Page 188 - Westport Guide To Malaysia

180 FLAVOURS OF MALAYSIA - FOREWORD
Malaysia’s cuisine is as diverse and as rich in heritage as our people. Our location at the Maritime crossroads of Asia has turned us into a culinary melting-pot. Our Malay, Chinese and Indian communities have brought together the great food traditions of East, South and Southeast Asia, while our role in the historic spice trade has added Arabian, Persian and Turkish influences. We have blended and transformed these elements into something that is uniquely our own.
There is no single style that defines Malaysian cooking. Malay, Chinese, Indonesian, North and South Indian and Thai cuisines are recognised as distinct, yet in Malaysia they cross over and create a remarkable palette of flavours and textures, so much so that we like to think we invented fusion food.
A perfect example is Nyonya cuisine. Created by the Peranakans or Straits Chinese, it brings together all the flavours and culinary techniques of Asia to create rich and spicy dishes that are simply exquisite. Traditional Malay cuisine, while heavily influenced by the rest of Asia, also has its own distinct regional variations, with the spiciness increasing exponentially as you move northward and eastward up the Peninsula.
Malaysia’s greatest culinary attribute is that you can enjoy wonderful food wherever you are. Some of the greatest dishes are served at humble roadside hawker stalls, using recipes that have stayed in the same family for generations. You can also splash out in sumptuous Chinese restaurants as well as fine dining outlets representing the best of European and Japanese cuisine.
If you get the opportunity, you should always try Malaysian home-cooked food. We are a nation of obsessive foodies and most of us know our way around a kitchen. Whether you get to enjoy sumptuous Nyonya treats in a Peranakan heritage house in Melaka, or fresh jungle greens and river fish in an Iban longhouse in Sarawak, the experience is unforgettable.
Datuk Redzuawan bin Ismail