Traditional Food and Dishes of Pahang

Have you tasted the traditional Malay food and dishes of Pahang, especially its authentic delicacies? Well, you must certainly try them...

When in Pahang, you’ll probably hear the familiar "Moh Makan" between friends and colleagues.

It’s the popular Pahang Malay slang for "mari makan", meaning "let’s eat".

You’ll perhaps hear it said very often enough because in Pahang, as in the whole of Malaysia, people enjoy nothing more than tucking into a good meal.

Indian, Chinese and Arab Culinary Influences

The Malay food and dishes of Pahang have naturally been influenced by the cuisines of the Indians, Chinese and Arabs, who came as traders during the busy Spice Trade in the old days.

For example, the Indian traders introduced food ingredients such as cumin, coriander and ginger, which can be extensively found in the traditional Malay food and dishes of Pahang.

The Arabs also left behind their culinary influences and delicacies, like the kebab, which is marinated meat cubes threaded on skewers, that later evolved into the local Malay delicacy, satay or sate.

In later years, culinary influences brought about by western colonization, firstly by the Portuguese, then the Dutch and lastly by the British, added further variety and style to the local cuisines.

The different varieties of dishes can be found and savored at the restaurants and eating places, especially at hotels with fine dining outlets. Check this Pahang Hotels page at www.hoteltravel.com for your travels in Pahang.

Local Fruits, Herbs, Fish, Meat and Vegetables Give Added Taste

Fruits and herbal plants that are indigenous and extensively found in Pahang, especially coconuts, lemon grass, galangal, kaffir lime and pandan, and their concoctions, are added to give added arrays of taste and odor to the food and dishes of Pahang.

Shrimp paste, soy and fish sauces, among others, add a unique special flavour to the cuisines while fragrant herbs like coriander and galangal, are commonly simmered in soups, or used to dress the curries and added to salads for a burst of flavour.

Meat, fish and vegetables are usually chopped or sometimes grounded into small portions in making some dishes. Perhaps the most common methods of preparing a meal are blanching, stir frying and steaming.

Rice - the Staple Food

And of course, rice is the staple food of the Malays, cooked with delicate variations in the form of ketupat, nasi himpit or nasi kapit and others.

The tasteless carbohydrate-rich white rice is delightfully taken with the tasty, aromatic and savory traditional dishes of proteins made from meat, chicken and fish.

And the meal is complemented with vegetables, which are usually taken in its raw form called ulam, although we can find many relishing and savory traditional vegetable cuisines.

To add an extra bit of delectable flavor, the rice meal is normally taken with a variety of local and traditional pickles and spices. Oh, visit this delightful web-site – pickles-and-spices.com - and let Nazlina herself tell you about the wonders and variety of pickles and spices of the Malay and Oriental world.

The following are some of the favorite and delicious traditional food and dishes found in the state. Click them to read more.

• Nasi Kebuli

• Ikan Patin Masak Tempoyak

• Ikan Patin Asam Rebus

• Opor Daging

• Rendang

• Ketupat

• Lemang

• Satay or Sate

Do you have a favorite restaurant in Pahang? Share Your Wonderful Secret Here!

So, "Moh Makan" and let’s enjoy the authentic delicacies, food and dishes of Pahang.

Well then, I’ll have.... Nasi Kebuli and then Puding Raja for dessert!

Anyone care to join me? ... Oh, good!

As always, from me ...

***SELAMAT DATANG***

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