dish is a favourite among the Peranakan community. The broth is made with tamarind juice and a range of spices with fresh water fish as the main ingredient that is usually simmered with a variety of greens such as okra, aubergine and long beans.
While a traditional Johor dish, what makes laksa in Johor different is the use of spaghetti noodles as it is told that Sultan Abu Bakar instructed his royal chefs to use pasta instead of the traditional rice noodles. That said, laksa is all about the broth and laksa Johor is unique because it is served with a thick gravy that is made from ground chili, spices, coconut milk and fish.
The only known rival to the ever popular nasi lemak is Terengganu’s nasi dagang. Frequently selling out by 10am, the nasi dagang, which translates to “trader’s rice”, is an addictive combination of fragrant rice and sticky rice and is typically served with gulai ikan tongkol, an aromatic fish curry with a rich texture and acar timun, a pickled cucumber, carrot and onion salad.
Those who hail from Kelantan have a lighter variety of a rice meal with nasi kerabu. The word “kerabu” means salad which is an apt name for this dish as it is usually served with an assortment of fresh herbs and raw vegetables. Topped over blue-coloured rice, a result from cooking with butterfly pea flowers, the meal is tied together with coconut, fish relish and sambal.
Negri Sembilan represents by introducing the masak lemak style of cooking with the masak lemak cili api. Deliciously rich and spicy, it is a Minang cooking method that the locals thoroughy enjoy. Made with turmeric, creamy coconut milk and a lot of spicy chili, the thick gravy is usually served with meat, seafood and vegetables over steamed rice.
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