Safe to Eat
(26)Sup Kambing
Spicy mutton soup with spices, herbs, and sometimes bones.
Pau (Bao)
Steamed buns with various fillings: pork, chicken, red bean, or kaya.
Char Siew Rice
Rice with BBQ pork, vegetables, and sweet dark sauce.
Penang Road Cendol
Penang's famous cendol with palm sugar, coconut milk, and red beans.
Yong Tau Foo
Tofu and vegetables stuffed with fish paste, served in broth or dry with sauce.
Karipap (Curry Puff)
Deep-fried pastry filled with curried potatoes and sometimes chicken or sardine.
Masala Thosai
Dosai filled with spiced potato masala. Filling and flavorful.
Idli
Steamed rice and lentil cakes, served with sambar and chutney.
Dosai (Thosai)
Crispy fermented rice and lentil crepe, served with chutney and sambar.
Curry Laksa
Noodles in spicy coconut curry soup with tofu puffs, prawns, and cockles.
Pisang Goreng
Deep-fried banana fritters. Crispy outside, sweet inside.
Tau Fu Fah
Silken tofu pudding in sweet ginger syrup, served hot or cold.
Hainanese Chicken Rice
Poached chicken with fragrant rice cooked in chicken fat, served with chili sauce.
Wanton Noodles
Egg noodles with pork dumplings, char siew, and vegetables.
Kopi O
Black coffee with sugar, served hot or iced. No milk.
Teh Tarik
Frothy pulled tea with condensed milk. National drink of Malaysia.
Cendol
Iced coconut milk dessert with green jelly noodles, red beans, and palm sugar.
Roti Nasik (Bread & Egg)
Roti canai with egg, sometimes with onion. Popular morning option.
Sarawak Laksa
Rice vermicelli in a spiced coconut gravy with prawns, chicken, and lime.
Penang Asam Laksa
Rice noodles in a tangy, spicy fish broth with mackerel, tamarind, and mint.
Char Kway Teow
Stir-fried flat rice noodles with prawns, cockles, Chinese sausage, and bean sprouts.
Popiah
Fresh spring roll with turnip, bean sprouts, lettuce, and various fillings.
Kaya Toast
Toasted bread with kaya (coconut jam) and butter, served with soft-boiled eggs.
Durian
The king of fruits. Fresh, pungent, creamy. Available during season (May-August).
Hokkien Mee (KL style)
Thick yellow noodles stir-fried with pork, squid, and cabbage in dark soy sauce.
Roti Canai
Flaky flatbread flipped on a hot iron plate, served with dal or curry.
Eat with Caution — Ask First
(7)These dishes may be OK depending on preparation. Check the hidden ingredients note and ask the vendor.
Beef Rendang
Slow-cooked beef in coconut milk and spice paste, dry and intensely flavored.
Some recipes use ground nuts in the paste.
Zhai (Buddhist Vegetarian)
Mock meat dishes made from soy and mushroom, no onion or garlic.
Some dishes use cashew or peanut.
Rojak
Fruit and vegetable salad with a thick, sweet-sour-spicy prawn paste dressing.
Crushed peanuts are usually sprinkled on top.
Kuih (Nyonya Snacks)
Colorful bite-sized cakes: ondeh-ondeh, kuih lapis, ang koo kuih, and more.
Peanuts appear in some varieties.
Banana Leaf Rice
Rice served on a banana leaf with vegetable curries, dhal, and sides.
Cashew or groundnut appears in some curries.
Nasi Kandar
Steamed rice with various curries poured over. A Penang institution.
Some curries use ground nuts or cashew.
Ais Kacang (ABC)
Shaved ice with red beans, sweet corn, grass jelly, and syrup.
Some versions include crushed peanuts.
Avoid
(3)Satay
Skewered, charcoal-grilled meat served with peanut sauce, cucumber, and onion.
Peanut sauce is universal at satay stalls.
Apam Balik
Crispy folded pancake filled with crushed peanuts and sugar.
Crushed peanut filling is universal.
Nasi Lemak
Coconut rice with sambal, peanuts, cucumber, and usually fried chicken or anchovies.
Peanuts are a core topping.