Agriculture: Cuisine of Malaysia

Ingredients

Staple foods
Rice tends to be a staple food in Malaysia as in most countries in the region. The rice eaten in Malaysia tends to be the local variety of rice or fragrant rice from Thailand, its northern neighbour. Quality Indian basmati is used in biryani dishes due to its long grained shape, fragrance and delicate flavour. Japanese short grain rice and others are slowly entering the Malaysian diet as Malaysians expand their culinary tastes to new areas.
Noodles are another popular food. Noodles such as "Bi Hoon , " (rice vermicelli), "Kuay Teow, " (soft fluffy noodles shaped like fettuccine but made of rice and translucent white in colour), "Mee , " (yellow noodles), "Mee Suah, " (very fine wheat vermicelli), "Yee Meen " (pre-fried noodles), "Tang Hoon , " (transparent noodles made from green beans), and others provide a source of carbohydrate besides the ubiquitous serving of rice that accompanies every meal.
Indian style bread such as naan, puri, roti canai, thosai and idli are commonly eaten by most Malaysian as part of breakfast. Western style bread is a relatively new addition to the Malaysian diet, having gained acceptance in the last generation.

Poultry
Chicken is generally available from local farms and is a cheap source of meat. Farms used to be family affairs, with chickens slaughtered fresh on demand at the community wet market. For a small fee a vendor would put the dead chicken into a machine where the feathers would be removed. The machine consisted of a large container of hot water which was agitated aggressively resulting in removal of feathers. Gutting and cleaning the chicken would be performed at home.
Today, while wet markets still exist, most urban Malaysians purchase frozen poultry which are raised on huge farms run by corporations.
A special type of chicken recipe in Malaysian cooking is called the "kampung chicken" (literally village chicken). These are free-range chickens which are allowed to roam instead of being caged. These chickens are generally considered to have higher nutritional value. They are scrawnier than their farmed counterparts, meaning they have less body fat. Cooking of kampung chicken is usually by way of steaming or preparation in a soup.
Duck and goose also form part of the Malaysian diet.
Satay chicken, grilled chicken with a peanut and coconut milk sauce, is in fact the national dish of Malaysia.

Beef
Beef is common in the Malaysian diet though it is notable that followers of certain religions such as Hinduism and some forms of Buddhism forbid the consumption of beef. Beef can be commonly found cooked in curries, stews, roasted, or with noodles. Malays generally eat beef that is halal.

Pork
Pork is largely consumed by the Chinese community in Malaysia. Malaysian Malays are by definition Muslim and therefore do not consume pork since Islam forbids it. Canned pork can usually be found in the non-halal sections of local supermarkets and hypermarkets, and fresh pork can be bought in some wet markets and some supermarkets and hypermarkets.

Mutton
Mutton is also a part of the Malaysian cuisine. It generally refers to goat meat rather than sheep. The meat is used in dishes such as goat soup, curries, or stews. It is a popular ingredient in Malaysian Indian food.

Seafood
Many types of seafood are consumed in Malaysia, including shrimp or prawn, crabs, squid, cuttlefish, clams, cockles, snails, and octopus. In general, members of all ethnic communities enjoy seafood, which is considered halal by Malaysian Muslims (and indeed most other Muslims) though some species of crabs are not considered halal as they can live on both land and sea. But most people do not take this as a staple or daily meal since its expensive

Fish
Fish features in the Malaysian diet and most local fish is purchased the day after it is caught. Frozen fish is generally imported. Such fish, namely salmon and cod, are well received on the Malaysian table but are not caught by local fishermen. Imported fish are frozen and flown in as pieces or as whole fish and usually sold by weight.

Vegetables
Vegetables are usually available year round as Malaysia does not have four seasons. During the rainy season, sometimes vegetable yield decreases but does not stop altogether. Therefore, vegetables can be purchased throughout the year but are slightly more expensive at certain times of the year.

Fruit
Malaysia's climate allows for fruits to be grown all year round. Most tropical fruits are either grown in Malaysia or imported from neighbouring countries. The demand for fruits is generally quite high. Some notable fruits include:
The durian, a fruit with a spiky outer shell and a characteristic odour is a local tropical fruit that is notable because it provokes strong emotions either of loving it or hating it. It is also known as the "King of Fruits".
The rambutan also has a distinctive appearance, being red or yellow in colour (when ripe) and having fleshy pliable spines or 'hairs' on its outer skin.
The mangosteen, often called the "Queen of Fruits".
The lychee which has a bumpy red skin and sweet, sometimes made with tea to make it sweet
The mango A refreshing fruit