Malaysian cuisine

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See also:List of Malaysian dishes

Nasi lemak-National dishofMalaysia

Street food a cook preparingmurtabakat amamak stallMalaysian cuisineconsists of cooking traditions and practices found in theSoutheast Asiancountry ofMalaysia, and reflects the multiethnic makeup of its population.[1]The vast majority ofMalaysia's population can roughly be divided amongst three major ethnic groups:Malays,ChineseandIndians. The remainder consists of the indigenous peoples ofSabahandSarawakinEast Malaysia, theOrang AsliofPeninsular Malaysia, thePeranakanandEurasiancreole communities, as well as a significant number of foreign workers and expatriates. As a result of historical migrations, colonization by foreign powers, and its geographical position within its wider home region, Malaysia's culinary style in the present day is primarily a melange of traditions from its Malay, Chinese, Indian, Indonesian and ethnic Bornean citizens, with heavy to light influences fromThai,Portuguese,Dutch, andBritish cuisines- to name a few. This resulted in a symphony of flavors, making Malaysian cuisine highly complex and diverse.

Because Peninsular Malaysia shares a common cultural history with theRepublic of Singapore, it is common to find versions of the same dish across both sides of the border regardless of place of origin. Malaysia also shares close historical, cultural, and ethnic ties withIndonesia, and both nations often claim a common origin for dishes such asnasi gorengandsatay- sometimes contentiously.

This people also eat Rice,Congee,Noodles,Bread ,Meat,Vegetables,etc.Rice[edit]Rice (Malay:nasi) was and still is the most important staple food in Malaysia. According to Indonesian-born food and cookery writer Sri Owen, there is some evidence for rice cultivation found in the state ofSarawakin MalaysianBorneodated 2300 BC, and about 900 years of history for the state ofKelantanin West Malaysia. TodayMalaysiaproduces about seventy percent of the amount of rice it needs to support itself, and the rest is imported.[2]This is a matter of policy as the government believes that national resources can be used more profitably instead of attempting to achieve self-sufficiency with rice production; the prevalent attitude is that revenue generated from its industries enables the country to import up to half the rice it needs.[3]Nevertheless, the government is fully committed and involved in planning, allocating resources and managing subsidies for the rice farming industry. The state of Kedah is considered the "rice bowl"[4]

HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysian_cuisine" \l "cite_note-5" [5](Malay:jelapang padi) of the country, accounting for about half of Malaysia's total production ofrice.

Congee[edit]Congeeis a type of riceporridgeor gruel popular among Malaysia's ethnic communities. It is eaten primarily as a breakfast food or late supper. It is also considered particularly suitable for the sick as a mild, easily digestible food.[7]Congee is calledbuburinMalay; written inChinese, pronounced aszhouinMandarinandjukinCantonese; andkanji() inTamil. It may be served plain with little embellishment, or cooked with ingredients like fish slices, seafood, chicken, beef, pork, vegetables, and even spices. The importance and popularity of congee in the Malaysian diet is such thatbubur ayamor chicken congee is a permanent fixture on the menu of MalaysianMcDonald'srestaurants.[8]Noodles[edit]Noodlesare another popular staple, particularly in Malaysian Chinese cuisine, but used by other groups as well. Noodles such as bi hoon (,Hokkien: b-hn,Malay: bihun;rice vermicelli),kuay teow(, Hokkien: ke-tiu) or ho fun (,Cantonese: ho4 fan2;flat rice noodles), mee ( or , Hokkien: m, Malay: mi; yellow noodles), mee suah ( or , Hokkien: m-sa;wheat vermicelli), yee meen ( or , Cantonese: ji1 min6;golden wheat noodles), dongfen(, Hokkien: tang-hn, Cantonese: dung1 fan2;cellophane noodles), Lao Shu Fen (, Cantonese: lou5 syu2 fan2;silver needle noodles), and others provide an alternative source of carbohydrate to a serving of rice that accompanies every meal.

Climate of MalaysiaTheclimate of Malaysiais driven by its equatorial position, extensivecoastlineson tropicalseasand monsoonal winds. Because Malaysia is situatedbetweenone and six degrees North latitude,Malaysiahas an equatorial climate with uniformly high temperatures, high humidity, relatively light winds, andabundant rainfall throughout the year. Themain causes ofclimatic variationwithinMalaysia are differencesin altitude and the exposure.

INCLUDEPICTURE "http://www.jstor.org/discover/pgs/index?id=10.2307/2049280&img=dtc.72.tif.gif&uid=3737496&uid=2&uid=4&sid=21104176605561&orig=/discover/10.2307/2049280?uid=3737496&uid=2&uid=4&sid=21104176605561" \* MERGEFORMATINET VegetationAs late as the middle of the 19th century, the great bulk - perhaps as much as 95% - of the land area of Borneo was forested. Alfred Russel Wallace, like other Western travellers, was enchanted by the island's natural wealth and diversity: ranges of hill and valley everywhere, he wrote, everywhere covered with interminable forest. But Borneo's jungle is disappearing fast and since the mid-1980s there has been a mounting international environmental campaign against deforestation. The campaign has been particularly vocal in Sarawak but other parts of the island are also suffering rapid deforestation, notably Sabah and also Indonesia's province of East Kalimantan. It has been estimated that 32% of terrestrial mammals, 70% of leaf beetles, and 50% of flowering plants are endemic to Borneo; in other words, they are found nowhere else.

Wildlife

MammalsThe continual development of forested areas has destroyed many habitats in recent years. The biggest mammal in Malaysia and Asia is the Asiaticelephant

. Adult elephants weigh up to three to four tonnes; they are rarely seen, although the carnage caused by a passing herd can sometimes be seen in Taman NegaraNational

Park.

Borneo'sOrang-Utan

(

Pongo pygmaeus

) is also known as 'man of the jungle', after the translation from the Malay: orang (man), utan (jungle). The orang-utan is endemic to the tropical forests of Sumatra and Borneo. The Sumatran animals tend to keep the reddish tinge to their fur, while the Bornean ones go darker as they mature.

Malaysia's cutest animal is the little slow loris, with its huge sad eyes and lethargic manner; among the most exotic is the flying lemur, whose legs and tail are joined together by a skin membrane. It parachutes and glides from tree to tree, climbing each one to find a new launch-pad.The two-horned Sumatranrhinoceros

, also known as the hairy rhinoceros, is the smallest of all rhinos and was once widespread throughout Sumatra and Borneo. The population has been greatly reduced by excessive hunting.One of the strangest Malayan mammals is the

tapir

, with its curled snout - or trunk - and white bottom. Other large mammals include thecommon wild pig

and the

bearded pig

, and theseladang (or gaur) wild cattle; the latter live in herds in deep jungle.

Malaysia's most famous carnivore is thetiger

-harimau

in Malay. Tigers still roam the jungle in the centre of the Peninsula, and on several occasions have made appearances in the Cameron Highlands, particularly during the dry season, when they move into the mountains to find food.BirdsIn ornithological circles, Malaysia is famed for its varied birdlife. The country is visited by many migratory water birds, and there are several wetland areas where the Malayan Nature Society has set up birdwatching hides; the most accessible to Kuala Lumpur is the Kuala Selangor Nature Park. There are also spectacular birds of prey, the most common of which are thehawk eagles

andbrahminy kites

.

ReptilesThe kings of Malaysia's reptile population are the giantleatherback turtles

,

hawksbill

and

green turtles

; there are several other species of turtle and three species of land tortoise. The most notorious reptile is theestuarine crocodile

(

Crocodilus porosus

) - which can grow up to 8 m long.

Lizards

include common house geckos (

Hemidactylus frenatus

- orcikcak

in Malay), green-crested lizards (

Calotes cristatellus

), which change colour like chameleons, and flying lizards (

Draco

), which have an extendable undercarriage allowing the lizard to glide from tree to tree.The Malaysian jungles also have 140 species of frogs and toads, which are more often heard than seen. Some are dramatically coloured, such as the appropriately namedgreen-backed frog

(

Rana erythraea

) and others have particular skills, such asWallace's flying frog

(

Rana migropalmatus

) which parachutes around on its webbed feet.

Of Malaysia's 100-odd land snakes, only 16 are poisonous; all 20 species of sea snake are poisonous. The most feared venomous snake is theking cobra

(

Naja hannah

), which grows to well over 4 m long and is olive-green with an orange throat-patch.InsectsMalaysia has a literally countless population of insect species; new ones are constantly being discovered and named.The environmental costs of growthAs Malaysia has become more wealthy, and the middle class has burgeoned, so environmental concerns have gained greater prominence. In 1993 the Department of the Environment released figures revealing that of Peninsular Malaysia's 116 major rivers, 85 were either 'biologically dead' or 'dying'. Air quality is also a source of concern, especially in the Klang Valley, an agglomeration of industrial activity around Kuala Lumpur. Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) are now, in theory, compulsory for every development project, but most companies undertake to do them only grudgingly, if at all. The claim that, as a developing country, Malaysia can ill-afford the 'luxury' of such things is wearing very thin as wealth spreads with each year of 8% growth. The government recognizes that the environment is fast becoming a political issue, and like any good political party is trying to climb aboard the bandwagon.

Most accounts of Malaysia's environmental problems - some would characterize it as a 'crisis' - concentrate on the East Malaysian states of Sarawak and Sabah. In a sense the Peninsula is a lost cause: deforestation has been so extensive that the only large areas remaining are already gazetted as national parks. In East Malaysia, though, there is a sense that if only logging could be better controlled then the natural wealth of Malaysian Borneo could be preserved.

The hazeFor years now, Malaysia (and Singapore) has had to deal with what is locally called 'the haze': a choking fog that reduces visibility to no more than a few metres and causes severe health problems.

In 2010 haze is still an issue, with the hottest months of June and October. People in Singapore, KL and Penang regularly suffer the smell of acrid burning in the air, breathing difficulties and sore throats with a kind of fatalistic acceptance. It is thought that the worst years are those when the fires burning in Kalimantan and Sumatra combine with the drying effects of El Nino. The year 2006 saw another particularly bad year when Malaysia was again severely affected with places in Negeri Sembilan recording Air Pollution Index (API) numbers of over 190. Sarawak was also badly affected with authorites threatening to close schools. Rain in mid-October brought API numbers down and doused many of the slow-burning fires. Singapore saw its API briefly rising to an unhealthy 150 in early October, the highest level since 1997.

Asaltwater crocodile.

AnIndochinese Tiger.

Hypselodoris bullockioff Sipadan

Public Transport in Malaysia

Information on train, taxi, bus and coach services to, from and around Malaysia...

Malaysia has well developed transport networks and efficient rail links. Its international ports and airports are well connected to bus and train services, making travel to, from and around the country easy and efficient.

Most domestic transport in Malaysia is comfortable and reasonably priced, with air travel the most expensive. It is advisable to book domestic transport well in advance during the main festivals, such as Chinese New Year, Hari Raya Pusa and Hari Raya Haji. Domestic flights and domestic express bus services are often sold out weeks before these festivals.

Transportation in larger cities is good with many different means of transport. In Kuala Lumpur, for example, there are buses, minibuses (bas-mini), taxis, pedicabs (trishaws), as well as trains.

In Malaysian towns and cities various modes of transport are used, including ferry services. In cities the rail network is a good way to get around, especially theKL Monorailandtransit trains.

Malay Custom And TraditionsAug 10, 2012

Although Islam has long been the religion of the Malays, their animistic and Hindu past has had strong influences upon the Malay heritage. This is evident in many of their traditional beliefs, customs and rituals, as well as in manifestations of artistic expression. Traditional practices and customary law (adat) remain important in ceremonial situations. The two best known systems are the Adat Temenggong and the Adat Perpatih. Everyday code of conduct, healing rituals and those connected with harvests, birth, ear-piercing, circumcision or the conduct ofweddingsmanifest a fusion of cultures. The same is true of activities connected with royal ceremonies including that of the coronation. Certain rites, such as those connected with funeral, however, remain strictly Islamic in character.

10 Top Tourist Attractions in Malaysia

Last updated on September 3, 2013inSouth East Asia|10 commentsMalaysiaofferstwo very distinct experiences: the peninsula and Borneo (an island shared with Indonesia and Brunei). The peninsula is a mix of Malay, Chinese and Indian flavors with an efficient and modern capital, Kuala Lumpur. Malaysian Borneo features some of the most interesting places in Malaysia with a wild jungle, orangutans, granite peaks and remote tribes. Combined with some beautiful islands, luxury resorts and colonials towns, Malaysia, for most visitors, presents a happy mix.

Almost 2 million foreign tourists traveled to Malaysia in 2010. Most of them were citizens from neighboring countries such as Singapore and Indonesia but a growing number of other foreign tourists are discovering this country as well.

The top 10 Malaysia tourist attractions:

10Cameron Highlands 8Taman Negara 7Pulau Tiomanflickr/soham_pablo6Mount Kinabaluflickr/Eric in SFWith a summit height at 4,095 meters (13,435 ft), Mount Kinabalu is the highest mountain in Borneo.

5Petronas Twin Towersflickr/Ahmed RabeaThe Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur were the worlds tallest buildings before being surpassed in 2004 by Taipei 101.

4Langkawi

3Perhentian Islandsflickr/Viktor KaposiMulu Caves

MINERALSMetals

Malaysia is one of the chief tin producing countries in the world. Recently, the country experienced a drift in its tin production capacity due to lower ore grades and depleted reserves. In 2010, the production of tin increased by more than 10%.

Aluminum Corporation of China and Gulf International Investment Group Holdings Sdn Bhd planned to develop an aluminum smelter in Samalaju Industrial Park at Bintulu in the State of Sarawak in 2010. Operation of this $1.6 billion smelter will commence in 2015.

Malaysia had about 12 gold mines located in Pahang, Kelantann and Terengganu in 2010. More than 90% of the countrys gold was from The Penjom Gold Mine, in the state of Pahang. More than 1 million oz of gold was produced by gold mines in Raub. Peninsular, a gold producing company in Malaysia, aims at discovering a minimum of 5 million oz of gold in its project areas.

Iron ore in Malaysia is produced from the countrys small-scale mines and the low-grade iron ores are used by the gas and oil sectors and also by the pipe-coating industry.

Fossil Fuels

In 2010, Malaysias oil and gas sectors profited from the increasing global energy prices. More than 40% of the government revenue in 2010 was contributed by the countrys oil and gas sectors.

The production of natural gas increased by about 7% to 62.7 billion m3in 2010. The increasing demand for LNG from Japan and China was the major reason for this. In the same year, the country saw a decrease in its production of crude oil and condensate.

Malaysia has coal resources of about 1.9 billion Mt (Gt) and about 1.5 Gt of the coal resources in the country is located in Sarawak. More that 300 Mt of coal is located in Sabah. Coal in the interior regions of Malaysia had not been exploited in 2010 due to lack of infrastructure.

Ceremonial prayers