Embark on a culinary adventure through Malaysian cuisine with these easy recipes of classic local dishes, perfect for recreating the authentic taste of Malaysia in your own kitchen.
In Malaysia, food is more than just sustenance; it’s a shared passion that bridges the gaps between ethnicities, languages, and religions. Our rich cultural tapestry, woven from Malay, Chinese, Indian, and Nyonya (Straits Chinese) influences, has given rise to a cuisine that is as diverse as it is delicious.
Each dish, whether drawing inspiration from Indonesian, Indian, Chinese, or Thai roots, carries a unique Malaysian twist, making it truly our own. These meals, eaten at any time of day and all year round, offer both comfort and nourishment to those who savour them.
As National Day approaches, what better way to celebrate than by recreating these classic Malaysian dishes at home? From the beloved Nasi Lemak, our national pride, to the nostalgic layers of Kuih Lapis, these recipes will not only tantalise your taste buds but also impress everyone who steps into your kitchen.
So, gather your ingredients, roll up your sleeves, and let the flavours of Malaysia come alive in your own home today!
5 Easy recipes of classic Malaysian dishes you can cook today
Recipe #1: Nasi Lemak with Sambal Tumis
Serves: Eight pax
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
For the rice
2 cups coconut milk
2 cups water
2 cups long-grain rice, rinsed and drained
1 piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1 whole bay leaf
Salt to taste
For the garnish:
1 cup oil for frying
1 cup raw peanuts
1 packet white anchovies, washed
4 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled and halved
1 medium cucumber, sliced
For the sauce:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, sliced
3 medium shallots, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons chilli paste
1 tablespoon water, or more as needed
1 packet white anchovies, washed
¼ cup tamarind juice (if you don’t have tamarind juice, substitute with lemon juice)
3 tablespoons white sugar
Salt to taste
How to make Nasi Lemak with Sambal Tumis
- To make the rice, stir coconut milk, water, rice, fresh ginger, ground ginger, bay leaf, and salt together in a medium saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Discard bay leaf and keep rice warm until garnish and sauce are ready.
- While the rice is cooking, make the garnish. Heat 1 cup vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in peanuts and cook briefly, until lightly brown. Remove peanuts with a slotted spoon and place onto paper towels to soak up excess grease.
- Return the skillet to the stove. Stir in anchovies and cook, turning occasionally for 2 to 3 minutes until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and place onto paper towels. Discard oil and wipe out the skillet.
- To make the sambal, heat oil in the clean skillet. Stir in onion, shallots, and garlic; cook until fragrant for 1 to 2 minutes. Mix in chilli paste and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally; if mixture is too dry, add water. Stir in anchovies and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in tamarind juice, sugar, and salt. Simmer until sauce is thick for about 5 minutes
- Ladle warm rice onto a plate and cover it with the sambal tumis sauce. Top it off with peanuts, fried anchovies, hard-boiled eggs, and a few slices of cucumbers.
Source: Tuty Jek
Recipe #2: Kuih Lapis
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Serves: 24 pieces
Prep time: 50 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
For the base:
285g tapioca flour
90g rice flour
45g sago flour (if you don’t have sago flour, substitute with cornstarch
80g thick coconut milk
240ml water
For the syrup:
330g sugar
250g coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt
3 pandan leaves, cut into 1cm segments
For the red layer:
80ml water
1 teaspoon red yeast powder
For the green layer:
80ml pandan juice
2 drops alkaline water
For the white layer:
40ml water
40ml coconut milk
How to make Kuih Lapis
- Lightly grease a 20x20cm square cake pan and set aside
- Prepare the three colours. In a small bowl, dissolve red yeast powder into water. In a second small bowl, combine pandan juice and alkaline water. In another bowl, combine water with coconut milk.
- Prepare the base. Sift the tapioca, rice, and sago flour into a large mixing bowl. Add 80g thick coconut milk and 240ml water and whisk or mix until smooth (mixture will be very thick). Cover tightly and refrigerate for 60 to 90 minutes.
- In a medium pot over low heat, combine all syrup ingredients. Let it come to a simmer, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves. Immediately strain into the bowl with the base mixture and discard pandan leaves. Use a whisk or wooden spoon to thoroughly mix.
- Weigh and divide mixture into three bowls of equal portions. Add in one coloured liquid into each bowl and mix well.
- For each coloured batter, further divide into three bowls of equal portions (each portion should be a minimum of about 150g; don’t use more than 160 to 170g, otherwise each layer will be too thick). You will have a total of nine bowls of batter (three bowls of each colours).
- Place large steamer rack on top of a pot of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Then place prepared greased cake pan in streamer rack, cover and preheat for 2 minutes. Do not turn down the heat.
- Choose the colour for your first layer, give the batter a good stir, then pour into the pan. Cover with lid cracked open slightly. Steam for 3 and a half minutes. Carefully open the lid so water doesn’t drip into the pan.
- Give the next coloured batter a good stir, then pour it into the pan, and follow the same procedure as in step 8 for all the layers, alternating the colours. After you pour in the batter for the ninth and final layer, steam for 4 minutes. Then reduce heat to medium and steam for 10 more minutes.
- Turn off the heat and carefully remove the whole pan onto a cooling rack. Let it cool to room temperature before slicing (the kuik will be sticky, so make sure to use a greased knife or plastic cutter in order to get a clean cut).
Source: Divinely Delish
Recipe #3: Maggi Goreng Mamak
Serves: Four pax
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
4 packs of instant ramen noodles
For the sauce:
2 tablespoons sambal oelek or Sriracha sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
3 tablespoon sweet soy sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup
For the stir fry:
1 tablespoon rapeseed oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
250g chicken thigh, cut into small bite-sized pieces
250g raw prawns
2 eggs
½ small savoy cabbage, thinly sliced like coleslaw
1 large handful bean sprouts
4 green spring onions, roughly chopped
2 red spur chillies, thinly sliced to garnish
How to make Maggi Goreng Mamak
- Soak the noodles in hot water for about 10 minutes or until soft. Strain and put aside. Whisk all of the sauce ingredients together and set aside.
- Now heat a wok over medium high heat and add the oils. Stir in the garlic and fry for about 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- Add the chicken and fry for a couple of minutes, until the meat has turned white all over and then add the prawns. Fry for about a minute or two and then push this all to one side of the wok and add the eggs to the other side.
- Stir the eggs to scramble and when cooked, mix it with the chicken. Add the cabbage, bean sprouts, and two of the spring onions and stir fry for about 30 seconds.
- Then add the noodles and the sauces. Stir this all up until the noodles are nicely coated in the sauce and then continue frying until the sauce thickens and begins to caramelise.
- Divide between four serving bowls and garnish with the remaining spring onions and sliced spur chillies.
Source: Great Curry Recipes
Recipe #4: One-pot Hainanese Chicken Rice
Serves: Four pax
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 22 minutes
Rest time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
For the chicken
4 pieces chicken thighs, skin on – about 180g/6.3oz each (see note 1)
1 teaspoon salt
1 pinch ground white pepper
For the rice
1 ½ cup jasmine rice, or short grain white rice – about 310g
2 tablespoon neutral cooking oil
4 stalk scallions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
¼ teaspoon salt
For the sauce
2 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Fresh chilli, finely chopped (optional)
You also need
Cucumber, sliced or blanched green vegetables, such as bok choy, spinach, etc.
How to make One-pot Hainanese Chicken Rice
- Put the chicken thighs into a bowl then sprinkle with salt and white pepper. Rub to evenly distribute. Leave to marinate for 10 minutes or so.
- Rinse the rice with cold water then drain well. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a pot over medium heat on a stove. Add chopped scallions, minced ginger and minced garlic. Fry until fragrant (do not burn). Scoop out about ⅔ of the aromatic to a small bowl for later use.
- Put in the drained rice and fry for 30 seconds or so. Add 2 cups of water and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Use a spatula to scrape the bottom to loosen any grains stuck to the pot. Place the marinated chicken pieces on top of the rice without overlapping.
- Leave to cook uncovered until the water starts boiling very gently. Put on a tight lid and turn the heat to the lowest. Leave to cook for 20 minutes.
- Turn off the heat when the time is up. Let it sit for another 10 minutes. Remember not to open the lid during the cooking and resting process.
- Take out the chicken thighs. Remove the centre bones. Then slice them into bite-sized strips.
- Put the rice onto individual serving plates. Place the chicken on the side, along with cucumber slices.
- Add light soy sauce, lime juice, sesame oil and fresh chilli (optional) to the fried aromatics you saved earlier. Serve it as a dipping sauce or pour it over the chicken.
Source: Red House Spice
Recipe #5: Kaya Jam
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Serves: One jar
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
200ml canned coconut cream
4 egg yolks from large eggs beaten
50g white sugar (you can reduce amount of sugar to your taste)
50g palm sugar
3 pandan leaves/screwpine leaves knotted
How to make Kaya Jam
- Make sure you separate the egg yolks from the white very carefully. Leaving as little trace of egg whites as possible when separating. If there is a trace of egg whites, you can run the egg yolks through the sieve. This is to ensure you don’t get any lumps in the kaya. Otherwise, beat the yolks until smooth just using a regular fork is perfectly fine. Run it through the sieve if you want to
- Place coconut cream, sugars, and pandan leaves in a saucepan
- Cook over medium heat and just cook until the sugar melted. It shouldn’t be boiling, just heated to warm
- With one hand still beating the egg yolks, the other hand holding the saucepan with coconut cream, add ¼ of the coconut cream mixture
- Continue doing so several times
- Then pour the egg mixture back to the saucepan
- Stir to mix everything and then place this on the stove over low-medium heat
- Continue to stir over low-medium heat. Don’t crank up the heat too much as the texture won’t be as smooth. The mixture started to thicken for me at around 8 minutes mark and continue to stir
- At around 10 minutes mark, the kaya should coat the back of the spatula thickly but still has that spreadable consistency. The kaya will continue to thicken once it cools down completely. So don’t cook it until it’s too thick. Discard the pandan leaves. If you use pandan juice instead of extract, you may need to cook just a bit longer to get to this consistency. Remove from the heat
- If the texture of the kaya is not as smooth, you can use a blender or an immersion blender to smooth out the mixture
- Once the kaya has cooled down completely, transfer to a glass jar and secure the lid. Put in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. We do not recommend freezing as they tend to separate
- The kaya tends to ‘harden’ a bit after refrigeration. There is fat in the coconut cream. Simply leave them to come to room temperature before serving and they’ll soften
Source: What To Cook Today
(Hero and feature images credit: Unsplash/ Marcus Loke)