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Perlis Cuisine 玻璃市

Cuisine in Perlis displays a strong Thai influence. One of the local favourites is the Laksa Perlis, a seafood noodle dish served with thick, rich, spicy, and creamy fish gravy.

Pulut, or sticky rice, is another local speciality which is served with a variety of side dishes including chicken, mango, durian and preserved fish among others.

Seafood is popular with local specialities including ikan baker (grilled fish). Fresh seafood is easily available where one of the best places is in the coastal town of Kuala Perlis.

Kedah Cuisine 吉打

Kedah is known as the ‘Rice Bowl of Malaysia’ and has several distinctive rice delights that whets up any appetite. Nasi Ulam is a rice dish mixed with various fresh raw vegetables and rare spices. Ingredients include ginger flower, dried shrimp, bird’s eye chilli, and cucumber and fruit julienne. It also has kerisik (toasted grated coconut), lime juice and palm sugar gravy. It is usually eaten during the fasting month of Ramadhan.

The Pulut is popular among people living in northern Kedah. It is glutinous rice paired with fruits such as mango, durian and bananas. Aside from fruits, it could incorporate savoury side dishes such as sambal. Pulut Inti and Tapai Pulut are other variations of glutinous rice found here.

Other traditional local dishes are gulai nangka (a jack fruit curry), sayur keladi (spicy yam stew) and pekasam (fermented fish).

Kedah laksa is very similar to Penang laksa and only differs in the garnishing used. Sliced boiled eggs are usually added to the dish. Kedah laksa used rice to make a laksa noodle. The famous laksa in Kedah is Laksa Telok Kechai.

Perak Cuisine 霹雳

Lemang, a Malay delicacy made from glutinous rice cooked in a bamboo tube over slow fire is a must-have during the festivities such as Hari Raya Aidilfitri and Hari Raya Haji, especially along with some rendang. Some say lemang originated from the indigenous people who cook their rice using bamboo.

Tempoyak is another popular Malay delicacy. It is durian extract which is preserved and kept in an urn. Commonly eaten with chillies and other dishes, it is well known due to the popularity of its key ingredient, durian, among the locals.

Kelantan Cuisine 吉兰丹

The Kelantanese cuisine is heavily influenced by Thai cuisine. The use of sugar is a must in every Kelantanese kitchen, and thus most Kelantanese dishes are sweet. Kelantanese food makes more use of coconut milk than anywhere else in the country. Curries are richer, creamier, and more influenced by the tastes of nearby Thailand.

Nasi dagang: This is a mix of white rice and brown glutinous rice which is cooked with coconut milk, blended onions, garlic and some spices (such as fenugreek) (halba). Fish or chicken curry is usually a complementary dish, together with a mild brown sugared sambal (chili paste).

Nasi kerabu: Nasi Kerabu literally means "rice salad". Kelantan has a variety of nasi kerabu. Nasi kerabu biasa ("normal"), putih ("white"), hitam ("black", though the actual color is blue after the flower used as colouring in the recipe) and kuning ("yellow"), for the turmeric used in the cooking process). Each kerabu is usually served with a matching, traditional sambal. The kerabu (salad) itself can be any combination of vegetables or edible leaves. It is also served with fried breaded fish, keropok keping (see below), salted egg, solok lada (chillies stuffed with minced fish and grated coconut), and pickled garlic. Importantly, a sauce called budu must be included for the dish to qualify.

Nasi tumpang: Rice packed in a cone-shaped banana leaf. A pack of nasi tumpang consists of an omelette, meat floss, chicken and/or shrimp curry and sweet gravy. It is traditionally meant for travellers.

Ayam percik: Wood-fire broiled chicken dressed with sweet coconut gravy. Ayam golek/ayam percik is eaten with white rice in major family dishes and is served during feasts.

Nasi berlauk: A popular breakfast food for the Kelantanese. Nasi berlauk is rice served with fish or chicken and vegetables cooked with turmeric and galangal infused yellow gravy.

Nasi ulam: Ulam is the local term for raw vegetables - the meal consists of white rice served with a variety of raw vegetables, and is one of the healthier dishes found in Malay cuisine.

Keropok: These are Kelantanese crackers and can be made from fish, prawns or squid. The way they are made is similar to keropok gote, but after they are steamed or boiled and thinly sliced and dried for storage or further cooking.

Keropok lekor: These are Kelantanese fish sausages. Made by combining fish flesh and sago or tapioca flour, keropok lekor is rolled into long firm sticks and then steamed or boiled. To enjoy it, one has to cut it into desired bite sized and deep fried. It is a popular schoolchildren's snack food.

Laksa Kelantan: The laksa dish, white noodles served with gravy (curry or otherwise) and vegetables, is made differently in every state in Malaysia. The laksa in Kelantan is richer and has a more full-bodied flavour. The main ingredient is fish flesh. Laksam is another version, with a thicker noodle (similar to kuey teow). Laksa or laksam is served with ulam similar to that in nasi kerabu, with a pinch of salt and belacan, a fermented shrimp paste.

Thai-influenced dishes:

Perhaps the most characteristic Kelantanese-Thai dish is kaeng matsaman—a mouth-watering beef curry cooked with peanuts, potatoes and chopped red onions in a thick coconut milk sauce. Other Kelantanese-Thai specialties include: kaeng phanaeng kai—savoury chicken and coconut curry. Kaeng som nom mai dong—hot and sour fish ragout with pickled bamboo. Pla see siad haeng thawt—deep fried semi-dried pla see fish. Khao yam pak tai—a small pile of fragrant boiled rice, accompanied by finely chopped heaps of lemon grass, peanuts, bean sprouts, green beans, sour mango and chopped makrut or kaffir lime is served with spicy chili pepper, fresh lime and a piquant sweet-sour sauce.

Terengganu Cuisine 登嘉楼

The most famous local food is Keropok Lekor, which is made primarily from a combination of dough (sago flour) and pounded fish mainly from mackerel and sardines, fried and served with hot chilli sauce for afternoon tea. Keropok Keping (fish crackers) are made from sun-dried slices of Keropok Lekor. Numerous keropok stalls are to be found on the side of the highway that passes through coastal communities. Keropok lekor best eaten with local chili sauce, made from dried chili, tamarind, sugar and vinegar.

Budu, a very pungent and salty anchovy sauce is also popular among the locals. It is often mixed with sliced onions and chillies as condiments. Budu made from ikan bilis fermented with salt. There are other version of budu, known as Pelara were made by using mackerel were popular among olders, can be found in traditional market sold in bottle.

Laksam (or laksang in local Malay dialect), a modified version of laksa, is made from rice flour (thick and soft slices). It is served in a bowl of light fresh coconut milk mixed with boiled fish flesh (mainly mackerel), finely chopped cucumbers, chillies, onions and long beans. It is eaten cold at breakfast.

Another Terengganu specialty is sata, a type of otak-otak or fish cake wrapped in banana leaves and cooked over a grill. Sata made from combination of fish and grated coconut, with some portion of spice.

Nasi dagang is also popular.

Pahang Cuisine 彭亨

Pahang Malay cuisine liberally makes use of all or any one of these ingredients: sourish belimbing buluh (Averrhoa bilimbi) , lemon grass, tempoyak (fermented durian), tamarind and flavour enhancers such as daun ketumbar (coriander), daun limau purut (kaffir lime leaf), the fragrantdaun kesum (soup leaf) and, of course, the galangal and ginger.

Fish-based dishes are almost a necessary feature, because both salt and fresh water fish are easily available in Pahang. The further you travel away from the sea, the more often you will find fresh water fish and prawns prepared for the table. Since some of the longer and bigger rivers in Peninsular Malaysia can be found in the state, it is little wonder that Pahang is well-known for the prized fish such as ‘patin’, ‘jelawat’, ‘temalian’, ‘kelah’ (Malay Masheer) and ‘baung’. Prepared in traditional Malay cooking style, they are very much sought after for their exquisite tastes.

Selangor Cuisine 雪兰莪

The traditional Malay cuisine in Selangor has received influences from Johor, Bugis, Jawa and Minangkabau. Rojak Klang, Lontong Klang and Mee Bandung Muar are famous cuisines in Klang and Shah Alam (Note: Mee Bandung is also touted to have originated from Johor). Other famous dishes include Mee Jawa (which is similar to Mee Rebus in Johor), Satay Kajang, Nasi Ambeng, Laksa Selangor, Soto (Soto Nasi Himpit and Mee Soto), Sambal Tahun, Bakso, Ketam Darul Ehsan, Ikan Masak Asam Pedas, Ayam Masak Kicap and Sayur Masak Rebung.

Negeri Sembilan Cuisine 森美兰

Traditional Negeri Sembilan food is famous for being fiery hot and spicy. They use alot of santan (coconut milk) and chilli in cooking. Methods of cooking like Masak Lemak Cili Api and Rendang are typical Minang cuisine and they are cooked with a liberal use of with chili and coconut.

Salai mean smoked. Negeri Sembilan people like to smoke chicken,bird,duck, beef or fish to cook Rendang and Masak Lemak Cili Api. The smoked meat gives the Rendang and Masak Lemak Cili Api a smoky taste and makes it more fragrant. One can easily find smoked meat sold at the road side on the way to Bahau.You will see the smoked chicken,duck or bird hanging at the small stall.

Johor Cuisine 柔佛

Cuisine in Johor is influenced by Arabs and cultures of the surrounding Maritime Southeast Asia. Some dishes are a blend of ingredients not found anywhere else in Malaysia. Due to their difficult and sometimes complicated recipes, some can only be sampled during celebrations and state banquets.

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.

Mee Bandung Muar is also a dish originated from Johor, specifically from Muar. The term 'bandung' is not derived from Bandung, Indonesia but is a term for anything that is mixed from many ingredients. One of the most important ingredient is dried shrimp.

Penganan Kacau keledek is a dessert normally reserved for the Johor monarch and elites. It is made from sweet potatoes, a lot of eggs (at least 40), fresh coconut milk (not instant ones) and huge amounts of sugar. It is mixed together and stirred on a simmering heat for at least 4 hours.

Mee rebus is the famous noodle dish which consists of Mee (a spaghetti like mixture of flour, salt and egg) and is served with a tangy, spicy brown sauce. Usually crumbs and boiled eggs are added.

Arisa – A unique chicken dish that is very rare nowadays, and is normally served to the royalties and social elites of Johor at formal functions and celebrations.

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.

Roti Jala or Roti Kirai – The name is derived from the Malay word 'roti' (bread) and 'jala' (net). A special ladle with a five-hole perforation used to make the bread looks like a fish net (picture in the works). It is usually eaten spicy with curry or sweet with 'serawa'. Serawa is made from a mixture of boiled coconut milk, brown sugar and pandan leaf.

Nasi Beriani Gam – A biryani rice dish originating from India with a cooking method very similar to Hyderabad biryani but with spices adjusted to suit the Malay palate. This dish is very popular in Batu Pahat District.

Ikan masak asam pedas – A sour stew of fish (usually mackerel), tamarind, chili, tomatoes, okra and Vietnamese coriander (Malay: daun kesum)

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

Otak-otak – Steamed/Grilled fish cake usually served wrapped in sticks of coconut leaves. Two of the most popular varieties are Otak-otak Muar (spicy) and Otak-otak Gelang Patah (sweet).

Mee Soto – This Indonesian origin food is very popular in Johor. People may have change noodles with rice or vermicelli rice according to their preference. Combination of either noodle, rice or vermicelli rice is added with peanut, beansprout and chicken meat. These combination then is poured with special soup. This soup was made from chicken stock and some other spice. Enjoy it while its hot.

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.

Halwa Maskat This dessert type food may be originated from muscat, Oman.

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 coloured 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, pasteurised milk, and liquid chocolate.

Javanese-influenced cuisine:

There are a few Johorean dishes with Javanese influences due to the high number of Javanese settlers in the state. These include lontong, nasi ambeng, satay and bontrot or berkat – both traditionally served after feasts like wedding ceremonies, Yasinan and others; and ungkep.

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