Malaysian Indian cuisine
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Malaysian Indian cuisine, or the cooking of the ethnic Indian communities in
Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
, consists of adaptations of authentic dishes from India, as well as original creations inspired by the diverse food culture of Malaysia. Because the vast majority of Malaysia's Indian community are of South Indian descent, and are mostly ethnic Tamils who are descendants of immigrants from a historical region which consists of the modern Indian state of Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka's Northern Province, much of Malaysian Indian cuisine is predominantly South Indian inspired in character and taste. A typical Malaysian Indian dish is likely to be redolent with curry leaves, whole and powdered spice, and contains fresh coconut in various forms.
Ghee Ghee is a type of clarified butter, originating from India. It is commonly used in India for cooking, as a traditional medicine, and for religious rituals. Description Ghee is typically prepared by simmering butter, which is churned from c ...
is still widely used for cooking, although vegetable oils and refined palm oils are now commonplace in home kitchens. Before a meal it is customary to wash hands as cutlery is often not used while eating, with the exception of a serving spoon for each respective dish.


Cuisine culture


Banana leaf

As nearly 90 percent of Malaysian Indians originated from South India, banana leaf is used traditionally to eat food from. The banana leaf meal is famous in Malaysia. With rice at the center and different accompaniments like pickle, fried meat or vegetable, papadam (Indian fries made of lentils), it's a feast by itself and various curries that are served around this is not just a treat for the eyes but also to the palate. Etiquette is important when it comes to a banana leaf rice meal. One part involves the practice of serving, namely the way the leaf is placed before a diner and where the food is placed on the leaf itself. Eating with one's hands is a must. The folding aspect of the banana leaf is also contentious with many believing it to be a rating system – fold towards one to indicate satisfaction or away to indicate dissatisfaction.


Chettinad cuisine

Chettinad cuisine Chettinad cuisine is the cuisine of a community called the Nattukotai Chettiars,or Nagarathars, from the Chettinad region in sivagangai district of Tamil Nadu state in India. Chettinad cuisine is perhaps the most renowned fare in the Tamil N ...
, the cuisine of the
Chettinad Chettinad (also known as Chettinadu) is a region located mainly in the Sivaganga district historically ruled by Ramnad kingdom of Pandya Nadu and has a small portion extending into the Pudukottai District in Tamil Nadu, India..Karaikudi and ...
region in Tamil Nadu, is very popular and available at specialty restaurants. The traditional cookery of the
Chettiar Chettiar (also spelt as Chetti and Chetty)is a title used by many traders, weaving, agricultural and land-owning castes in South India, especially in the states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka. They are a subgroup of the Tamil community ...
community is distinct from the predominantly vegetarian fare of
Tamil cuisine Tamil cuisine is a culinary style originating in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu and other countries of South Asia like Sri Lanka. Both vegetarian cuisine and non-vegetarian cuisine are popular among the Tamil people and have been sinc ...
as it is heavily based on robustly spiced meat preparations. Coconut milk is sparingly used in favour of liberal quantities of onions and tomatoes to flavour and thicken curries.


Mamak culture

Mamak dishes have developed a distinctly Malaysian style. 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. A type of Indian Muslim meal served buffet-style at specialist mamak restaurant is called nasi kandar (analogous to the Indonesian nasi padang, where one pays for what one has actually eaten), white rice or biryani rice served with other dishes of curry either with chicken, fish, beef, or mutton, and usually accompanied with pickled vegetables and papadum. People of all races, religions and ages frequent mamak stalls to gossip or catch a late-night football game while enjoying a cup of hot tarik. No other type of restaurant has quite as much cultural significance in Malaysia, save for the kopitiam.


List of dishes found in Malaysian food

* Satti Sorru:Indian claypot rice * Achar: also known as Indian pickles, achar are made from certain individual varieties of vegetables and fruits that are chopped into small pieces and cooked in edible oils like sesame oil or brine with many different spices. *
Appam Appam is a type of thin pancake originating from South India. It is made with fermented rice batter and coconut milk, traditionally cooked in an ''appachatti'', a deep pan similar in shape to a wok. It is common in the cusine of Kerala and Tam ...
: a type of bowl-shaped pancake made with fermented rice batter and coconut milk. *Attukal Paya: Mutton leg soup. Local version also known as Sup kambing *
Avial Avial ( ml, അവിയല്‍, pronounced ) is an Indian dish with origins in the Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Udupi regions of India. It is a thick stew of usually 13 vegetables commonly found in the Western Ghats and coconut, seasoned with c ...
: a vegetable stew made from julienned or shredded vegetables sauteed in coconut oil and seasoned with spices like curry leaves, turmeric, cumin powder and green chilies. The vegetables are then simmered with coconut milk and finished off with some yoghurt. * Banana leaf rice: White rice (or parboiled rice in authentic South Indian restaurants) is served on a
banana leaf The banana leaf is the leaf of the banana plant, which may produce up to 40 leaves in a growing cycle. The leaves have a wide range of applications because they are large, flexible, waterproof and decorative. They are used for cooking, wrappin ...
with an assortment of vegetables, curried meat or fish,
pickles Pickles may refer to: Dogs * Pickles (dog) (died 1967), a dog that found the stolen World Cup trophy in 1966 * Pickles (pickleball), a dog often cited as the name origin for the sport of pickleball * Mr. Pickles, the titular demonic dog in ...
or
papadum A papad is an Indian deep fried dough of black gram bean flour, either fried or cooked with dry heat (flipped over an open flame) until crunchy. Other flours made from lentils, chickpeas, rice, tapioca, millet or potato are also used. ''Papad' ...
. To show your appreciation after a satisfying meal, fold the banana leaf towards you (i.e. inwards) to signify that the meal was good. Folding the opposite direction (i.e., upwards/away from you) signifies that the meal was not satisfying. *
Biryani Biryani () is a mixed rice dish originating among the Muslims of the Indian subcontinent. It is made with Indian spices, rice, and usually some type of meat (chicken, beef, goat, lamb, prawn, fish) or in some cases without any meat, and so ...
or nasi beriani: a flavoured rice dish cooked or served with mutton, chicken, vegetable or fish curry. Basmati rice is used. Alternatively, dum biryani is a version more akin to the traditional South Asian dish, which is a variant that bakes the spiced meat with the rice. *
Butter chicken Butter chicken, traditionally known as murgh makhani (), is an Indian dish originating in New Delhi. It is a type of curry made from chicken with a spiced tomato and butter (''makhan'') sauce. Its sauce is known for its rich texture. It is si ...
a famous
Punjab Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...
i food. *
Chapati Chapati (alternatively spelled chapatti, chappati, chapathi, or chappathi; pronounced as IAST: ), also known as ''roti'', ''rotli'', ''safati'', ''shabaati'', ''phulka'', (in East Africa) ''chapo'', (in Marathi) ''poli'', and (in the Maldives) ...
: a type of North Indian style flatbread. It is made from a dough of atta flour (whole grain durum wheat), water and salt by rolling the dough out into discs of approximately twelve centimetres in diameter and browning the discs on both sides on a very hot, dry tava or frying pan with no oil. Chapatis are usually eaten with vegetable curry dishes, and pieces of the chapati are used to wrap around and pick up each bite of the cooked dish. *
Chicken 65 Chicken 65 is a spicy, deep-fried chicken dish originating from Hotel Buhari, Chennai, India, as an entrée, or quick snack. The flavour of the dish can be attributed to red chillies, but the exact set of ingredients for the recipe can vary. It is ...
: a spicy, deep-fried chicken dish originating from Tamil Nadu. The flavour of the dish comes from ginger, cayenne pepper, mustard powder and vinegar although the exact recipe can vary. It can be prepared using chicken on or off the bone. Curry leaves play an important role in the flavour. * Chicken kali mirchi: a chicken dish cooked in a sauce predominantly flavoured with coarsely ground black pepper which is also popular in Pakistan. (''kali mirch'' in
Hindi Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been de ...
). *
Chutney A chutney is a spread in the cuisines of the Indian subcontinent. Chutneys are made in a wide variety of forms, such as a tomato relish, a ground peanut garnish, yogurt or curd, cucumber, spicy coconut, spicy onion or mint dipping sauce. ...
: the term chutney refers to a family of condiments mainly associated with South Asian cuisine that usually contain some mixture of spices, vegetables or fruits. Chutneys may be either wet or dry, and can have a coarse to a fine texture. *
Dal makhani In Indian cuisine, ''dal'' (also spelled ''daal'' or ''dhal''; pronunciation: , Hindi: दाल, Urdu: ) are dried, split pulses (e.g., lentils, peas, and beans) that do not require soaking before cooking. India is the largest producer of pu ...
: Punjabi-style lentil stew made with whole urad dhal, butter and cream. *
Fish head curry Fish head curry is a Singaporean dish deriving from a hybrid of Indian and Chinese ethnic cuisines. The head of a red snapper is stewed in a curry with assorted vegetables such as okra and eggplants. It is usually served with either rice or bread ...
: a dish with some
Chinese Chinese can refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation ** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
and Malay influences. The head of a
Red snapper Red snapper is a common name of several fish species. It may refer to: * Several species from the genus ''Lutjanus'': ** ''Lutjanus campechanus'', Northern red snapper, commonly referred to as red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico and western Atlanti ...
(ikan merah; literally "red fish") is stewed in
curry A curry is a dish with a sauce seasoned with spices, mainly associated with South Asian cuisine. In southern India, leaves from the curry tree may be included. There are many varieties of curry. The choice of spices for each dish in tradit ...
consisting of varying amounts of coconut milk and tamarind juice with vegetables (lady's fingers and brinjal are common). Usually served with either rice or bread. * Fish molee: originally from the state of
Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...
, this preparation of fish cooked in spiced coconut gravy is perhaps the Malaysian
Malayalee The Malayali people () (also spelt Malayalee and also known by the demonym Keralite) are a Dravidian ethnolinguistic group originating from the present-day state of Kerala in India, occupying its southwestern Malabar coast. They are predomina ...
community's best known dish. * Fish puttu: a traditional dish from Kerala, fish puttu is pan-fried shredded fish mixed with grated coconut and spices. *
Kurma Kurma ( sa, कूर्म; , 'Turtle', 'Tortoise'), is the second avatar of the Hindu preserver deity, Vishnu. Originating in Vedic literature such as the Yajurveda as being synonymous with the Saptarishi called Kashyapa, Kurma is most comm ...
: kurma in Malaysia is usually made with chicken or mutton braised with a medley of ground spices, nuts, and coconut milk or grated coconut. The spice blend for kurma is widely found pre-mixed and marketed commercially as "kurma powder". *
Koottu Kootu (Tamil:கூட்டு) is a lentil and vegetable stew in South Indian, particularly Tamil and Kerala cuisines. The etymology for kootu derives from the Tamil word "kootu" which means "add" or "mixture/medley" i.e. vegetable added wit ...
: a chunky semi-solid gravy made from lentils and vegetables. *
Idli Idli or idly () is a type of savoury rice cake, originating from the South India,popular as breakfast foods in Southern India and in Sri Lanka. The cakes are made by steaming a batter consisting of fermented black lentils (de-husked) and ric ...
: made from lentils (specifically black lentils) and rice — into patties, usually two to three inches in diameter, using a mould and steamed. Most often eaten at breakfast or as a snack, idli are usually served in pairs with chutney, sambar, or other accompaniments. * Mamak Rojak: a salad consisting of
cucumber Cucumber (''Cucumis sativus'') is a widely-cultivated Vine#Horticultural climbing plants, creeping vine plant in the Cucurbitaceae family that bears usually cylindrical Fruit, fruits, which are used as culinary vegetables.
(shredded),
potatoes The potato is a starchy food, a tuber of the plant ''Solanum tuberosum'' and is a root vegetable native to the Americas. The plant is a perennial in the nightshade family Solanaceae. Wild potato species can be found from the southern United ...
,
beancurd Tofu (), also known as bean curd in English, is a food prepared by coagulating soy milk and then pressing the resulting curds into solid white blocks of varying softness; it can be ''silken'', ''soft'', ''firm'', ''extra firm'' or ''super fir ...
,
turnip The turnip or white turnip (''Brassica rapa'' subsp. ''rapa'') is a root vegetable commonly grown in temperate climates worldwide for its white, fleshy taproot. The word ''turnip'' is a compound of ''turn'' as in turned/rounded on a lathe and ' ...
, bean sprouts, prawn fritters, spicy fried crab, fried octopus or other seafoods and served with a sweet and spicy nut sauce. The term
Pasembur Pasembur (locally ''Pasemboq'' or ''Pasembot'') is a Malaysian salad consisting of cucumber (shredded), potatoes, beancurd, turnip, bean sprouts, prawn fritters, spicy fried crab, fried squid or other seafoods and served with a sweet and spicy nu ...
is a variant of Mamak Rojak found in Northern Peninsular Malaysia. It is especially associated with Penang where Pasembur can be had along
Gurney Drive Gurney Drive (,, ) is a popular seafront promenade within George Town, Penang, Malaysia. The road is also famous for the street cuisine at the seafront's hawker centre and has been listed as one of the 25 best streets worldwide to visit by the A ...
. *
Mee goreng ''Mee goreng'', or ''mi goreng'', refers to fried noodles in the Malay-speaking cultures of several countries, such as the Southeast Asian states of Brunei, Malaysia, and Singapore. A notable variant, ''mee goreng mamak'' is associated with ...
: It is made with thin yellow noodles fried with
garlic Garlic (''Allium sativum'') is a species of bulbous flowering plant in the genus ''Allium''. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, Allium fistulosum, Welsh onion and Allium chinense, Chinese onion. It is native to South A ...
,
onion An onion (''Allium cepa'' L., from Latin ''cepa'' meaning "onion"), also known as the bulb onion or common onion, is a vegetable that is the most widely cultivated species of the genus ''Allium''. The shallot is a botanical variety of the onion ...
or
shallots The shallot is a botanical variety (a cultivar) of the onion. Until 2010, the (French red) shallot was classified as a separate species, ''Allium ascalonicum''. The taxon was synonymized with '' Allium cepa'' (the common onion) in 2010, as th ...
, fried
prawn Prawn is a common name for small aquatic crustaceans with an exoskeleton and ten legs (which is a member of the order decapoda), some of which can be eaten. The term "prawn"Mortenson, Philip B (2010''This is not a weasel: a close look at nature ...
,
chicken The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated junglefowl species, with attributes of wild species such as the grey and the Ceylon junglefowl that are originally from Southeastern Asia. Rooster or cock is a term for an adult m ...
, chili, tofu, vegetables, tomatoes, egg. ** Maggi goreng: a variant of mee goreng using Maggi instant noodles. ** Mee goreng mamak: a variant that is found at
Mamak stall Mamak stalls are indoor and open-air food establishments particularly found in Southeast Asia, especially in the countries of Malaysia and Singapore, which serve a type of Indian Muslim cuisine unique to the region by its Indian community. Hi ...
s and is known to use spices, tomato sauce, potatoes and sweet soy sauce. *
Mee rebus Mee rebus, also known as mie rebus/mi rebus in Indonesian spelling, is a Maritime Southeast Asian noodle soup dish. Literally translated as "boiled noodles", it is popular in Maritime Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, ...
: A dish using egg noodles in a sweet and spicy sauce, green chillies with a hard boiled egg. * Meen Varuthathu: Kerala-style marinated fried fish. *
Murtabak Motabbaq ( ar, مطبق) is a stuffed pancake or pan-fried bread which is commonly found in the Arabian Peninsula and Southeast Asia, notably in Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Thailand and Bangladesh (Mughlai para ...
: a dish of savoury stuffed roti, usually including minced mutton, garlic, onion, and folded with an omelette, and is eaten with curry sauce. *
Naan Naan ( fa, نان, nān, ur, , ps, نان, ug, نان, hi, नान, bn, নান) is a leavened, oven-baked or tawa-fried flatbread which is found in the cuisines mainly of Western Asia, Central Asia, Indian subcontinent, Indonesia, Ma ...
: a
leavened Bread is a staple food prepared from a dough of flour (usually wheat) and water, usually by baking. Throughout recorded history and around the world, it has been an important part of many cultures' diet. It is one of the oldest human-made food ...
, oven-baked flatbread. It is usually eaten with an array of sauces such as Chutney and curries such as Dhal curry. Some examples of Naan bread include Garlic Naan, Butter Naan, Garlic Butter Naan, Cheese Naan, Garlic Cheese Naan. *
Nasi lemak ''Nasi lemak'' is a dish originating in Malay cuisine that consists of fragrant rice cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaf. It is commonly found in Malaysia, where it is considered the national dish. It is also the native dish in neighbouri ...
: the Malaysian Indian version is similar to the original version. However, many Malaysian Indians are Hindus, and do not eat beef. Therefore, beef is usually not included while preparing the Malaysian Indian version of nasi lemak. There also vegetarian nasi lemak in which the dried anchovies is substituted with vegetarian mock anchovie *
Nasi Kandar Nasi kandar is a popular northern Malaysian dish from Penang, originally introduced by Tamil Muslim traders from India. The meal consists of steamed rice combined with an array of distinct curries, sides dishes, and gravies. The selection of curr ...
: a meal of steamed
rice Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima ''Oryza glaberrima'', commonly known as African rice, is one of the two domesticated rice species. It was first domesticated and grown i ...
which can be plain or mildly flavoured, and served with a variety of curries and side dishes. *
Paneer Paneer (), also known as ponir () is a fresh acid-set cheese common in the Indian subcontinent (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka) made from full-fat buffalo milk or cow milk. It is a non-aged, non-melting soft ...
: a type of cheese made with citrus juice as the coagulation agent instead of
rennet Rennet () is a complex set of enzymes produced in the stomachs of ruminant mammals. Chymosin, its key component, is a protease enzyme that curdles the casein in milk. In addition to chymosin, rennet contains other enzymes, such as pepsin and a ...
, which makes it compatible with lacto-vegetarian diets. Paneer is not a common ingredient in most Malaysian Indian cooking, and is mainly used in North Indian inspired recipes. Examples of dishes made with paneer include paneer Tikka, paneer butter masala and
palak paneer Palak paneer () is an Indian dish consisting of paneer (a type of cheese) in a thick paste made from puréed spinach, called palak in Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, and other Indian languages. The terms palak paneer and saag paneer are sometimes ...
. * Parattal or Peratal: a traditional South Indian dry curry cooked with meat or vegetables. *
Pongal Pongal may refer to: * Pongal (festival), an annual Tamil festival * Pongal (dish) Pongal, also known as pongali or huggi, is an Indian rice dish. In Tamil, "pongal" means "boil" or "bubbling up". The two varieties of pongal are ''chakarai pong ...
: a boiled rice dish which comes in sweet and spicy varieties. It shares the same name as the
harvest festival A harvest festival is an annual celebration that occurs around the time of the main harvest of a given region. Given the differences in climate and crops around the world, harvest festivals can be found at various times at different places. ...
which is celebrated every January; the name of the festival itself is derived from this dish. The sweet variety of pongal, prepared with milk and jaggery, is cooked in the morning. Once the pongal pot has boiled over (symbolism for an abundant harvest), it is then offered as a
prasad 200px, Prasad thaal offered to Swaminarayan temple in Ahmedabad ">Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Ahmedabad">Swaminarayan temple in Ahmedabad Prasada (, Sanskrit: प्रसाद, ), Prasadam or Prasad is a religious offering in Hinduism. Most o ...
to the gods as thanksgiving. *
Poriyal ''Poṟiyal'' ( ta, பொரியல்) is a Tamil word for any fried, or sometimes sautéed, vegetable dish. It is called ''palya'' in Kannada, ''vepudu'' in Telugu, and ''mezhukupuratti'' in Malayalam. It is usually made by shallow frying ...
: the Tamil term for a fried or sauteed dish and is usually vegetarian. The preparation would normally involve tempering mustard seeds, urad dal, onions and then the main vegetable, seasoned with dried red chillis and spices like turmeric and coriander, and finished off with shredded coconut. * Poori: an
unleavened In cooking, a leavening agent () or raising agent, also called a leaven () or leavener, is any one of a number of substances used in doughs and batters that cause a foaming action (gas bubbles) that lightens and softens the mixture. An alterna ...
bread customarily served with halwa, kurma, chana masala, dal, and potato based curries (e.g.: saagu, bhaji, bhujia). *
Puttu Puttu ( ml, പുട്ട്; ta, புட்டு; si, පිට්ටු) (pronounced ), alternatively spelled pittu ( ta, பிட்டு), is a dish native to the South Indian states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and parts of Karnataka, ...
- a speciality of the Ceylonese or Jaffna Tamil community, puttu is a steamed cylinder of ground rice layered with coconut. It is eaten with bananas, brown sugar, and side dishes like vendhaya kolumbu (tamarind stew flavoured with fenugreek seeds and lentils) or kuttu sambal (relish made from pounded coconut, onions, chilli and spices). * Putu mayam (string hoppers / ''idiyappam'') is a sweet dish of rice noodles with coconut and jaggery as main ingredients. It is served with grated coconut and jaggery, or, unrefined block sugar. In some areas, gula melaka (coconut palm sugar) is the favourite sweetener. Putu piring is a version of putu mayam in which the rice flour dough is used to form a small cake around a filling of coconut and brown sugar. The homemade version in Malaysian Indian homes tend to be eaten as a savoury accompaniment to curried dishes or dal. *Ratha Poriyal: Lamb Blood Fry, a dish prepared with goat's blood. Hard to found in local restaurant as it were served and cooked as home food. * Rasam: a type of lentil soup flavoured with pepper, coriander and cumin seeds. *
Roti canai Roti canai (pronunciation: /tʃanaɪ/) or roti prata, also known as roti chenai and roti cane (/tʃane/), is an Indian flatbread dish found in several countries in Southeast Asia, especially in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thaila ...
: Roti Canai is a type of Indian-influenced flatbread popular in Malaysia and Singapore, similar to
Kerala porotta Parotta or Porotta is a layered Indian and Sri Lankan flatbread made from Maida or Atta, alternatively known as flaky ribbon pancake. It is very common in the Indian states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu and widely available in other states like Ka ...
. In Tamil it known as
Parotta Parotta or Porotta is a layered Indian and Sri Lankan flatbread made from Maida or Atta, alternatively known as flaky ribbon pancake. It is very common in the Indian states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu and widely available in other states like Kar ...
. ** Roti tissue: sometimes known as Roti Helikopter (Helicopter bread). Roti Tissue is a much thinner version of traditional Roti canai, almost as thin as a piece of 40–50 cm round-shaped tissue. * Sambar: a thick stew of lentils with vegetables and seasoned with spices. * Seafood curry, different from its Indian counterpart as yogurt is not used in making this curry. *
Tandoori chicken Tandoori chicken is a Cuisine of the Indian subcontinent, South Asian dish of chicken (food), chicken marinated in yogurt and spices and roasting, roasted in a ''tandoor'', a cylindrical clay oven. The dish is now popular world-wide. The moder ...
: chicken marinated in a mixture of spices and yoghurt and cooked in a clay oven. *
Thosai A dosa, also called dosai, dosey, or dosha, is a thin pancake in South Indian cuisine made from a fermented batter of ground black lentils and rice. Dosas are popular in South Asia as well as around the world. Dosas are served hot, often wit ...
: rice and lentil pancake. Also served as a "masala" version that includes spiced potatoes and served with different types of sambar, wrapped with
thosai A dosa, also called dosai, dosey, or dosha, is a thin pancake in South Indian cuisine made from a fermented batter of ground black lentils and rice. Dosas are popular in South Asia as well as around the world. Dosas are served hot, often wit ...
which is fried to a crispier texture then the typical homestyle version. * Upma or uppuma: a South Indian style thick porridge cooked from dry roasted semolina. *
Uttapam An uttapam (or uthapam, uttappam, etc.) is a type of dosa from South India. Unlike a typical dosa, which is crisp and crepe-like, an uttapam is thicker, with toppings. The name is derived from the Tamil words ''appam'' and ''utthia'' or ''uttr ...
: a savoury pancake prepared from a similar batter used to make thosai. Toppings cooked right into the batter may include tomatoes, onion, chillies, capsicum, cabbage and even grated paneer. *
Vada Vada or Vayda may refer to: People *Gunnar Vada (1927–2018), Norwegian politician *Vada Nobles, American record producer *Vada Pinson (1938–1995), American baseball player *Vada Sultenfuss, fictional character in the 1991 film ''My Girl'' * ...
: a small spicy fritter, often formed into a donut-like shape, made from mashed lentils and spices. * Varuval: a dry preparation of pre-cooked meat or vegetables sauteed in oil with whole and ground spices. Chettinad-style varuval favour the use of meat like chicken or mutton cooked with liberal spicing. * Vindalho: an Indian inspired pork dish often found in Kristang households in Malaysia, owing to the community's historical ties with the Indian state of
Goa Goa () is a state on the southwestern coast of India within the Konkan region, geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats. It is located between the Indian states of Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka to the ...
, a former Portuguese colony.


Desserts and sweets

*
Adhirasam Adhirasam ( ta, அதிரசம்), in Kannada, in Telugu, in Marathi, in Chhattisgarhi or in Odia) is a type of Indian sweet from Tamil cuisine, Karnataka cuisine, Telugu cuisine, Chhattisgarhi cuisine, Marathi cuisine and Odia cui ...
: a type of Indian sweet from Tamil cuisine *
Ais kacang ''Ais kacang'' (), literally meaning "bean ice", also commonly known as ABC (acronym for ''air batu campur'' (), meaning "mixed ice"), is a Malaysian dessert which is common in Malaysia, Singapore (where it is called ice ''kachang'') and Brunei ...
: traditionally a special ice machine is used to churn out the shaved ice used in the dessert, originally hand cranked but now more often motorised. *
Cendol Cendol is an iced sweet dessert that contains droplets of green rice flour jelly, coconut milk and palm sugar syrup. It is commonly found in Southeast Asia and is popular in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Cambodia, East Timor, Laos, Vietnam, ...
: smooth green rice noodles in chilled coconut milk and gula melaka (coconut palm sugar). * Gulab jamun: a dessert often eaten at festivals or major celebrations such as marriages and
Deepavali Diwali (), Dewali, Divali, or Deepavali (IAST: ''dīpāvalī''), also known as the Festival of Lights, related to Jain Diwali, Bandi Chhor Divas, Tihar, Swanti, Sohrai, and Bandna, is a religious celebration in Indian religions. It is on ...
*
Halwa Halva (also halvah, halwa, and other spellings, Persian : حلوا) is a type of confectionery originating from Persia and widely spread throughout the Middle East. The name is used for a broad variety of recipes, generally a thick paste made f ...
: a type of dense, sweet fudge-like confection, often flavoured with nuts and spices. *
Jalebi ''Jalebi'' (, , , Urdu: جلیبی‎, , , si, පැණි වළලු, ), is a popular sweet snack in south and west Asia, Africa, and Mauritius. It goes by many names, including ''jilapi'', ''zelepi'','' jilebi'', '' jilipi'', ''zulbia'', ...
: a deep fried sweet made from wheat flour batter shaped into pretzel or circular shapes, which are then soaked in syrup. *
Payasam Kheer, also known as payasam, is a sweet dish and a type of wet pudding popular in the Indian subcontinent, usually made by boiling milk, sugar or jaggery, and rice, although rice may be substituted with one of the following: daals, bulgur whe ...
: an integral part of traditional South Indian culture. *
Modak Modak (Marathi: मोदक; Japanese: 歓喜団; Thai: โมทกะ or ขนมต้ม; Malaysian: Kuih modak; Indonesian: Kue modak; Burmese: မုန့်လုံးရေပေါ်), also referred to as Koḻukattai (கொழ ...
: rice flour dumplings stuffed with coconut and gula melaka. *
Laddu ''Laddu'' or ''laddoo'' (; ms, kuih laddu; id, kue laddu) is a spherical sweet originating from India and spread through the Indian subcontinent and the Malay world. Laddus are primarily made from flour, fat (ghee/butter/oil) and sugar or ...
: ball-shaped sweets popularly served during festive or religious occasions. File:Kheer.jpg, Payasam File:Cendol.png,
Cendol Cendol is an iced sweet dessert that contains droplets of green rice flour jelly, coconut milk and palm sugar syrup. It is commonly found in Southeast Asia and is popular in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Cambodia, East Timor, Laos, Vietnam, ...


Drinks and beverages

* Moru: Buttermilk, made thin with water called 'Neer Moru'. sometimes seasoned with mustard seeds, curry leaves, small onions, called 'Thalicha moru'. * Badam milk: milk, flavoured and thickened with crushed almonds. *
Filter coffee Filter, filtering or filters may refer to: Science and technology Computing * Filter (higher-order function), in functional programming * Filter (software), a computer program to process a data stream * Filter (video), a software component tha ...
: sweet milky coffee made from dark roasted coffee beans (70%-80%) and chicory (20%-30%). *
Lassi Lassi () is a regional name for buttermilk, the traditional dahi (yogurt)–based drink, consumed in the South Asian region. Lassi is a blend of yogurt, water, spices, and sometimes fruit. Salty lassi is similar to doogh, while modern sweet la ...
: Lassi is a cold yoghurt drink served in a tall glass with a straw. It comes in two varieties: salted or sweet. *
Masala chai Masala chai (, ; Urdu: مصالحہ چائے, Hindi: मसाला चाय) is an Indian tea culture, Indian tea beverage made by boiling black tea in milk and water with a mixture of aromatic herbs and spices. Originating in India the bever ...
: a beverage made by brewing tea with a mixture of aromatic Indian spices and herbs. *
Teh tarik Teh tarik () is a popular hot milk tea beverage most commonly found in restaurants, outdoor stalls, mamaks and kopitiams within the Southeast Asian countries of Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand. Its name is derived from the pouring ...
: literally meaning "pulled tea", tarik is a well-loved Malaysian drink. Tea is sweetened using condensed milk, and is prepared using outstretched hands to pour piping hot tea from a mug into a waiting glass, repetitively. The higher the "tarik" or pull, the thicker the froth. The "pulling" of tea also has the effect of cooling down the tea. Teh tarik is an art form in itself and watching the tea streaming back and forth into the containers can be quite captivating. Similar drinks and variants include kopi tarik, or "pulled coffee" instead of tea;
teh halia ''Teh'' is an Internet slang neologism most frequently used as an English article (grammar), article, based on a common typographical error of "''the".'' ''Teh'' has subsequently developed grammatical usages distinct from ''the''. It is not commo ...
, tea brewed with ginger, and with or without the ''tarik'' treatment; and madras, which is prepared with three separate layers: milk at the bottom, black tea in the middle and foam at the top.


Snacks

There is a large variety of bite-sized savoury snacks popular not only with the Indian community, but the wider Malaysian population as well. Street vendors selling ''kacang putih'', a collective term for snacks made of flour, nuts or legumes and many types of spices roasted or fried to golden yellow are still a common sight. * Achu Murukku: Also known as Rose Cookies. Anglo Indian cookie and the favorite during festive time like Diwali and Christmas. * Banana chips: deep-fried or dried slices of bananas (fruits of herbaceous plants of the genus Musa of the soft, sweet "dessert banana" variety). They can be covered with sugar or honey and have a sweet taste, or they can be fried in oil and spices and have a salty or spicy taste *
Bombay mix Bombay mix is an Indian snack mix (namkeen) which consists of a variable mixture of spicy dried ingredients, such as fried lentils, peanuts, chickpeas, chickpea flour ganthiya, corn, vegetable oil, puffed rice, fried onion and curry leaves. Thi ...
:Indian snack mix which consists of a variable mixture of spicy dried ingredients, such as fried lentils, peanuts, chickpea flour ghatia (sev), corn, vegetable oil, chickpeas, flaked rice, fried onion and curry leaves. *
Bonda Bonda is a deep-fried South Indian potato snack that has various sweet and savory versions in different regions. The most common is ''aloo bonda'' ( potato ''bonda''), and other region-specific variations include potato replaced with sweet po ...
: a typical South Indian snack that has various sweet and spicy versions of it at different regions. *
Murukku Murukku (Malayalam – മുറുക്ക്, Tamil – முறுக்கு) is a savoury, crunchy snack originating from the Indian subcontinent. The name ''murukku'' derives from the Tamil word for "twisted", which refers to its shape. ...
: a savoury snack consisting of a deep-fried spiral of legume-based batter. Murukku is typically made from a mixture of urad and
rice flour Rice flour (also rice powder) is a form of flour made from finely milled rice. It is distinct from rice starch, which is usually produced by steeping rice in lye. Rice flour is a common substitute for wheat flour. It is also used as a thickening a ...
, salt, and flavourings such as chili, asafoetida,
ajwain Ajwain, ajowan (), or ''Trachyspermum ammi''—also known as ajowancaraway, omam (in Tamil), thymol seeds, bishop's weed, or carom—is an annual herb in the family Apiaceae. Both the leaves and the seed‑like fruit (often mistakenly called ...
, and other spices. Murukku is traditionally enjoyed as a treat on
Deepavali Diwali (), Dewali, Divali, or Deepavali (IAST: ''dīpāvalī''), also known as the Festival of Lights, related to Jain Diwali, Bandi Chhor Divas, Tihar, Swanti, Sohrai, and Bandna, is a religious celebration in Indian religions. It is on ...
. *
Pakora Pakora () is a spiced fritter originating from the Indian subcontinent. They are sold by street vendors and served in restaurants in South Asia and UK. It consists of items, often vegetables such as potatoes and onions, coated in seasoned gram ...
: a spicy Indian snack that consists of a core food (like soaked potato or fried onions), similar to potato fritters, with several variants. It is usually used as a topping on various Indian meals but has become popular to eat alone as a snack. *
Papadum A papad is an Indian deep fried dough of black gram bean flour, either fried or cooked with dry heat (flipped over an open flame) until crunchy. Other flours made from lentils, chickpeas, rice, tapioca, millet or potato are also used. ''Papad' ...
: a thin, crisp disc-shaped cracker typically based on a seasoned dough made from black gram (urad flour), fried or cooked with dry heat. Flours made from other sources such as lentils, chickpeas, rice, or potato, can be used. Papadams are typically served as an accompaniment to a meal, or eaten on its own as a snack. * Kacang Kuda Rebus: Chickpeas tossed in curry leaves, chillies and mustard seeds.Known as Sundal in Tamil * Kerepek Ubi Kayu *
Samosa A samosa () or singara is a fried Indian pastry with a savory filling, including ingredients such as spiced potatoes, onions, and peas. It may take different forms, including triangular, cone, or half-moon shapes, depending on the region. Samo ...
, is a fried or baked pastry with a savoury filling, such as spiced potatoes, onions, peas, lentils, macaroni, noodles or minced meat


References

{{Indians in Malaysia Indian cuisine outside India Indian fusion cuisine Indian-Malaysian culture Malaysian cuisine