Journey to the Heart of Malaysia through its Breakfast Culture
2 min readMalaysia’s Breakfast Culture features staple foods beloved by all Malaysians, fostering unity and harmony within its multi-ethnic societies.
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Malaysia’s Breakfast Culture may be included in UNESCO’s “Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity” soon
by Claudia Laroye
To the delight of the crowd, the man dressed in a brightly patterned silk shirt is taking the art of pulling iconic teh tarik, Malaysian pull tea, to new heights.
The fact that it’s none other than Mr. Mohd Afandi bin Abu Bakar, Consul General of Malaysia in Vancouver, who’s masterfully pouring the hot combination of strong black tea and sweet condensed milk from one container to the other, is an impressive surprise.
According to the Consul General, the Malaysian breakfast practice holds profound significance in the country’s culinary heritage, one that is deeply ingrained in the fabric of its overall culture. Malaysian population consists of people of different races, religions and race, including the Malays, Chinese, Indians and non-Malay Bumiputra. (Source: Malaysia Government)
“Malaysian Breakfast Culture is such a unique experience,” Mr. Afandi notes. The ingredients, dishes and flavours are woven into the country’s rich cultural history even before its formal founding in 1963. The Breakfast Cultural practice serves to unite the diverse ethnic and religious population in Malaysia in a common love of universally shared dishes.
“It represents a traditional custom of embracing multiculturalism, where individuals from diverse backgrounds gather to savor and share delightful morning delicacies in both public and private settings,” Mr. Afandi says.
What is Malaysian Breakfast Culture?
Malaysian Breakfast Culture revolves around specific dishes and one signature beverage, specifically nasi lemak, roti canai and teh tarik.
Nasi lemak is the mainstay. A portion of fragrant, fluffy rice is cooked in rich coconut milk. It is garnished with tiny crispy anchovies, spicy sambal, hard-boiled eggs, roasted peanuts, slices of cucumber and then wrapped snugly in a banana leaf. It’s a savoury, delicious bundle of textures and flavour sensations – a full meal in itself.
Roti canai comprises the purely starch portion of the meal. Roti means bread, and in this case, it’s a fluffy flatbread that is first rolled, then fried and torn apart to be dipped into rich chicken curry or lentil dal.
