Laksa
Malaysia's most celebrated noodle soup — a rich, spiced coconut milk broth fragrant with lemongrass, galangal and turmeric, served with prawns, tofu and rice noodles.
53 recipes using rice — Laksa, nasi lemak, char kway teow — a vibrant fusion of Malay, Chinese and Indian flavours.
These 53 malaysian rice recipes are ready in about 70 minutes on average, with 195–780 kcal per serving, and 11% are rated easy enough for a weeknight. Every recipe includes exact ingredient quantities, step-by-step instructions and full nutrition per serving.
Malaysian cuisine — Laksa, nasi lemak, char kway teow — a vibrant fusion of Malay, Chinese and Indian flavours — brings its own distinctive techniques and seasonings to every ingredient it touches. When Malaysian cooks work with rice, they reach for its own regional aromatics, fats and signature spice blends, and the techniques that come up most across these recipes are simmering, frying, boiling and stir-frying.
The everyday grain for half the planet — a neutral base that soaks up the flavours around it, from pilafs to fried rice. In this collection it's most often cooked with garlic, lemongrass, onion, coconut milk, fine sea salt and cilantro. The dishes here span malaysian classics ready in as little as 25 minutes to slower, more involved cooking that rewards a relaxed afternoon.
Reader favourite: Penang Assam Laksa is the highest-rated dish in this collection at 4.9★ from 2,987 ratings.
Malaysia's most celebrated noodle soup — a rich, spiced coconut milk broth fragrant with lemongrass, galangal and turmeric, served with prawns, tofu and rice noodles.
Malaysia's iconic wok-fried flat rice noodle dish — charred with dark soy sauce, prawns, cockles, Chinese sausage and egg over screaming-hot heat.
Tangy, pungent tamarind-soured fish broth with thick rice noodles, pineapple, herbs and shrimp paste — Penang's most iconic dish and one of the world's great noodle soups.
Malaysia's national dish — fragrant coconut rice served with crispy fried anchovies, roasted peanuts, cucumber, hard-boiled egg, and fiery sambal in a banana leaf parcel.
Malaysia's most iconic noodle soup — a rich, spicy coconut broth with thick rice noodles, shrimp, tofu puffs, and a complex rempah spice paste, a meal of extraordinary depth.
Malaysia's iconic stir-fried flat noodles — thick rice noodles tossed over roaring heat with prawns, Chinese sausage, egg, bean sprouts, and dark soy in a scorching wok.
Sticky, caramelized Cantonese-Malaysian barbecue pork with a lacquered glaze of hoisin, honey, and five-spice.
Rich, spicy coconut curry noodle soup with shrimp, tofu puffs, and bean sprouts — a Malaysian masterpiece.
South Indian-Malaysian feast served on a banana leaf with rice, rasam, curries, and crispy papadum.
Penang's iconic stir-fried flat rice noodles with prawns, cockles, Chinese sausage and egg — cooked over ferocious heat for maximum wok hei.
Malaysia's national dish — coconut rice with crispy fried chicken, sambal, cucumber, fried anchovies and boiled egg.
Penang's iconic sour fish laksa — a tamarind-based rice noodle soup with flaked mackerel and fresh herbs.
Malaysian wok-fried flat rice noodles with prawns, Chinese sausage, bean sprouts and soy — street food perfection.
Iconic Penang stir-fried flat rice noodles with shrimp, bean sprouts, and egg in a savory soy sauce.
Creamy, chicken-based noodle soup from Ipoh with smooth rice noodles and poached chicken.
Fragrant turmeric-infused rice with coconut milk from Perak state, served with sambal and curry.
Malaysia's beloved national dish — fragrant pandan-scented coconut rice served with fiery sambal, crispy anchovies, peanuts, cucumber and egg.
Borneo's most famous noodle soup — rice vermicelli in a fragrant coconut-tamarind broth topped with chicken, prawns, omelette ribbons and bean sprouts.
Malaysia's iconic hawker dessert — green pandan rice jelly worms over shaved ice, drowned in coconut milk and dark palm sugar syrup.
Malaysian spicy coconut noodle soup with shrimp, chicken, and tofu puffs — fragrant, fiery, soul-satisfying.
Malaysia's most iconic noodle soup: thick rice noodles in a rich, spicy coconut broth fragrant with lemongrass, galangal, and shrimp.
Jewel-toned steamed layer cake of rice flour and coconut milk — a Malaysian festive sweet that tests patience and rewards it beautifully.
Shaved ice dessert with rice flour pandan noodles, coconut milk, and gula melaka palm sugar — Malaysia's most refreshing sweet.
A master recipe for three classic Malaysian market sweets — pandan coconut rice balls, red turtle cakes, and steamed sticky rice with coconut topping.
Penang Lemon Herb Grain Bowl turns malaysian pantry flavors into a complete grain bowl with salmon, lemongrass, coconut milk, tamarind and chile paste, and a fresh cilantro finish.
Kuala Lumpur Smoky Tomato Soup turns malaysian pantry flavors into a complete soup with white fish, lemongrass, coconut milk, tamarind and chile paste, and a fresh cilantro finish.
Malacca Sesame Lime Stew turns malaysian pantry flavors into a complete stew with chicken legs, lemongrass, coconut milk, tamarind and chile paste, and a fresh cilantro finish.
Sabah Charred Pepper Noodles turns malaysian pantry flavors into a complete noodle dish with wheat noodles, lemongrass, coconut milk, tamarind and chile paste, and a fresh cilantro finish.
Sarawak Green Herb Salad turns malaysian pantry flavors into a complete salad with grilled chicken, lemongrass, coconut milk, tamarind and chile paste, and a fresh cilantro finish.
Kelantan Smoky Tomato Traybake turns malaysian pantry flavors into a complete traybake with sweet potatoes, lemongrass, coconut milk, tamarind and chile paste, and a fresh cilantro finish.
Johor Sesame Lime Fritters turns malaysian pantry flavors into a complete fritters with salted fish, lemongrass, coconut milk, tamarind and chile paste, and a fresh cilantro finish.
Langkawi Charred Pepper Breakfast Plate turns malaysian pantry flavors into a complete breakfast plate with yogurt, lemongrass, coconut milk, tamarind and chile paste, and a fresh cilantro finish.
Malaysian Market Lemon Herb Rice Bowl brings malaysian flavor to a practical rice bowl built with chicken thighs, lemongrass, coconut milk, tamarind and chile paste, and a fresh cilantro finish.
Malaysian Village Smoky Tomato Soup brings malaysian flavor to a practical soup built with mushrooms, lemongrass, coconut milk, tamarind and chile paste, and a fresh cilantro finish.
Malaysian Garden Sesame Lime Skillet brings malaysian flavor to a practical skillet dinner built with cauliflower, lemongrass, coconut milk, tamarind and chile paste, and a fresh cilantro finish.
Malaysian Harbor Charred Pepper Noodles brings malaysian flavor to a practical noodle dish built with rice noodles, lemongrass, coconut milk, tamarind and chile paste, and a fresh cilantro finish.
Malaysian Mountain Green Herb Salad brings malaysian flavor to a practical salad built with grilled chicken, lemongrass, coconut milk, tamarind and chile paste, and a fresh cilantro finish.
Malaysian Homestyle Smoky Tomato Traybake brings malaysian flavor to a practical traybake built with sweet potatoes, lemongrass, coconut milk, tamarind and chile paste, and a fresh cilantro finish.
Malaysian Street Sesame Lime Fritters brings malaysian flavor to a practical fritters built with salted fish, lemongrass, coconut milk, tamarind and chile paste, and a fresh cilantro finish.
Malaysian Golden Charred Pepper Breakfast Plate brings malaysian flavor to a practical breakfast plate built with beans, lemongrass, coconut milk, tamarind and chile paste, and a fresh cilantro finish.
Fragrant coconut and pandan rice served with sambal, fried anchovies, peanuts and boiled egg, Malaysia's beloved national dish.
Flat rice noodles stir-fried hard and fast with shrimp, egg, bean sprouts and dark soy sauce, a beloved Malaysian hawker-stall classic.
Crispy fried fritters of bean sprouts and shrimp in a light turmeric batter, a beloved Malaysian tea-time snack.
Green pandan jelly noodles served in coconut milk with palm sugar syrup and shaved ice, a refreshing Malaysian iced dessert.
Skewered turmeric-marinated meat grilled over charcoal, served with rich peanut sauce, cucumber and compressed rice, a Malaysian icon.
Silky steamed rice flour rolls served with sweet dark soy sauce and chile, a beloved Malaysian-Chinese breakfast and snack.
Spicy anchovy fried rice with egg and vegetables, a rustic Malaysian village-style version bolder and more chile-forward than typical fried rice.
Silky Malaysian chicken rice porridge topped with fresh mint, crispy shallots, and shredded chicken.
Small, golden Malaysian rice flour cakes with a savory black pepper twist on the classic sweet snack.
Smoky, spicy village-style fried rice with sambal, tomato and a crispy fried egg on top.
Fragrant rice tossed with a dozen fresh herbs, toasted coconut and sambal, a traditional Malay herb rice.
Fish simmered in a rich, spiced tomato-curry sauce, served over rice, inspired by Malaysian curry fish head.
Bell peppers stuffed with spicy sambal fried rice and fresh basil, baked until tender.
Choose by use: long-grain (basmati, jasmine) for fluffy, separate grains; short-grain for risotto and sushi where stickiness is wanted. Aged basmati cooks longer and fluffier.
Rinse until the water runs clear to wash off surface starch and prevent clumping. The absorption method — a fixed water ratio, lid on, then a 10-minute steam off the heat — gives reliable results.
A gluten-free carbohydrate staple; brown and wild varieties keep the bran for extra fibre, B vitamins and minerals.
Most of these 53 Malaysian rice recipes are ready in around 70 minutes from start to finish. The quickest, Char Kway Teow, takes about 25 minutes, while the slower-cooked dishes run up to 515 minutes.
Across this collection they range from about 195 to 780 kcal per serving, averaging 475 kcal — Kuih Lapis (Malaysian Layered Steamed Cake) is the lightest option at 195 kcal.
Perak Nasi Kuning (Turmeric Rice) is a great place to start — it's rated easy and comes together in about 35 minutes. 11% of the recipes here are beginner-friendly.
In these recipes, rice is most often paired with garlic, lemongrass, onion, coconut milk, fine sea salt and cilantro. Malaysian kitchens also lean on its own regional aromatics, fats and signature spice blends.
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