Top 5 things to try in Malaysia

Nasi Lemak
Milo
Satay
Teh Tarik
Laksa

1) Nasi Lemak

A staple favourite dish here is Nasi Lemak which is coconut rice served on banana leaf with either meat or vegetables. Even if you are not a fan of rice, this dish is worth trying and there are plenty of places serving this authentic dish across Malaysia:

2) Milo

This one was a bit of a discovery for me having never heard of the brand before. Apparently it is popular in Australia too. Most large restaurants, cafes and juice bars serve this drink and it is essentially a chocolate milkshake (a bit like Nesquik). It can be consumed hot or cold, but my preference is definitely cold. Ask for “Milo Ice” when ordering

3) Satay

Another staple dish of Malaysia is Satay which are grilled meat skewers (beef/chicken) served with peanut butter and cucumber. Normally you can buy 6 or 12 sticks, either way they are perfect as a snack or a light lunch

4) Teh Tarik

The national drink of Malaysia, no trip to this part of the world can be complete without sampling this tea. Teh Tarik, referred to as “Pulled tea” is black tea with condensed milk and sugar. It is very frothy (due to the process of pouring) and sweet - which is exactly how it should be served. It has influences of chinese and indian style tea - if you have ever had indian Chai then it looks a bit like that.

5) Laksa

Laksa is a popular Peranakan dish (chinese-malay fusion) which is a spicy noodle soup. Usually served with meat or fish, the noodles swim in a creamy coconut sauce which takes the edge of the spice - but be warned it is still very spicy!

There are different variants of this dish - this picture below is the Baba Laksa