Iowan Eating His Way Through Malaysia

My three week trip to Malaysia last summer was amazing! So much to see and experience. One of the best parts of my trip was eating only what the locals ate. Malaysian cuisine is made up of various cultures from all around the world which gives it a symphony of flavors and makes it quite exotic. Being born and raised in Iowa, I hadn't really experienced different culinary cultures. Malaysia was the perfect place to start!

Pig Intestines was probably the most surprising thing I ate. I was originally tricked into eating them. After getting over my fear of something so unknown to me, turns out the intestines taste like chicken and are quite tasty! Luckily Malaysians enjoy having plenty of condiments available to them, some spicy and some sweet. Sliced birds eye chili in soy sauce or having a peanut sauce are perfect for dipping Pig Intestines!

Pig Intestines with Peanut Sauce on the right, fried egg oyster omelette to the left.

Another experience was eating with my hands. Indian restaurants serve banana leaf rice with assorted vegetables, and curried meat on banana leaves. Then you get dirty by eating with your hands. This proved to be difficult for me because I am left handed. It is considered rude to eat with your left hand as this is the hand used for personal hygiene (wiping).

Fried whole fish with spicy gravy.

Ever think of eating a fish whole? Malaysians think it is weird that we don't eat them that way. I ate my first fish whole there! In a separate experience, I almost swallowed fish bones that was in a curry I ate.

Without a doubt, curry based meals are my favorite. Dishes called "curry" may contain meat, poultry, fish, or shellfish, either alone or in combination with vegetables. They may instead be entirely vegetarian. Both dry and wet curry is guaranteed to stimulate the taste buds with the mixture of spices and ingredients an experienced Malaysian cook will use.  
                                                           

Durian

I really liked how everything was fresh! The butcher is still a very common fellow in Malaysia and the markets are always full of different fruits and vegetables, many of which I had never seen or heard of before. So much color and a huge variety of healthiness. One of my favorite unique fruits was the notoriously known Durian. It is definitely an acquired taste and unlike anything I have ever tried or smelled before. Durian smells so bad that it has been banned from certain public areas in Southeast Asia. .

A wide array of fresh tropical fruits.

If you visit Malaysia, street food is definitely something that should not be missed. Everything is delicious and the selection is endless. I enjoyed the meats marinated and placed on sticks for easy eating, and more pig intestines which are very common in Malaysia. There really are too many amazing dishes to name of.

Plan on going to Malaysia hungry because a huge part of the culture is eating. It's actually the food that made me take an interest in the kitchen! I consider it my soul food.

I am now blessed with having a roommate from Malaysia that is slowly teaching me to cook like a Malaysian and still introducing me to new Malaysian cuisines. His dishes are some of the best that I have ever had.  Hours of prep time are well worth it for one of these dishes.

Signing off.... MALAYSIA BOLEH!