What is the best food to try in Penang - Discover the deliciousness of Penang
Malaysian cuisine is a melting pot of diverse tastes, partly due to its many migrant communities and regional influence. You will never get bored with the amount of variety available in Penang. Whenever you are in Malaysia be it Penang or Kula Lampur, you will have plenty of things to eat! Here are some of the top picks that you should look out for!
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Penang Assam Laksa
The street food scene in Penang can be different from other regions in Malaysia. For example, Penang transforms the coconut noodle soup laksa into a fragrant and sour concoction with the addition of tamarind. Thick rice noodles along with bits of mackerel, lemongrass, Vietnamese mint leaves and ginger flowers to tickle the taste buds. This version is equally flavourful if not more, and includes plenty of other herbs and spices.
Rojak
This very Malaysian variant of a salad is sweet, sour and savoury! Seasonal fruits and veggies get drenched in a shrimp sauce and topped with chopped peanuts. In your rojak, you will typically find turnips, cucumber, bean sprouts, green mangoes, green apples and fried tofu. In Penang, they add guava, while honey is added to the shrimp sauce made from sugar, lime juice, and chilli mixed into the shrimp paste.
Ipoh Hor Fun
A unique kind of flat, thick rice noodles is used to prepare this dish. It came to Malaysia via Chinese immigrants living in Ipoh. The noodles claim to be unparalleled in flavour due to a special kind of spring water sourced from the Limestone Mountains in Ipoh. It includes a flavoursome prawn-chicken broth, shredded chicken, mushrooms, prawns, fish balls and spring onions.
Hokkien Mee
A preparation hailing from Hokkien migrants, this dish is big on flavour. Golden-yellow egg noodles are boiled in dark soy sauce and eaten with pork, prawns, squid and lard. Add a little balachan for a rich and flavoursome meal sure to satisfy your taste buds.
Lok Lok/Satay Celup
These partly-cooked skewers have meatballs, prawns, and cockles all grilled together. A popular street food item in Penang and Malaysia is eaten dipped in peanut sauce and hot chicken broth.
Nasi Lemak
Nasi Lemak is considered to be Malaysia's national dish. Simple, yet so delicious, it is primarily eaten for breakfast. Coconut milk-infused rice is served alongside cucumber, boiled eggs, fried anchovies, chilli sauce and shrimp paste.
Chee Cheong Fun
This Cantonese rice noodle dish comes from South China. An ideal choice for breakfast and is a popular street food option. Thick rice noodles bathed in a sweet shrimp sauce and chilli sauce.
Chendol
This dessert is made from coconut milk, ice shavings, and palm sugar. It is generally eaten in a bowl or tall glass with green gelatinous noodles made with mung bean flour and coloured with pandan leaf juice. Some vendors top it with sweet jackfruit and candied red beans for more flavour.
Char Kuey Teow
A flavourful noodle preparation made from flat fresh rice noodles on a high flame with a distinctive smoky taste. The dish gets flavoured with soy sauce, bean sprouts, prawns, spring onions, eggs and sausages. It is typically prepared in small portions to maintain its smoky aroma. You can find many hotel offers in Penang that serve delicious food in Penang such as the likes of The George Penang by The Crest Collection.
Batu Maung Satay
Meats marinated in a rich spice rub are placed on bamboo skewers and grilled on an open flame. The result is smoke-flavoured tender pieces of meat on skewers. It is eaten with cucumber, raw onions and peanut sauce.
Apom Balik
Apom Balik is a type of giant sweet pancake originating in China and is popular in countries like Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. The sweet pancake also incorporates peanuts and is packed with a thick corn filling.
Fried Bee Hoon
Another favourite breakfast in Penang is fried bee hoon. This dish consists of rice vermicelli mixed with eggs, sausages, tofu and whatever veggies are on hand.