| Malaysia is situated in south east Asia and is rather | | | | with shrimp paste, pepper, ginger, turmeric, lemon grass |
| unusual in that one part lies south of Thailand on the | | | | or tamarind. Rice was always a staple in this area and |
| south east Asian peninsular, with Singapore at its tip. | | | | being a major part of Indian and Chinese food too, |
| This is where the capital, Kuala Lumpur, is to be found. | | | | remained as central to the diet. Muslim Malays |
| The other part lies across the South China Sea and | | | | excluded pork and Indian Hindus excluded beef but |
| forms the northern one third of the island of Borneo, | | | | delicate Chinese flavourings, Indian spices and herbs |
| surrounding the Sultanate of Brunei. | | | | from South East Asian made an appearance. |
| Malaysia has a mixed history which reflects in today's | | | | Nasi means cooked rice in Malay and Nasi Goreng, |
| cuisine. | | | | that well known Indonesian dish, is cooked rice, usually |
| In the 15th Century, the southwest (April to October) | | | | fried with flavourings for breakfast. For special |
| and northeast (October to February) monsoons | | | | occasions it has a fried egg on top. But I digress, Malay |
| brought the ships of the Arabs, Indians and Chinese | | | | Nasi dishes include Nasi Kander, much influenced by |
| who traded in spices, silk and precious stones. Many of | | | | Indian cuisine and consisting of both fish and meat |
| the traders remained behind and married local women. | | | | curry, rice and hard boiled eggs. This dish used to be |
| A slow conversion to Islam began, which meant that | | | | bought from an itinerant salesman who carried his |
| pork was excluded from the Malay diet. | | | | wares in baskets suspended from a pole over his |
| The 16th Century saw the arrival of the Portuguese, | | | | shoulder (kinder means shoulder in an Indian dialect). A |
| who brought chillies with them, the Dutch and the | | | | bit of everything would be placed on a banana leaf |
| British, all of whom remained for some time to rule the | | | | and the sauce dripped over the hard boiled eggs. |
| country. | | | | The Malays adopted some Indian recipes and in return |
| During the late 18th and 19th centuries, Great Britain | | | | the Indians started to add galangal, lemon grass and |
| established colonies and protectorates in the area and | | | | coconut to their food. Then came the food of the |
| brought in more Indians and Chinese to work in the tin | | | | Nonyas which resulted from the marriage of Malay |
| mines and rubber plantations. Many of these Asians | | | | men to Chinese women which introduced Chinese |
| stayed too and from all these influences, current day | | | | seasonings such as star anise and salty soy sauce. |
| Malay cuisine evolved. | | | | The resultant cuisine is a pleasant mix of hot and spicy |
| Originally, Malay cooking consisted of fish flavoured | | | | with mild and perfumed. |