8 Popular Must-Try Malaysian Street Foods

Southeast Asia has a magnificent array of delicious street food. Each country and the cultures within have their own flavour-packed specials. Malaysia is no different. With cities, towns and villages along the peninsula, as well as the scenic northern mountains and coastal lands of Borneo, you will never be short of gastronomic delights to explore.

The places you will find them are unique, too. Malay food stalls offer the spicy, savoury wonders of Malay cuisine. Kopitiams serve up a selection of comforting Chinese faves. Hawker centres and night markets offer a plethora of both and more. Indian restaurants with their marvellous, zesty, piquant delights. The ever-welcoming Mamak diners serve up easy, spicy, and savoury Indian-Muslim treats. And, that’s not counting the many wet markets, food streets, roadside hawker stalls and food trucks with their awesome yummies.

So, let’s start off with 8 popular Malaysian street food specials you should absolutely try, and you can add them to your home-cook menu with our authentic recipes!

Nasi Lemak

The delish and satisfying Nasi Lemak is a combo of rice cooked with coconut milk, crunchy fried anchovies, toasted peanuts, hard-boiled egg, spicy Sambal paste, and sliced cucumber to ease the zest. It’s Malaysia’s favourite breakfast and late afternoon treat. The roadside hawkers sell them in tight banana leaf wraps, while the diners’ Nasi Lemak may come with additional spicy meats, seafood or veggies of your choice. Households have their own recipes, too. Here’s an authentic Malaysian Mum’s Nasi Lemak for you to savor!

Gulai Ayam

Malay curries are called Gulai. Most common with chicken and potato in a creamy, zesty, savoury curry. Flavoured and enriched with turmeric, cumin, coriander, galangal, ginger, dried chilli, shallots, and garlic. Then made fragrant with cinnamon and lemongrass. Pure sensational satisfaction in a bowl, best enjoyed with rice. A beloved Malaysian street food you can make with our easy authentic recipe.  

Mee Rebus

Mee Rebus is a one-bowl street food meal of slurpy yellow noodles in a savoury, spicy gravy made of beef/chicken stock, sweet potatoes and a host of herbs and spices. Garnished with crunchy bean sprouts, savoury fried tofu, eggs, piquant green chillies, celery, spring onion and a slice of lime to add a tangy, fruity bit of juice for a refreshing aroma. A Malaysian food stall and a Mamak favourite!

Char Kway Teow

Stir-fried in the flaming woks of Chinese hawkers, the Char Kway Teow glistens with a tantalising sheen, and every mouthful is a soft, chewy and savoury blast. Flat rice noodles, prawns, sweet Chinese sausage, scrambled egg, and bean sprouts; flavoured with light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, ground white pepper, and a pinch of salt. You can whip it up in just 15 minutes. Let Chef Karen Chan show you how.

KL Hokkien Mee

Also from the woks of Chinese hawkers is the Hokkien Mee. This deeply savoury darling is enjoyed from roadside stalls to specialised diners. It features springy yellow noodles, prawns, pork and leafy greens. Yummified with a blend of oyster sauce, dark caramel soy sauce, salt and pepper; resulting in a saucy, savoury and sumptuous one-plate meal, served with spicy Sambal sauce. Cook it up in just 20 minutes!

Penang Chee Cheong Fun

Chee Cheong Fun literally means ‘pig intestine noodles’, but don’t worry, there are no pork innards actually involved! The name simply comes from the long white bouncy noodles that resemble them. Chinese food names can be funny like that. The dish was well-known in Cantonese cuisine, and Malaysians have different variants of Chee Cheong Fun, depending on where you find it. In the streets of scenic Penang Island, Chee Cheong Fun is flavoured with a combo of sweet bean sauce, chilli sauce and shrimp paste with a funky, savoury taste. Garnished with fragrant fried shallots and toasted sesame seeds. A popular quick breakfast and late afternoon snack dish. Come grab the authentic Penang Chee Cheong Fun recipe!

Kolo Mee

From the East Malaysian state of Sarawak comes the savoury and scrumptious Kolo Mee. Blanched springy noodles are tossed with pork mince, and a blend of light soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil and shallot oil. Topped with chewy, savoury char siu roast pork and refreshing choy sum. Served with tangy green chillies and spicy chilli sauce. Easy, yummy and comforting!

Cendol

Malaysia is a land of perpetual tropical heat with rainy seasons. So, it’s no surprise that icy desserts are a beloved street food. Cendol is among the all-time faves. Made of green bean flour, rice flour and tapioca flour with pandan that gives it its colour and a vanilla-like fragrance, the bright green Cendol is a soft and chewy jelly ‘noodle’. Combined with sweet red kidney beans, creamed corn, ice cubes and shaved ice, all sweetened with palm sugar syrup and coconut milk. Cooling, yummy and satiates your sweet tooth like no other. Add it to your summer treats with our authentic recipe!

More Awesome Malaysian Flavours

These are just a small taste of the many Malaysian dishes that will wow your tastebuds. Come check out our massive collection of Malaysian recipes you should absolutely savour!