Top 6 Western Malaysian Noodle Dishes

Char kway teow is one of the most popular street dishes in Malaysia and Singapore. Despite numerous regional varieties, it is usually made with flat rice noodles, shrimps, eggs, cockles, bean sprouts, chives, and Chinese sausage. All the ingredients are usually fried and coated in soy sauce, while some versions also incorporate shrimp paste, garlic, fried pork lard, and sometimes even yellow wheat noodles. Among the numerous theories about the origin of the dish, the most popular claims that it was invented in the Singaporean Teochew community by Chinese immigrants, while the name stems from Hokkien, char meaning fried and kway teow denoting flat rice noodles. Classic Teochew variety that is lighter and slightly drier than the Singaporean counterpart is especially popular in Malaysian Penang where it is considered to be a signature dish of the region. Originally, char kway teow was a poor man’s dish made by farmers and fishermen out of leftover ingredients. Realizing how delicious this combination is, they started selling it on the street, and it quickly caught on. Apart from Singapore and Malaysian Penang, a variety of char kway teow is also found in Indonesia. In Penang, some vendors still serve it on banana and palm leaves, the way it was traditionally served from its beginnings.Expand

Mee bandung is a Malay noodle dish that originated in Muar. The dish combines yellow noodles with a thick, spicy sauce that consists of chilies, onions, shrimp paste, and dried shrimps. Each mee bandung is topped with a variety of condiments that typically include halved boiled eggs, shrimps, fishcakes, vegetables, and occasionally beef, while the dish is best finished off with a splash of lime juice. The term bandung roughly translates as mixed or paired and is not related to a namesake Indonesian city.Expand

Traditionally associated with the regions of Kelantan and Terengganu, this flavorful Malaysian soup consists of rolled rice noodles served in a creamy fish broth. The noodles are prepared with a thin rice flour batter that is poured on a flat surface, steamed, and then rolled and sliced into bite-sized pieces. The broth served alongside the noodles is made with coconut milk and creamy fish paste, and is usually seasoned with ginger, shallots, and garlic. The whole dish is complemented by various vegetables such as sliced cucumbers or green beans and is usually accompanied by spicy sambal. Laksam is traditionally enjoyed as a warm, hearty breakfast.Expand

Assam laksa is a traditional fish-based sour noodle soup. It is the one of the numerous varieties of laksa, popular noodle soups widespread throughout Southeast Asia. The dish consists of rice noodles, shredded fish, and sliced vegetables, most commonly cucumber, onion, and lettuce. It has a distinctively tangy taste, which is attributed to tamarind, the sour ingredient generously used to spice the dish. The exact origin of the dish is unknown, but it is believed that it has originated in the coastal areas of Malaysia among the local fishermen who assembled the dish out of available ingredients. Through history, the dish evolved into assam laksa that we know today. Regardless of its origin, nowadays it is a signature dish of the Malaysian region of Penang. It is one of the most famous street dishes found in the area, and a favorite with both locals and tourists. In Penang, street vendors prepare assam laksa from the early morning until late in the evening. Traditionally, the dish should be served with hae ko, a dark and rich Malaysian-style shrimp paste.Expand

Penang version of the dish known as Hokkien mee is significantly different from the varieties that can be found in other parts of Malaysia and Singapore. Often referred as prawn mee, the dish consists of a broth that is flavored with prawns and pork ribs, and which comes topped with ingredients such as sliced pork, rice and wheat noodles, bean sprouts, prawns, kangkong (water spinach), fried shallots, and boiled eggs. This hawker classic is usually served with a chili-based sauce. As the name suggests, the origins of the dish are among the Hokkien community who emigrated from Chinese province of Fujian. Expand

Lam mee is a traditional dish of Nyonya people. It's made by cooking yellow rice noodles in a gravy made from the stock of prawns and chicken or pork ribs. The gravy is the real star of this dish, with a great mix of seafood flavors from the prawns and sweetness coming from the pork ribs. Once prepared, the dish is topped with prawns, pork ribs, chives, shallots, and shredded eggs. The standard accompaniment for lam mee is sambal belacan, a condiment consisting of lime juice, salt, sugar, and red chili peppers. In Penang, this dish is typically served for birthdays as it symbolizes longevity.Expand