# List of Malaysian dishes

This is a list of dishes found in Malaysian cuisine.

## Staple foods

| Name | Origin/Popularity | Type | Description |
| Ambuyat | Sarawak, Sabah and Labuan (Popular in Brunei) | Traditional food | Replacement of rice. A staple food of the indigenous people of Sabah and Sarawak including Lundayeh/Lun Bawang. |
| Bee Hoon | Nationwide | Rice noodles | A thin form of rice noodles (rice vermicelli). |
| Pulut | Nationwide | Rice dumpling or rice cake | It is made from sticky rice. |
| Ketupat | Nationwide | Rice dumpling or rice cake | It is made from rice packed inside a diamond-shaped container of woven palm leaf pouch. |
| Kway teow | Nationwide | Rice noodles | A type of noodle made from rice with sprawl-shaped. |
| Lemang | Malay, Minangkabau and Orang Asli | Rice dish | A traditional Malay food made of glutinous rice, coconut milk and salt, cooked in a hollowed bamboo stick lined with banana leaves in order to prevent the rice from sticking to the bamboo. |
| Mi | Nationwide | Noodles | Food made from unleavened dough which is rolled flat and cut, stretched or extruded, into long strips or strings. |
| Nasi putih | Nationwide | Steamed rice | Steamed rice as a staple food. |

## Main dishes

| Name | Image | Region | Type | Description |
| Ayam bakar | | Nationwide | Grilled chicken | Charcoal-grilled spiced chicken. |
| Ayam goreng | | Nationwide | Fried chicken | Spiced chicken fried in coconut oil. |
| Ayam kecap | | Southern Peninsular | Chicken | Chicken simmered or braised in sweet soy sauce. |
| Ayam percik | | East Coast Peninsular | Grilled chicken | Grilled chicken with a spicy, curry-like sauce. |
| Ayam tandori | | Nationwide | Roasted chicken | Roasted chicken marinated in yoghurt and spices in a tandoor. |
| Asam pedas fish | — | Malacca | Dish | — |
| Bean Sprouts Chicken | | Ipoh, Perak | Dish | Served with light soya sauce flavoured with oil. |
| Chai tow kway | | Nationwide | Common dish (Dim sum) | A variety of dim sum. |
| Chilli crab | | Peninsular Malaysia | Seafood dish | Derived from Chinese cuisine. |
| Curry | — | Nationwide | Dish | Derived from Indian cuisine. |
| Fish ball | | Nationwide | Common food | Small balls that were made from fish. |
| Gulai | | Nationwide | Curry | Meat cooked in a thick, rich and spicy curry sauce. |
| Ikan Bakar | | Nationwide (Popular in Peninsular Malaysia) | Seafood dishes | Usually eaten with sambal or shrimp paste. |
| Ikan goreng | | Nationwide | Fried fish | Spiced fish/seafood deep-fried in coconut oil |
| Kari ayam | | Nationwide | Curry dish | A type of curry dish cooked using chicken and spices. |
| Kari kambing | | Peninsular Malaysia | Curry dish | A type of curry dish cooked using lamb or mutton. |
| Kari kepala ikan | | West Coast Peninsular | Curry dish | A type of curry dish cooked using head of a red snapper, influenced by Indian and Peranakan cuisine. |
| Begedil | | Southern Peninsular | Fried dish | Derived from Javanese cuisine of Indonesia. Made of ground potatoes, minced meat, peeled and ground corn or tofu, or minced fish. Most common perkedel are made from mashed potatoes. |
| Rendang | | Nationwide | Meat dish | Chunks of beef stewed in coconut milk and spicy thick curry gravy. |
| Telur pindang | | Southern Peninsular | Egg dish | Hardboiled eggs boiled in water mixed with salt, shallot skins, teak leaf and other spices. |
| Tempoyak ikan patin | | Northern and East Coast of Peninsular | Fish curry | Catfish served in sweet and spicy fermented durian curry. |
| Otak-otak | | Nationwide; Popular in Muar, Johor | Cake type made from fish meat and spices | Traditionally served steamed, wrapped inside a banana leaf or grilled in coconut leaves. |
| Oyster omelette | | Asia | Seafood dish | The dish consists of an omelette with a filling primarily composed of small oysters. |
| Sata | | Terengganu | Traditional dish | Consisting of spiced fish meat wrapped in banana leaves and cooked on a grill. |
| Satay | | Nationwide | Dish | Can be found throughout all the states of Malaysia in restaurants and on the street. |
| Satay celup | | Malacca, Penang | Dish | Popular in Malacca and Penang. |

## Soups

| Name | Region | Type | Description |
| Sop ekor | Peninsular | Meat soup | |
| Sup Kambing | Nationwide | Soup | Can be found all over Malaysia. |
| Sayur Lodeh | Selangor and Johor | Soup | Vegetable soup prepared in coconut milk |
| Yong tau foo | Nationwide | Soup | A type of Chinese soup dish. |
| Ayam pansuh | Sarawak | Soup | A chicken soup cooked in bamboo along with seasonings. A dish popular in Sarawak, Malaysia. |
| Bak kut teh | Klang, Selangor | Soup | A soup that consists of meaty pork ribs in a complex broth of herbs and spices, boiled together with pork bones for hours. |

## Breads

| Name | Region | Type | Description |
| Apam | Nationwide | Pancake | A steamed dough made of rice flour, coconut milk, yeast and palm sugar, usually served with grated coconut. |
| Chapathi | Peninsular | Flatbread | A thin, unleavened flat bread originated from India, brought by the immigrants to the country early in the 19th century. Usually served with beef or mutton curry. |
| Dosai | Peninsular | Fermented Crepe or Pancake | Derived from Tamil Indian cuisine. |
| Kaya toast | Nationwide | Toast | Kaya toast is prepared with kaya (coconut jam). |
| Murtabak | Nationwide | Pancake | Derived from Middle East and also from Indian cuisine. |
| Naan | Nationwide | Flatbread | A leavened, oven-baked flatbread. It is usually eaten with an array of sauces such as chutney and curries. |
| Ramly Burger | Nationwide | Hamburger | Can be found all over Malaysia but mainly in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur |
| Roti canai | Nationwide | Flatbread | Derived from Indian cuisine. |
| Roti Jala | Nationwide | Pancakes | Served with curry.One of the famous food in Malaysia. |
| Roti John | Nationwide | Sandwich | A popular Malay sandwich in Malaysia and Singapore. |

## Salads

| Name | Region | Type | Description |
| Acar | Nationwide | Condiment and Salad | A type of a Pickling that can be found in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. |
| Kinilaw | Sabah | Salad | A cooking process that relies on vinegar to denature the ingredients, similar to ceviche. Usually used to prepare raw seafood. It can also be used to prepare lightly cooked meat or vegetables. |
| Pasembur | Penang | Salad | A type of Indian salad. |
| Popiah | Nationwide | Spring roll | Can be found on street vendors around Malaysia. |
| Rojak | Peninsular | Salad | A traditional fruit and vegetable salad dish commonly found in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. |
| Ulam (salad) | Nationwide | Salad | Can be eaten simply as it is, or with cucumber, cabbage and eggplant. |
| Urap | Southern Peninsular | Salad dish | A salad dish of steamed vegetables mixed with seasoned and spiced grated coconut for dressing. |
| Yusheng/Yee Sang | Nationwide | Salad | Consumed during Chinese New Year. |

## Noodle dishes

| Name | Image | Region | Type | Description |
| Pan mee | | Nationwide | Noodle dish | Derived from Hakka cuisine. |
| Char kway teow | | Nationwide | Noodle dish | A popular noodle dish in Malaysia and Singapore that is made from flat rice noodles. |
| Curry Mee | | Malaysia | Noodle dish | Usually made up of thin yellow egg noodles or/and string thin mee-hoon (rice vermicelli) with spicy curry soup, chilli/sambal, coconut milk, and a choice of dried tofu, prawns, cuttlefish, chicken, egg and mint leaves. |
| Duck soup noodles | — | Penang, Malaysia | Noodle soup | Consists of ingredients such as duck meat in hot soup with mixed herbs and slim white noodles known as mee-sua. |
| Hokkien mee | | Nationwide | Fried noodles | Served in many Southeast Asian countries (mostly Malaysia and Singapore) and was brought there by immigrants from the Fujian in southeastern China. |
| Laksa | | Penang, Perlis, Kedah, (Ipoh and Kuala Kangsar in Perak), Johor, Sarawak and Kelantan | Noodle soup | The famous one is the Penang laksa. |
| Laksa Sarawak [ms] | | Sarawak | Noodle soup | A very popular dish in Sarawak, Malaysia. |
| Lor mee | | Nationwide (Popular in Singapore) | Noodle dish | One of Chinese-inspired noodle dish. |
| Maggi goreng | | Malaysia | Instant noodles | A type of instant noodles that are popular in Malaysia. |
| Mee Bandung Muar | | Muar, Johor | Noodle dish | Traditional noodle cuisine from Muar. |
| Mee goreng | | Nationwide | Noodle dish | Derived from Chinese cuisine. |
| Mee hailam | — | — | — | — |
| Mee Kolok | | Kuching, Sarawak | Noodle dish | A type of noodles popular in Kuching, Sarawak. |
| Mee pok | | Nationwide | Noodle dish | A type of Chinese noodle. |
| Mee rebus | | Malaysia (Popular in Singapore) | Boiled noodle dish | A popular noodle dish in Malaysia and Singapore. |
| Mee siam | | Peninsular Malaysia (Popular in Singapore) | Siamese noodle | A type of dish of thin rice noodles. |
| Mee sup | — | — | — | — |
| Mihun sup | — | — | — | — |
| Soto | | Nationwide | Traditional noodle soup dish | One of the popular noodle dish both in Indonesia and Malaysia. |
| Wonton noodles | | Nationwide | Noodle dish | Derived from Cantonese cuisine. |

## Rice dishes

| Name | Image | Region | Type | Description |
| Banana Leaf Rice | | Peninsular Malaysia | Rice dish | Derived from Indian cuisine. |
| Briyani | | Peninsular Malaysia | Rice dish | Derived from Indian cuisine, also there is a famous local version in Batu Pahat, Johor. |
| Bubur Ashura | | Peninsular Malaysia | Porridge | Type of porridge made from grains. |
| Bubur ayam | | Nationwide | Porridge | Rice porridge |
| Bubur Pedas [id] | | Sarawak | Porridge | Type of porridge made from finely ground sauteed rice and grated coconut. It is popular during Ramadan. |
| Claypot chicken rice [es; fr; nl; th] | | Nationwide | Rice dish | Usually served with Chinese sausage. |
| Hainanese Chicken Rice | | Nationwide | Rice dish | Derived by Hainanese immigrants. |
| Nasi Ambeng | | Selangor, Johor | Rice dish | A popular west coast Malaysian Javanese dish, eaten during special occasions. |
| Economy rice | | Nationwide | Rice dish | A rice dish is eaten with a sort of protein and vegetables. |
| Nasi Dagang | | Kelantan, Terengganu | Rice dish | A type of dish consisting of rice steamed in coconut milk, fish curry and extra ingredients such as fried shaved coconut, hard-boiled eggs and vegetable pickles. |
| Nasi Goreng | | Nationwide | Rice dish | A type of dish popular in Indonesia and Malaysia. |
| Nasi goreng pattaya | | Peninsular Malaysia | Rice dish | A Malaysian dish made by covering or wrapping chicken fried rice, in fried egg. It is often served with chili sauce and cucumber. The name comes from Pattaya, Thailand. |
| Nasi Hujan Panas | | East Coast Peninsular | Rice dish | A rainbow rice dish is eaten with a sort of protein and vegetables. |
| Nasi Itik | | Nationwide | Rice dish | Made of either braised or roasted duck and plain white rice. |
| Nasi Kandar | | Penang | Rice dish | A popular northern Malaysian dish, which originates from Penang. |
| Nasi kebuli | | Pahang | Rice dish | Steamed rice dish cooked in goat broth, milk, and ghee. Usually served during Mawlid. |
| Nasi kerabu | | Kelantan, Terengganu | Rice dish | A type of Nasi ulam, in which blue-colored rice is eaten with dried fish or fried chicken, crackers, pickles and other salads. |
| Nasi Kuning | | Nationwide | Rice dish | A popular Malaysian dish usually served during special occasions. |
| Nasi Lemak | | Nationwide | Rice dish | A fragrant rice dish cooked in coconut milk and "pandan" leaf commonly found in Malaysia, where it is considered the national dish of Malaysia. |
| Nasi minyak | | Terengganu | Rice dish | A popular east coast Malaysian dish usually served during weddings. |
| Nasi paprik | — | — | Rice dish | — |
| Nasi Tomato | | West Coast Peninsular | Rice dish | A popular west coast Malaysian dish, usually eaten with Ayam Masak Merah. |
| Nasi Tumpang | | Kelantan | Rice dish | A popular east coast Malaysian dish, which originates from Kelantan. |
| Nasi ulam | | Kelantan | Rice dish | A steamed rice dish mixed with various herbs, vegetables, and spices and accompanied by various side dishes |

## Snacks

| Name | Region | Type | Description |
| Keropok (Crackers) | Nationwide, particularly coastal towns such as Malacca, Pulau Pangkor and Lumut | Snack | A popular snack in Malaysia, particularly served at homes of many during festive celebration. It can be found in many groceries stores and supermarkets, examples of popular household brands in Malaysia are Rota Prawn Crackers and myReal Pulau Pangkor Prawn Crackers. One of the most popular type of prawn cracker in Malaysia are the Keropok Udang Geragau Melaka. |
| Kerepek [ms] (Crackers) | Nationwide, particularly coastal towns such as Selangor and Johor | Snack | A popular snack in Malaysia, particularly served at homes of many during festive celebration. Vegan version of Keropok |
| Jemput-jemput (Cokodok, Cucur) | Malaysia | Fritter type snack | A traditional Malaysian fritter snack that is made from flour and can be choose either from banana, anchovies, prawns, onion or maize for flavours) or also can be made with only using flour. |
| Curry puff | Nationwide | Snack | A type of snack or kuih. Usually filled with chicken and potato with a dried curry inside. |
| Amplang | Sabah | Snack | Fish cracker snack, made from mackerel. |
| Rempeyek | Selangor and Johor | Snack | A deep-fried savoury Javanese cracker, made from flour with other ingredients, bound or coated by crispy flour batter. |
| Mee Siput Muar | Muar, Johor | Snack Cracker | A deep-fried circular-shaped-dried-noodles snack, made from flour with other ingredients, eaten with Sambal. |
| Keropok lekor | Terengganu | Snack | A keropok that is made from fish. |
| Pisang goreng | Nationwide | Snack | Deep-fried banana dipped in flour. |
| Akok (food) | Popular in Kelantan state | Snack | Tradisional Kelantanese dessert snack made from egg, flour, brown sugar. |

## Preserved meat

| Name | Image | Region | Type | Description |
| Bakkwa | — | Nationwide | Dried meat | — |
| Belutak | — | Brunei and Sarawak | Fermeted meat | A sausage made from meat. |
| Char siu | | Nationwide | Pork meat | A type of roasted meat. |
| Chinese sausage | | Nationwide | Pork meat | A sausage made from pork. |
| Dendeng | | Nationwide | Meat dish | A thinly sliced dried meat that is made of preserved through a mixture of spices and dried via a frying process. |
| Pekasam | — | Northern Malaysia and Sarawak | Fermeted meat | A freshwater fish that fermented until it tastes sour, then seasoned with chili and sugar. |
| Serunding | | Peninsular Malaysia | Sprinkle dry condiments | Grated coconut sauteed and spiced, eaten with any traditional staple food. |
| Sinalau Bakas [ms] | — | Sabah | Smoked wild boar | |

## Desserts

| Name | Image | Region | Type | Description |
| Ais kacang | | Nationwide | Dessert | Also known as air batu campur or ABC in Malaysia. |
| Agar Agar | | Nationwide | Dessert | Puddings flavoured jellies like almond tofu, as well as fruit aspics. |
| Cendol | | Nationwide (Popular in Indonesia) | Dessert | Can be found on street vendors during Ramadan. |
| Dadih | | Nationwide (Popular in Negeri Sembilan and Terengganu) | | A buffalo milk based cheese |
| Dodol | — | Nationwide (Popular in Indonesia) | Confectionery | Served during the Muslim Aidilfitri (Eid al-Fitr). |
| Bubur kacang hijau (Green bean porridge) | | Nationwide | Dessert | A type of porridge made from Mung bean. |
| Bubur pulut hitam | | Nationwide | Dessert | A type of porridge made from black glutinious rice. |
| Bubur cha cha | | Penang, Melaka | Dessert | A type of porridge. |
| Mango sticky rice | | Nationwide | Dessert | Mango eaten with glutinious rice. |
| Durian sticky rice | | Nationwide | Dessert | Durian eaten with glutinious rice. |
| Roti tissue | | Malaysia | Dessert | Available at most local Mamak stalls in Malaysia and Singapore. |
| Puding Diraja | | Pekan, Pahang | Dessert | Pudding is garnished with jala emas, and served with a cold sauce made from milk and cornflour. |
| Putu mayam | | Peninsular Malaysia | Dish | Derived from Tamil Indian cuisine. |
| Tapai | | Nationwide | Dessert | A popular dessert at Malay homes throughout Peninsular Malaysia during Hari Raya, made from fermented glutinous rice or tapioca. |

## Spreads

| Name | Image | Region | Type | Description |
| Kacang Coklat | | Nationwide | Spreads | Usually eat with a toast. |
| Kaya | | Nationwide | Spread | Usually eat with a toast. |

## Condiments and sauces

| Name | Region | Type | Description |
| Belacan | Nationwide | Condiment | Used in many dishes as an indgredient. |
| Budu | Kelantan and Terengganu | Condiment | Traditionally made by mixing anchovies and salt and fermenting for 140 to 200 days. It is used as a flavoring and is normally taken with fish, rice, and raw vegetables. |
| Cincalok | Malacca | Condiment | Fermented small shrimps or krill. |
| Kerisik | Malay | Sprinkle dry condiments | A condiment made from roasted coconut meat. This condiment usually used in Malay cuisine, such as rendang and kerabu. |
| Sweet soy sauce and Kicap Masin | Nationwide | Sauce | Sweet Soy sauces and salty soy sauce |
| Otak Udang | Peninsular Malaysia | Sauce | A black colored shrimp paste. This condiment usually used with laksa, popiah and rojak. |
| Sambal | Nationwide | Condiment | Variety of sambal, usually eaten with a meal of rice or other dishes. |
| Sos Tiram | Nationwide | Sauce | A black colored Oyster sauce. |
| Tauco | West Coast Peninsular | Condiment | Usually cook with a source of protein. |
| Tempoyak | Nationwide | Condiment | Usually eaten with a meal of rice. |
| Tuhau [ms] | Sabah | Condiment | A plant from the genus Etlingera. Usually eaten raw after mixed with chili, vinegar, and salt. Also fried. |

## Cakes and pastries

| Name | Region | Type | Description |
| Batik cake | Nationwide | Dessert | A type of chocolate cake similar like the hedgehog slice made using Marie biscuit. |
| Kek Lapis Sarawak | Sarawak | Dessert | A spiced layered cake, made mainly of egg yolk, flour and margarine/butter. |
| Pandan cake | Southern Peninsular | Dessert | A light, fluffy, green-colored sponge cake flavored with the juices of pandan leaves. |
| Bahulu | West Coast Peninsular | Dessert | A Malay traditional cake with soft texture. Usually served for breakfast. |
| Malay sponge cake | Peninsular Malaysia | Dessert | A Malay traditional cake with soft texture, very popular in Hong Kong. |

## Drinks

| Name | Image | Region | Type | Description |
| Bandung | | Malaysia (Popular in Johor and during Ramadan) | Beverage | A beverage consists of milk flavoured with rose cordial syrup, giving a pink colour. |
| Ipoh white coffee | | Ipoh, Perak | Beverage | A popular white coffee in Perak. |
| Janda pulang | | Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia | Beverage | A beverage consists of water, Coconut contents and palm sugar. |
| Coconut water | | Nationwide | Coconut water | Coconut water. The water inside a coconut. |
| Susu Kacang Soya | | Nationwide | Beverage | |
| Teh See | — | Nationwide | Beverage | Derived from Chinese cuisine. |
| Teh halia | | Nationwide | Beverage | A tea mixed with ginger. |
| Teh krisantimum | | Nationwide | Beverage | |
| Teh tarik | | Malaysia (Popular in Singapore) | Beverage | Made from black tea mix with condensed milk or evaporated milk. |
| Teh C Peng Special | | Nationwide (Popular in Sabah and Sarawak in East Malaysia) | Beverage | A unique combination of brown sugar, evaporated milk and red tea which is a local speciality at café's and coffee shops originating from Kuching, Sarawak. |
| Tenom coffee | | Tenom, Sabah | Beverage | A popular Robusta coffee variety in Sabah. |
| Milo Dinosaur | | Nationwide | Beverage | A popular Milo variety in Malaysia. |
| Tuak | | Nationwide (Popular in Sabah and Sarawak in East Malaysia) | Alcoholic beverage | A type of alcoholic drink. |