Delectable Cuisine

MELAKA CUISINE IS WELL-KNOWN FOR ITS LIVELY FLAVOURS AND AROMAS. EACH COMMUNITY HAS ITS DISTINCT CULINARY STYLE. THE CITY'S MANY RESTAURANTS, CAFES, FOOD COURTS, PUBS AND FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS OFFER A RANGE OF DINING OPTIONS.

 

MALAY FOOD

MANY MALAY DISHES REVOLVE AROUND A 'REMPAH', WHICH IS A SPICE PASTE OR MIX SIMILAR TO AN INDIAN 'MASALA'. THIS 'REMPAH' ARE MADE BY GRINDING UP FREASH AND/OR DRIED SPICES AND HERBS TO CREAT A SPICE PASTE WHICH IS THEN SAUTEED IN OIL TO BRING THE AROMAS.

POPULAR MELAKA FAVOURITES ARE SATAY CELUP (SKEWERED SEAFOOD COOKED IN PEANUT SAUCE), CINCALUK (FEMENTED SHRIMP SALAD), ROJAK (FRUITS AND VEGETABLE SALAD), DODOL (A SWEET STICKY PALM SUGAR DELICACY) AND CENDOL (COLD DESSERT WITH COCONUT MILK AND PALM SUGAR SYRUP).

 

CHINESE FOOD

MALAYSIAN CHINESE FOOD IS DERIVED FROM MAINLAND CHINESE CUISINE BUT HAS BEEN INFLUENCED BY LOCAL INGREDIENTS AND DISHES FROM OTHER CULTURES THOUGH IT REMAINS DISTINCTLY CHINESE. MOST CHINESE MEALS HAVE PORK AS THEIR SUB-INGREDIENTS, BUT DUE TO THE POPULARITY AND UNIQUE TASTE OF THE ACTUAL FOOD, THERE ARE CHICKEN OPTIONS AVAILBLE FOR THE LOCAL MALAY (MOST MALAYS ARE MUSLIM, AND ISLAM FORBIDS THEM FROM EATING POK). SOME CHINESE FOOD RESTAURANTS NOWADAYS CAN BE FOUND SERVING HALAL FOOD.

CHICKEN RICE BALLS ARE A SOUGHT-AFTER DELICACY BY LOCAL CHINESE VISITORS TO MELAKA. SHAPED INTO GOLF-SIZE BALLS, THE RICE IS SERVED WITH CHICKEN MEAT, CUCUMBER AND GARLIC-CHILLI SAUCE.

 

NYONYA FOOD

NYONYA FOOD WAS DEVELOPED BY THE PERANAKAN PEOPLE OF MALAYSIA AND SINGAPORE. IT USES MAINLY CHINESE INGREDIENTS BUT BLENDS THEM WITH SOUTH-EAST ASIA SPICES SUCH AS COCONUT MILK, LEMON GRASS, TURMERIC, SCREWPINE LEAVE, CHILLIES AND SAMBAL. IT CAN BE CONSIDERED AS A BLEND OF CHINESE AND MALAY COOKING.

NYONYA FOOD INCORPORATES CHINESE INGREDIENTS LIKE FLAVOURED WITH MALAY SPICES AND HERBS. POPULAR NYONYA FAVOURITES ARE OTAK-OTAK (SPICED FISH MEAT, WRAPPED IN BANANA LEAVES AND GRILLED), ITIK TIM (DUCK STEW WITH SALTED VEGETABLES) AND PERUT IKAN (PRESERVED FISH STOMACH IN HERBS).

 

PORTUGUESE FOOD

THE KRISTANG ARE A CRELO EURASIAN ETHNIC GROUP OF PEOPLE OF MIXED PORTUGUESE AND MALACCAN DESCENT BASED IN MALAYSIA AND SINGAPORE. THE NAME COMES FROM THE PORTUGUESE CREOLE KRISTANG (CHRISTIAN), DERIVED FROM THE PORTUGUESE CRISTAO. A DEROGATORY TERM FOR THE PORTUGUESE-MALACCAN COMMUNITY WAS GRAGOK (SLANG TERM FOR PORTUGUESE GERAGAU OR STRIMP, REFERRING TO THR FACT THAT THE PORTUGESE MALACCANS WERE TRADITIONALLY SHRIMP FISHERMAN). THE COMMUNITY HISTORICALLY CALLED THEMSELVES GENTE KRISTANG (CHRISTIAN PEOPLE). INFLUENCE GREATLY BY OTHER LOCAL ETHNIC CUISINES, KRISTANG FOOD SIMILAR TO MALAY CUISINE, WITH THE ADDITIONS OF STEWS AND THE INCLUSION OF PORK IN THE DIET. SOME ROOTS OF PORTUGUESE-STYLE CUISINE ARE EVIDENT IN KRISTANG FOOD; HOWEVER, IT HAS MORE OF AN EASTERN THAN WESTERN STYLE, RELATED TO YEARS OF LOCAL INFLUENCE AND INGREDIENTS. EARLY KRISTANG AND OTHER COLONIALS ADOPTED THE SAME INGREDIANTS USED BY THE LOCAL. MANY KRISTAO ALSO EAT BY HAND LIKE THE MALAY. TYPICAL KRISTANG DISHES INCLUDE CURRY DABEL, PORKU TAMBRINU (BABI ASAM STEW) AND PANG SU SI CAKE.

PORTUGUESE CUISINE ASSIMILATES THE CULINARY STYLES OF MALAY AND INDIAN COOKING TRADITIONS. FISH FEATURES HIGHLY IN THE COMMUNITY'S DAILY MENU. FAVOURITES ARE PASU KAEMADU (BAKED FISH), GARING GARING FRETU (FRIED WHITEBAIT WITH SLICED SHALLOTS) AND THE FIERY EL DIABLO CURRY (DEVIL CURRY).

 

INDIAN FOOD

MALYSIAN INDIAN CUISINE OF THE ETHNIC INDIANS IN MALAYSIA IS SIMILAR TO ITS ROOTS IN INDIA. HANDS ARE WASHED BEFORE AND THE RIGHT HAND IS USED DURING MEAL. MAMAL (INDIAN MUSLIMS) DISHES HAVE DEVELOPED A DISTINCLY MALAYSIAN STYLE. ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR KINDS OF FOOD BY THE INDIANS MUSLIMS IS CALLED "NASI KANDAR". NASI KANDAR ORIGINALLY CAME FROM PENANG. ALSO AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, THE OMNIPRESENT MAMAK STALLS OR RESTAURANTS ARE PARTICULARLY POPULAR AMONG THE LOCALS AS THEY OFFER A WIDE RANGE OF FOOD AND SOME OUTLETS ARE OPEN 24 HOURS A DAY. THEY'RE FAST, ECONOMICAL AND PERFECT AS A MEETING PLACE FOR A DRINK AND SNACKS.

TRADITIONAL CHITTY FOOD IS A DELECTABLE FUSION ON INDIAN SPICES AND LOCAL INGREDIANTS. MUST-TRY CHITTY DELICACIES INCLUDE IKAN PARANG MASAK PINDANG (FISH IN SPICY SOUP BASED), NASI LEMAK (COOKED CHITTY-STYLE), NASI KEMBULI (KEMBULI RICE) AND PULUT TEKAN (GLUTINOUS RICE CAKE).

 

SEAFOOD

MANY TYPES OF SEAFOOD ARE COMSUMED IN MALAYSIA, INCLUDING SHRIMP OR PRAWN, CRABS, SQUID, CUTTLEFISH, CLAMS, COCKLES, SNAILS AND OCTOPUS. IN GENERAL, MEMBERS OF ALL ETHNIC COMMUNITIES ENJOY SEAFOOD, WHICH IS CONSIDERED HALAL BY MALAYSIAN MUSLIMS (ARE INDEED MOST OTHER MUSLIMS) THOUGH SOME SPECIES OF CRABS ARE NOT CONSIDERED HALAL AS THEY CAN LIVE ON BOTH LAND AND SEA. BUT MOST PEOPLE DO NOT TAKE THIS AS A STAPLE OR DAILY MEAL SINCE IT IS EXPENSIVE

GRILLED SEAFOOD IS A POPULAR OFFERING OF RESTAURANTS LOCATED AT UMBAI, SERKAM, ALAI, PERNU AND PENGKALAN BALAK ON THE SOUTHERN COAST OF MELAKA. THE SEAFOOD COMPLEX IN UMBAI BARU IS A MAJOR ATTRACTION. IT OFFERS GRILLED FISH WRAPPED IN BANANA LEAF, FISH IN TAMARIND SAUCE, FISH HEAD CURRY, CHILLI CRAB, BUTTERED PRAWNS, STUFFED, SQUID, COCKLES AND OYSTERS.

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