Eating Out

It would not be at all surprising if eating were a pastime for Malaysians. In Perak's multi-racial melting pot, various Asians cuisines compete for the taste buds.

Around the clock, one can get any kind of food in almost all the major towns in the state. Restaurants are situated along almost all the streets and one thing is for sure - no one will ever go hungry.

Also joining the competition for a slice of the cake are fast-food chains including MacDonalds, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Pizza Hut and A & W, which have several outlets in the state. Let us give you an introduction to the three main types of cuisine in Perak: Malay, Chinese and Indian.

Malay Cuisines

The Malay affinity for their "own piece of land" is most evident in their preference for natural and home-grown ingredients and spices for cooking, such as coconut, chilli and lemon grass, fragrant lime leaves, and fresh turmeric. Ulam, (fresh greens which traditionally accompany the main course), which consists of herbal leaves and garden greens often hand-picked by the cook, is a uniquely Malay delicacy. Equally important is a Malay meal is the sambal, a plain-looking paste with a powerful punch. Sambal, can be eaten as an accompaniment to almost any dish and will liven up the dullest meal.

Another hot favourite is Satay - skewers of marinated beef or chicken barbecued over glowing charcoal and eaten dipped in a spicy peanut sauce with accompaniments of cucumber and ketupat (rice cubes boiled in palm leaf).

A popular Malay breakfast is Nasi Lemak, rice steamed in coconut milk that is served with a selection of curried chicken, beef or squid, cucumber, fried anchovies and sambal, all neatly parcelled in a banana leaf. Nasi lemak, like all other Malay rice meals, should ideally be eaten with the fingers. The Malays believe that food tastes better if it is delivered directly from the hand to the mouth. This is done through a 'pinch and scoop' technique that requires only the five fingers of the right hand, and plenty of practise.

Chinese Cuisines

In the preparation of the Chinese cuisine, each Chinese community has its own speciality, with the Hainanese being the most acclaimed, most notably for their preparation of Hainanese Chicken Rice. Cantonese and Hokkien dishes are considered more delicate and refined than a Foochow meal, which is usually robust and presented in generous portions.

This is because Foochow food is traditionally meant for the hardy, rural community while Cantonese food is designed to appeal to city sophisticates. Unlike Malay cuisine, there is greater emphasis on meat in Chinese cuisine.

A dish with chunks of meat is of highly valued than one which is vegetarian. Almost every part of an animal, fowl or fish is cooked and savoured.

Noodles feature prominently and can be served in a variety of ways and a number of combinations. The proper way to enjoy a Chinese meal is with chopsticks although, for the uninitiated, it may take a little while to learn the art.

Indian Cuisines

Like the Malays, the Indians use their spices liberally. Indian food in Malaysia can be broadly classified under three categories - North Indian, South Indian and Indian Muslim. Dishes prepared by North Indians made more subtle use of spices and yogurt, while South Indian food is balantly spicy and hearty.

The Indian Muslims make up a sizable population here and over the years their dishes have been "Malaysianised" to suit local taste. A popular Indian Muslim meal is Nasi Kandar. Nasi is the Malay word for rice while kandas is a pole slung across the shoulders, and this was the way this meal used to be sold.

While the Chinese sometimes substitute their rice meal for noodles, bread is a popular alternative with the Indians. They come in various forms and are eaten with a combination of lentil curries, spicy ladies fingers and auberinge, potato curries, piquant chutneys, and the ubiquitous pappadam.

Watching roti chanai being made is a fascinating experience. Balls of uncharacteristically elastic dough are flattened out, then picked up and whirled around a few times to stretch them out paper thin, then slapped down on an oiled iron griddle, folded and fried crisp.

A banana leaf meal is another not-to-be-missed experience. You get as much rice as you want, and generous helpings of curry chicken, mutton or fish all heaped on a banana leaf instead of a plate. Banana leaf rice is traditionally eaten with the fingers and the 'hot' meal is usually washed down with a glass of fresh yogurt.

Hawkers

One can find hawker centres almost anywhere in Perak, at any time of the day and night. Most hawkers in Perak are licensed and are regularly checked by the Health Department for hygiene and cleanliness.

Hawkers provide freshly prepared food and drinks, served in a basic, no-frills way. Do not expect napkins, wet towels or tablecloth - it may be a good idea to bring along your own box of tissues!




In Perak, hawker food is sold throughout the day. Some cater for the breakfast crowd, most for the lunch and dinner crowd while a handful start in the wee hours of the morning to cater for the late night patrons bor those who go to work early.

Ordering hawker food requires experience - a hawker dish can have a multititudes of ingredients combinations - and you get what you ask for.


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