Mee bandung is a Malay noodle dish that originated in Muar. The dish combines yellow noodles with a thick, spicy sauce that consists of chilies, onions, shrimp paste, and dried shrimps. Each mee bandung is topped with a variety of condiments that typically include halved boiled eggs, shrimps, fishcakes, vegetables, and occasionally beef, while the dish is best finished off with a splash of lime juice.
The term bandung roughly translates as mixed or paired and is not related to a namesake Indonesian city.
Char kway teow is one of the most popular street dishes in Malaysia and Singapore. Despite numerous regional varieties, it is usually made with flat rice noodles, shrimps, eggs, cockles, bean sprouts, chives, and Chinese sausage. All the ingredients are usually fried and coated in soy sauce, while some versions also incorporate shrimp paste, garlic, fried pork lard, and sometimes even yellow wheat noodles.
Among the numerous theories about the origin of the dish, the most popular claims that it was invented in the Singaporean Teochew community by Chinese immigrants, while the name stems from Hokkien, char meaning fried and kway teow denoting flat rice noodles.
MOST ICONIC Char kway teow
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Traditionally associated with the regions of Kelantan and Terengganu, this flavorful Malaysian soup consists of rolled rice noodles served in a creamy fish broth. The noodles are prepared with a thin rice flour batter that is poured on a flat surface, steamed, and then rolled and sliced into bite-sized pieces.
The broth served alongside the noodles is made with coconut milk and creamy fish paste, and is usually seasoned with ginger, shallots, and garlic. The whole dish is complemented by various vegetables such as sliced cucumbers or green beans and is usually accompanied by spicy sambal.
MOST ICONIC Laksam
Penang version of the dish known as Hokkien mee is significantly different from the varieties that can be found in other parts of Malaysia and Singapore. Often referred as prawn mee, the dish consists of a broth that is flavored with prawns and pork ribs, and which comes topped with ingredients such as sliced pork, rice and wheat noodles, bean sprouts, prawns, kangkong (water spinach), fried shallots, and boiled eggs.
This hawker classic is usually served with a chili-based sauce. As the name suggests, the origins of the dish are among the Hokkien community who emigrated from Chinese province of Fujian.
MOST ICONIC Penang Hokkien Mee
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Characterized by its rich and spicy broth, this comforting noodle soup is one of the classic dishes found in many Southeast Asian countries. It was developed under the influence of different culinary traditions, which has led to the creation of numerous regional varieties that differ in flavors and ingredients.
Two of the most famous versions are the sour, tamarind-based asam laksa and the creamy curry laksa. Especially favored in Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia, laksa is usually prepared and enjoyed at hawker centers as a hearty main course.
VARIATIONS OF Laksa
MOST ICONIC Laksa
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Beef kway teow is a Singaporean and Malaysian noodle dish that can be served either as a quick meal or as a side dish to bigger meals. In order to prepare it, broad and flat rice noodles are stir-fried with vegetables and herbs, and topped with slices of beef.
There is also a version of this dish in a form of a soup similar to Thai beef soup, but it is usually prepared as a "dry" dish, in a thick gravy flavored with chili, soy sauce, and sesame oil. A variety of the dish is popular in Indonesia, where it’s commonly enriched with garlic, meatballs, cabbage, soy sauce, and black pepper.
Curry mee is a spicy noodle soup commonly eaten in Malaysia and Singapore (where it's often called curry laksa). It is a true fusion dish, influenced by Indian, Chinese, and Southeast Asian culinary traditions. It is one of the numerous varieties of laksa, the quintessential noodle soups of Southeast Asia.
The basis for this creamy dish is made with curry and coconut milk which form the unusual sweet and spicy sauce. Although very similar to curry, the sauce for curry mee is usually much thinner, but still has a strong and rich flavor. Traditionally, thin rice noodles are used in curry mee, and they are often cut into smaller pieces in order to ease the consumption.
MOST ICONIC Curry Mee
MAIN INGREDIENTS
The perfect blend of spicy, sweet, savory, and umami flavors, penang laksa is a popular Malaysian street food, originating from the north-western state of Penang. This hearty noodle soup is made with poached mackerel (or sardines), tamarind, lemongrass, and chili peppers as the base ingredients.
Other commonly used garnishes include ginger flower buds, pineapple slices, onions, mint, and shrimp paste (hae ko). But, regardless of all the specific recipes, the result is always a rich and strong-flavored dish that has earned the adoration of both locals and travelers alike.
Assam laksa is a traditional fish-based sour noodle soup. It is the one of the numerous varieties of laksa, popular noodle soups widespread throughout Southeast Asia. The dish consists of rice noodles, shredded fish, and sliced vegetables, most commonly cucumber, onion, and lettuce.
It has a distinctively tangy taste, which is attributed to tamarind, the sour ingredient generously used to spice the dish. The exact origin of the dish is unknown, but it is believed that it has originated in the coastal areas of Malaysia among the local fishermen who assembled the dish out of available ingredients.
MOST ICONIC Assam laksa
View moreThis popular noodle dish hails from Malaysia, and it should not be confused with the similar Singaporean version or significantly different variety that comes from Penang—but which curiously share the same name. Malaysian Hokkien mee that is mainly associated with Kuala Lumpur usually consists of egg-based wheat noodles that are braised with sliced pork, pork lard, prawns, and cabbage.
The whole dish is generously coated in a thick and dark sauce that is based on soy sauce and prawn stock. It is usually served with sliced scallions and chili or shrimp paste (belacan) on the side. Because of its name, Malaysian Hokkien mee is also believed to have its origins among the Hokkien community, an ethnic group native to Chinese Fujian.
MOST ICONIC Hokkien mee Malaysia
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