Culture In Malaysia

FIRST DRAFT

Have you ever been in Malaysia? If you visit Malaysia, it seems like you visit most of other Asean country. The diversity of culture in this country become huge after Tungku Abdul Rahman the first Prime Minister of Malaysia announce the declaration to sign Malaysia as the independence country. Since that, people who live in this country was devided into three major races which is Bumiputras, Indians and Chinese and other. According to Christopher Selvarajah in his writing on One nation, three cultures: exploring dimensions that relate to leadership in Malaysia “Malaysia is a multiracial country of about 23.27 million people (Census, 2001) consisting of the indigenous Bumiputras (65.1 percent), Chinese (26 percent), Indians (7.7

This is because in Malaysia, the staple food is rice. Even dishes that are imported from abroad also been modified and been added rice to be able to attract Malaysians to buy it. As example, the ‘nasi dagang’, ‘nasi kerabu’, fried rice, nasi biryani, chicken rice, nasi minyak, nasi lemak and etc. All this material is essentially cooking the rice. But all have a uniqueness of its own on the variety of materials to make the cuisine. For example, ‘Nasi Kerabu’ is a unique dish as if viewed on a superficial variety of response and assessment that can be made to it. This is because the material is put into it is a combination of rice and various kinds of vegetables such as leaf kesum, ginger flower, cucumber, bean sprouts and cabbage. This dish is not complete if not enclosed with fish or meat for example dip fish meal, grilled chicken or grilled meats. The cuisine also has citrus byproducts such as eggs and fish crackers. Besides having a lot of fans, this dish was hated by eaters who do not like vegetables. In addition to rice as a staple food, many other ancillary materials that become mandatory to be placed in their cuisine. Including coconut milk, are often placed in side dishes such as rice

Cooking method is one of most important component to describe the food’s quality that will produce. Whatever country around the world need to follow the method or rule based on their culture.It also can use to determine the culture identity. By referring method of cook people can know how much the country appreciate their own dishes. As we know, most of cooking process in Asian country must through some complicated process and technique. This is because they use a lot of ingredients in one dishes. According to Malaysian Favorite by Wendy Hutton (2003) state some Malaysian favorite ingredients is belacan (Malay name for dried shrimp paste), chilies (fresh green and red finger-length chilies), santan (coconut milk are used in many asian dessert and curry). Some of food in Malaysia have similarity with other Asia country. Furthermore, Malaysia have three major races (Malay, Chinese, Indian) and they still resemble almost 90 percents from their original culture, food, language and celebration. -In fact that a few of Malaysian food through a little transformation of taste form several time until the dishes become savory to eat for all races in Malaysia such Asam Pedas ( Malay sour and spicy stew dish : Donny Syofyan (24 November 2013) ), Yong Tau Foo ( Hakka Chinese cuisine consisting primarily of tofu that has been filled with either a ground meat mixture or fish paste ), and Roti Canai ( type of Indian-influenced flat bread found in Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore : Madhur