As Malaysians, many of us have extreme attachments to our food. Back in pre-Covid-19 days, many of us would go out and jalan-jalan at pasar malam(s) to enjoy the delicious snacks street vendors had to offer. While those occasions are becoming increasingly rare as the pandemic goes on, many have used this opportunity to work on their culinary skills instead! If you’re craving some street food and a chance to put your cooking skills to the test, here’s a few recipes you definitely have to try out.
Here are the top 4 Malaysian street foods that locals know and love. These recipes are relatively simple so don’t be afraid to try them out for yourself at home!
1. Lok Lok
Nothing makes us happier than standing in the low light under a tree as we struggle to blow out the freshly fried wan tan before dipping it in a variety of sauces next to a lok lok truck for supper. To get the same ambience is almost impossible but we can definitely try to replicate that taste in our mouths.
All you need are frozen crab meat, sausages, mushrooms, fish balls, tofu, and meat of your choice and stick it on a skewer or stick. Then either fry them or boil them in tom yum or chicken-based broth. Alternatively, you can follow this recipe on Asian inspirations and enjoy your lok lok over a Zoom call with your buddies as you reminisce about the good ol’ days.
2. Apam Balik
Do you guys remember the mouthwatering smell of sweet corn and nuts that wafted through the air as you walked along the pasar malam stalls? Before you know it, you’re already ordering a bagful of apam balik. Regardless of whether you’re a fan of the crunchy thin versions or the thick and savoury apam balik, both are very close to the heart of Malaysians.
All you need to do to enjoy this addictive snack is prepare some pancake batter and pour it on a pan. Add in sweet corn, peanuts, butter, and sugar according to the amount of your choice. Fold it and enjoy the sweet delicacy with some tea! Want to be creative? Add some chocolate or cheese to it and the fusion is bound to come out delicious. You can refer to this recipe by Nyonya Cooking for more details.
3. Rojak
Many would agree that aside from the distinct and flavourful sauce and nuts found in rojak, what we tend to look forward most from getting this dish is the smiling Mamak uncle serving us out of his truck as we dine under the luxurious open sky and plastic tables set up along the road. Until we can go back to dining outside, we’ll make do with this simple recipe.
All you need for the rojak would be Malaysian fruits (but you can go ahead and include fancy international fruits if you want to), some nuts, and rojak sauce that you can make at home with this recipe from Rasa.my. You can even buy it on Shopee. Give all of this a good stir just like the uncle at his truck before indulging in it.
4. Claypot rice
Claypot rice is the ultimate Malaysian comfort food. No matter how hot the day is, or how spice-intolerant we are, nobody would pass up on the opportunity to order this dish. Be it chicken rice, mushroom rice, or curry rice, the spicy salty taste is always amazing when it’s from a claypot.
For this recipe, you’ll need an authentic clay pot which you can purchase on Shopee.
You can then cook your dish (we would highly recommend fish curry), chicken rice or even noodles of your choice and stir it all together. Savour it while it’s still hot and straight from the pot for the best taste. Here’s a full recipe of how to make Claypot chicken rice from the Asian Food Network to get you started.
Already facing food coma by just looking at these? Show your Malaysian spirit and try your hand at making some of these street foods!
Which one are you going to try out?
Also read: We Tried This New Plant-Based Snack Thatâs Guilt-Free & Itâs So Good!
