Why many people enjoy the exotic Malaysian Indian foods

Malaysian Indian food is actually Malaysian food influenced by North and South India. Since the Indians use a lot of spices in their foods, Malaysian Indian food is quite spicy and flavorful. Malaysian Indian curries and other such foods are very popular and liked by foreigners and locals alike. Many Indians do not eat meat and prefer curry and other vegetarian foods for religious or cultural reasons. However, many foods do have meats in them and are customized by the Malaysians since Malaysia is a predominantly Muslim country. Below are examples of Malaysian Indian foods.

Putu Mayam is a dish that is well-liked by many in Malaysia and it is made by mixing rice flour with coconut milk and the dough is pressed through a sieve making noodles that are very similar to vermicelli, apparently. They are steamed with the juice of pandan leaf as flavoring which leaves them with a beautiful aroma. These are often served with whole cane sugar (jaggery) or gur. Putu piring is another version of the same dish in which the rice flour dough is used to make a small cake around coconut filling and gur. These are often sold in the streets of Malaysia in food carts and they are served cold.

Biryani is another dish that is very famous. Its origins are in India and it is quite spicy. The dish is made up of meat, eggs, a variety of spices, vegetables (usually potatoes) and the main ingredient is rice. The rice and meat are cooked separately and then, served together. The dish is truly delicious and can be served with dahi chutni (yogurt chutni), curry, korma and/or salad.

Sambar is also Malaysian Indian food which is made of pigeon peas. It is more of a vegetable stew and it is often served with boiled rice.

Paneer is a famous dish in India. It is made by curdling heated milk, lemon juice and vinegar. There is no coagulation agent and the dish is usually unsalted. Paneer is a source of protein for vegetarians (soe religions and cultures discourage people from eating meat). Variations of the dish can be seen,too. Palak paneer and paneer tikka are some examples of these.

A popular curry is the fish head curry where the head of a red snapper is stewed in curry with vegetables such as brinjals and okra. This is usually served with rice or bread (naam or roti).

There are a variety of breads though chapatti and naan are the most well-known Malaysian Indian breads. Chapatti is also known as roti. This is often made on large pans known as tavas or on smaller versions of these pans, at home, after kneading dough. Naan is cooked in a tandoor with yeast culture. Both breads may be served with curries and other such foods. Often people put butter and shaker (brown sugar) on chapatti to eat it. Also, minced meat (chicken or beef) may be added to the mixture to make keema naan or potatoes may be added to make alu naan.

Payasam (also known as kheer) is famous Malaysian Indian dessert which actually very similar to rice pudding. Rice is boiled and usually mixed with milk and sugar and then, cooled. The dish is often served at weddings and other such ceremonies.

Teh tarik is a delightful beverage. This beverage is a hot Indian milk made of evaporated milk, condensed milk and black tea leaves. Many people enjoy it because of its sweetness.

As one can see, Malaysian Indian food is quite diverse and delectable. They are irresistible and flavorsome. Though fattening to an extent, many people enjoy the exotic Malaysian Indian foods