Food is synonymous with celebrations, love, and friendship – it’s essential to our interactions with people! It’s never too early to start planning your next trip, especially when food is involved.
When we travel, we search for unique dishes to feast upon. Here are some mouth-watering dishes you can find during the festive season in Southeast Asia. Take your pick!
Malaysia
Bustling cities, idyllic beaches, wildlife-packed rainforests, diverse cultures, historical sights, flavoursome dishes – roll all that into one, and that’s Malaysia.
One of the best things about being Malaysian is that everyone celebrates all the festivities together. Whether it’s Hari Raya, Chinese New Year, Deepavali, or Christmas, you can count on a truly cultural experience. One particular festival is celebrated every year on the 1st of June – Hari Gawai, a thanksgiving and harvest festival. This merrymaking involves a lot of food that begins in the morning of Gawai’s Eve itself!
Pansoh Manok
Just like lemang (glutinous coconut rice), ‘pansuh manok’ is slowly cooked in bamboo over an open fire. Chicken is traditionally mixed with herbs like lemongrass and ginger before it goes into the bamboo, and results in an aroma and texture you can’t achieve just by frying it in the wok.
Vietnam
From its rich traditional culture to picturesque views of Sapa Valley, the land of the ‘Ascending Dragon’ is a popular tourist destination. A visit here will be incomplete without filling our tummies with banh mi, bun cha, Goi Cuan, and pho.
If you’re ever in town during Tet Nguyen Dan, also commonly known as the Lunar New Year, you’re in for a treat!
Candied fruits and seeds platter (Mut Hoa Qua)
One of the favourites among children, this candied platter is either bought or made in-house. This platter is laid out to welcome guests and wish them hopes for the New Year. You can find a variety of treats, including dried coconut, lotus seed, ginger and kumquat.
Indonesia
Indonesia is the largest country formed by islands, with approximately 17,800 islands! Be one with nature as you enjoy untouched beaches, mountains, lakes, and embrace all the vibrant cultural experiences Indonesia has to offer.
Although Christians make up a small percentage of the population in Indonesia, Christmas is a big celebration. If you happen to be in Yogyakarta, you’ll be able to catch the nativity in a wayang kulit (shadow puppet) style. On top of all these, you’ll appreciate Indonesian food with a hint of European flavour.
Klappertaart
Inspired during the Dutch occupation in Manado, Klappertaart has become a customary treat during Christmas. It’s made from coconut, flour (wheat flour), milk, butter, and eggs and these days, you can find flavours such as cheese, blueberries and even durian! Apart from Christmas, you can also grab one during weddings, birthdays and special occasions.
Myanmar
Myanmar is a vast country that is culturally rich, full of delicious delicacies, and home to many impressive natural sights. Myanmar’s many not-so-hidden gems include – a holy rock that seemingly defies gravity, a python that gives blessings, and the largest reclining Buddha at 180ft long.
Amidst all these attractions, Myanmar is also home to many festivities. One of the biggest celebrations annually is Thingyan Festival. This water festival also marks the new year and is filled with water festivities along the street; don’t worry, the monks and elderly are spared!
Thingyan wax rice
Wait…wax and rice? It sounds like a strange combination, but no worries, it’s just the flavour! It’s a pretty complicated process to make this dish but you can find it in households served with a side dish of fried dried fish. The fish is usually fried together with mangoes or Marian plum.
Stephanie Aeria is a content writer under Headliner by Newswav, a programme where content creators get to tell their unique stories through articles and at the same time monetize their content within the Newswav app.
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