Malaysians Love Food

Tau Foo Dish

















Siakap Dish





We had dinner to celebrate Zay's birthday recently at a friend's not so new Chinese restaurant. It is a joint venture between a Malay and a Chinese proprietor. We had tom yam, fried kangkung, a signature Siakap dish, a Tau Foo dish, all with white rice and Chinese tea. Come to think of it, tom yam is not Chinese and the Siakap and fried kangkung are already in Malay cuisine. Nasi lemak (Malay origin), Roti Canai (Indian Origin)and Nasi Ayam (Chinese origin) are accepted as national dishes common to all. So are Yong Tau Foo, Nasi Beriani, Sambal, Teh Tarik and Pau.

In Malaysia, I notice the line separating the different types of ethnic cuisine of its people is somehow becoming blur. You see we are developing a fusion cuisine and I foresee not far into the future, our cuisine will be Malaysian not Chinese, Indian or Malay. Only then, can we proudly say that our people are bangsa Malaysia.

On the other hand, if you go to the shopping centre in Mutiara Damansara where all types of eateries prevail, you will notice that Malaysians have accepted and embraced foreign cuisine as well. You will find that the French, Italian, American franchises are doing very well. So are the home grown franchises.

If there are new shops in the neighbourhood, you will find the Mamak restaurant being the first to set up shop. Mamak restaurants open 24/7 and are great places to 'lepak' with friends and make new business contacts.

To me, Malaysians simply love to eat and they eat at all times of the day, not only in posh places but anywhere, in the dark, along alleys, by the roadside......