| Malaysia is situated in south east Asia and | | | | remained as central to the diet. Muslim |
| is rather unusual in that one part lies south | | | | Malays excluded pork and Indian Hindus |
| of Thailand on the south east Asian | | | | excluded beef but delicate Chinese |
| peninsular, with Singapore at its tip. This | | | | flavourings, Indian spices and herbs from |
| is where the capital, Kuala Lumpur, is to be | | | | South East Asian made an appearance. |
| found. The other part lies across the South | | | | |
| China Sea and forms the northern one third of | | | | Nasi means cooked rice in Malay and Nasi |
| the island of Borneo, surrounding the | | | | Goreng, that well known Indonesian dish, is |
| Sultanate of Brunei. | | | | cooked rice, usually fried with flavourings |
| | | | for breakfast. For special occasions it has a |
| Malaysia has a mixed history which reflects | | | | fried egg on top. But I digress, Malay Nasi |
| in today's cuisine. | | | | dishes include Nasi Kander, much influenced |
| | | | by Indian cuisine and consisting of both fish |
| In the 15th Century, the southwest (April to | | | | and meat curry, rice and hard boiled eggs. |
| October) and northeast (October to February) | | | | This dish used to be bought from an itinerant |
| monsoons brought the ships of the Arabs, | | | | salesman who carried his wares in baskets |
| Indians and Chinese who traded in spices, | | | | suspended from a pole over his shoulder |
| silk and precious stones. Many of the traders | | | | (kinder means shoulder in an Indian dialect). |
| remained behind and married local women. A | | | | A bit of everything would be placed on a |
| slow conversion to Islam began, which meant | | | | banana leaf and the sauce dripped over the |
| that pork was excluded from the Malay diet. | | | | hard boiled eggs. |
| | | | |
| The 16th Century saw the arrival of the | | | | The Malays adopted some Indian recipes and in |
| Portuguese, who brought chillies with them, | | | | return the Indians started to add galangal, |
| the Dutch and the British, all of whom | | | | lemon grass and coconut to their food. Then |
| remained for some time to rule the country. | | | | came the food of the Nonyas which resulted |
| | | | from the marriage of Malay men to Chinese |
| During the late 18th and 19th centuries, | | | | women which introduced Chinese seasonings |
| Great Britain established colonies and | | | | such as star anise and salty soy sauce. |
| protectorates in the area and brought in more | | | | |
| Indians and Chinese to work in the tin mines | | | | The resultant cuisine is a pleasant mix of |
| and rubber plantations. Many of these Asians | | | | hot and spicy with mild and perfumed. |
| stayed too and from all these influences, | | | | |
| current day Malay cuisine evolved. | | | | Liz Canham: |
| | | | |
| Originally, Malay cooking consisted of fish | | | | As well as a love of Asian cooking as you can |
| flavoured with shrimp paste, pepper, ginger, | | | | see in her Asian Food and Cookery website, |
| turmeric, lemon grass or tamarind. Rice was | | | | Liz seeks to help newcomers to the world of |
| always a staple in this area and being a | | | | internet marketing with tools, tips and |
| major part of Indian and Chinese food too, | | | | training from her website. |