Never had the spicy, savoury dishes of Malaysia? Here's a quick guide on what to order.
In my third and last installment of "Introduction to Malaysian Food," I'd like to recommend a restaurant in Western Canada that offers a lovely taste of the homeland for me, Tropika.
As far as I can tell, there are three Tropika restaurants in Vancouver, and one each in Calgary and Edmonton. What lucky, lucky people the denizens of those cities are. Tropika specializes in Malaysian cooking, occasionally dipping into Singaporean and Thai dishes. A perfect mix, don't you agree?
If you haven't read parts one and two of my Malaysian series, you can start with the introduction to Malaysia's melting pot of flavours and then check out my dad's salivating satay recipe
By the way, fellow Suite 101 food scribe, Devorah Stone, was taken out to Tropika
on Mother's Day
If you're hungry for Malaysia's spicy food, then I'd like to suggest three levels of ordering: beginner, intermediate and adventurous.
THE BEGINNER: for those who have not tasted Malaysian food, or food that is similar to it.
- Indonesian Spring Rolls: pork, Chinese mushrooms and shredded jicama encased in a crispy shell.
- Tropika Home Style Chicken: fried chicken marinated in a variety of spices such as coriander, cinnamon, cumin, anise etc...
- Sambal Bunchies: green beans fried with spicy prawns and coconut milk.
- Mee Goreng: lightly-spiced vermicelli noodles fried with beef, shrimps, tofu and tomato.
- Hainanese Style Rice: rice cooked in chicken broth and fragrant pandan leaves.
INTERMEDIATE: those who enjoy the spicy dishes of India or Thailand.
- Kachang Ikan Bilis: a starter of mini sun-dried fish and peanuts
- K.L. Crab: deep-fried crab in a blanket of crushed sun-dried shrimp.
- Sambal Prawns: prawns cooked in a chili-garlic paste.
- Sotong Belachan: calamari pan fried with an aromatic shrimp paste.
- Assam Ayam: chicken braised in lemon grass, tamarind and chili extract.
- Terung Udang Kering: eggplant fried in sambal and sun-dried shrimps.
ADVENTURE EATING: Spicy, hot, exotic - anything goes here for those wanting to explore and discover.
- Gado Gado: a salad of deep fried tofu, peanuts, bean sprouts smothered in satay sauce.
- Stir-fried Clams with Sambal Sauce: pretty self-explanatory.
- Rendang Lembu: beef is braised in a special type of dark hot curry.
- Sambal Kang-Kong: a type of water spinach stir fried in spicy sambal sauce.
- Daun Pisang Ikan Pedas: a white fish in special Tropika sauce and coconut juice, wrapped in coconut leaves and flame broiled.
- Ice Kachang: for dessert, shaved ice with red beans, jelly and sweet corn dripping in syrup and sweet, evaporated milk.
