Malay Flavour

Our Penang evergreen everlasting nostalgic food

Malay Flavour, A Penang delight food is everywhere with Nasi Lemak on top of the list with Roziah's Chicken Curry Recipe. The spicy yet sweet food uses herbs like serai (Lemon grass), bunga kantan (ginger flower), lengkuas (galangal) and never can forget to add onions are some ingredients to use together with fresh chillies. These fresh herbs are consider "friends of Malay Food and Nyonya food".

Santan, Assam Jawa, belachan are a daily affair. And it is fun if you visit your malay friends homes to eat with them.

Be prepared to use your fingers to eat. And sitting on straw mat and having pretty daughter of the house serving you like you are invited to a grand kampong wedding.

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Watch this video how Nasi Lemak is prepared.

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Imagine the scenario, feeling like a nymph swaying in and out the house serving food to you, smiling warmly, the food automatically tasted great.

And if her grandmother is around, she would sit grinning with no teeth, pluck Petai" and scoop some sambal from the pestle and mortar and oops goes into her mouth. What a scene! I had a great unforgettable pleasant experience and I know what I am telling you.

When tamarind (Assam Jawa or Assam) is used, they make good sambal chicken or dishes. Adding santan will be called rendang.

I specially enjoyed the ulams and kerabu. Though I am a Nyonya, we eat different herbs. Malay flavour food is relatively close to the Nyonya food but still so teasingly great. I had a great adventure discovering more ways to make my sambal more interesting and learning eating the fresh herbs Malays eat.

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Nyonya Pearl's note: Our Malay people do not eat pork or drink alcohol. And to invite the Malays out, be mindful to take them to Halal eating places or restaurant

A few things to know. Malays eats lots of fishes, ulam like our Nyonya's kerabu or salad to some.

All the better if you are invited to a fishing village. Bring some fruits as "buah tangan", a gift. Do not bring a bottle of wine! All kinds of ikan and udang kering dishes will be there for you to savor.

And so far I love the Nasi Lemak done by Aziz and Roziah. And I admired the hand me down trade and cooking. Similar to us, the Nyonya's.

The participation from Food  Reviews resulted in some of the best food choices. Believe you me, we went around the past few weeks eating non stop but fortunately the team helped to EAT! Tough choice but honestly, we could not eat all.  But since most of voted, they deserved to be listed.

Top 5 best Malay Restaurants in Penang

• Kelawei Curry Fish Head, 43, Jalan Kelawei, Tel: 604-2264573
• Tulang Corner, Tanjong Tokong Tel: 6019-4159999
• Moonlight Café, Moonlight Bay, Batu Ferringhi, Tel: 012-495 3468
• Azlan Tomyam Ikan Bakar, 236 Jalan Besar, Balik Pulau Tel: 604-866 3908
• Kampong Restaurant, 411 Batu Ferringhi, Tel: 04-8812676

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