Food
Nasi Minyak
A popular rice dish cooked with basmati rice, ghee oil and various other spices. It is named after its buttery texture (minyak means "oil" in Malay),
and it goes well with ayam masak merah (red honeyed chicken).
Ayam Masak Merah
This popular sweet and savory dish earned its colorful name from the spiced tomato sauce in which the chicken is cooked.
Teh Tarik
Tarik means "pull" in Malay so Teh Tarik literally means "pulled tea". This hot drink is prepared by pouring piping hot milk tea from a mug into a waiting glass in a skillful "pulling"
motion with out-stretched hands. The higher the pull, the thicker the froth and people pride themselves in preparing the highest quality tea while showing off their skills - sometimes even
organizing Teh Tarik competitions. Teh tarik is often served at the most popular Malaysian hangout spot - Indian Muslim hawker stalls or restaurants (fondly referred to as the mamak)
Kaya Bread
A staple in most Malaysian households, kaya is a coconut custard made from coconut milk and eggs, flavored with pandan leaves and sweetened with sugar.
The name Kaya means rich in Malay, a name it earned due to its golden color.
Acar (Vegan)
Acar comprises a mix of pickled vegetables. It is usually served as a side dish to a main course and is commonly found in Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. There are many variations of
acar, such as Malay or Nyonya acar.
Bingka Ubi
A dessert sticky in texture, fragrant in smell, and sweet in taste. It is made from cassava, coconut milk, and condensed milk, baked to a
light yellow with a golden brown top.
Fruit Jelly
Gelatin dessert served with tropical fruits.
Booths
Batik (Textile Art)
The word 'batik' originates from the Javanese 'titik', which means to dot. This refers to the cloth
decorating technique, whereby wax patterns are first drawn onto the fabrics and then dye is administered.
Batik or fabrics with the traditional batik patterns are found in many countries, including Malaysia.
Malaysian batik is found especially on the east coast, in states such as Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang.
The most popular motifs are leaves and flowers, although the butterfly theme is also common. The Malaysian
batik is also famous for its geometrical designs, such as spirals.
Batu Seremban
Batu seremban or five stones is a popular traditional game. Depending on what type of game that is played, you can either
play with five, seven or nine objects. The general objective of the game is to throw one of the objects
up and as this object is in the air, you have to quickly pick up another from the floor, and with the
same hand catch the one you threw earlier, ultimately ending with two in your hand. As the game advances
to higher stages, the rules get even more complicated. Although this game used to be played mostly by
girls, it is widely enjoyed by guys and girls from all ages now.
Congkak
Congkak is a mancala game of Malay origin played in Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Southern Thailand,
and some parts of Sumatra and Borneo. The game is played with a congkak board with
two sets of holes (usually fourteen in two sets of seven) and an additional bigger
'store-holes' for each player. Seven marbles or game pieces are placed in each of
the smaller holes, and the objective of the game is to capture more game pieces into
the player's own store-hole than the opponent's. Congkak boards are often made of
teak or mahogany wood are often elaborately carved into various shapes such as
naga (king cobra) or birds.
Menganyam (Weaving)
Mengkuang (screwpine leaves) or pandanus weaving is a popular traditional craft that is still very much alive, creating beautiful and
affordable products that are still in demand. Weaving used to be a leisurely pastime of coastal village women in the east coast states of
Peninsular Malaysia during the rainy months. Today, it is a thriving cottage industry. The tall, thorny leaves of the pandanus or mengkuang
are collected, boiled, dyed and made into colorful gift boxes, mats, beach bags, fans, purses, and slippers. In the past, the creators of these diamond-shaped
patterns gathered their inspiration from nature. Motifs, which had their source in Malaysian flora and fauna, were arranged and carefully woven into beautiful,
attractive products like food covers, hats and baskets.
Gasing
Gasing, or top spinning, is a traditional game popular among Malays in the rural area. The 'gasing' or top
is about the size of a dinner plate and may weigh up to 5.5 kg! Spinning one is hardly child's play as
it requires great dexterity and precise timing. After it is launched, the gasing is quickly scooped off
the ground with a thin wooden bat and transferred onto a metal receptacle on a short wooden post. An expert
top-spinner can make a perfectly balanced gasing spin for as long as two hours at a stretch, although,
according to local belief, a top will spin for 24 hours or more if a spirit enters it! In the kampung (village),
gasing contests were held during the rice-ripening season. Kampung folks believed that the spinning tops would
help bring good harvest.
Sepak Takraw
Sepak takraw or kick volleyball, is an intense sport native to the Malay-Thai Peninsula. Sepak takraw differs from the similar sport of volleyball in its use
of a rattan ball and only allowing players to use their feet, knee, chest and head to touch the ball. It is a popular sport in Southeast Asia but is also gaining popularity worldwide.
Lastik
Children in the villages enjoy playing with their homemade lastik or slingshot, mostly made with a rubber band tied around a Y-shaped twig.
Chapteh
Chapteh (Football Feather) is a traditional game that requires players to keep a weighted shuttlecock in the air - usually by using their feet, although other parts of the body may
be used, except for the hands. The chapteh is made of feathers which are attached to a rubber or plastic sole. This game may be played according to rules based on a court similar to badminton
and volleyball. It can also be played among a circle of players in a street or park and the main goal is to keep the shuttle up in the air while showing off some skills.
