Malaysian food is known to be the sum of many delicious parts, including Chinese, Indian, Indonesian and Malay influences. This of course reflects the rich multiethnic makeup of its population. There are several essential ingredients that can be found in many recipes, either of meat, fish or vegetables: chili peppers, coconut, soy sauce, lemongrass and tamarind as seasonings and sauce preparations such as belacan ?a type of shrimp paste which is pressed into a block and sun-dried. Many dishes include rice, which is is the most important staple food in Malaysia.
Following there?re some favourite recipes and suggested wines for them.
Nasi lemak
A popular dish based on rice steamed with coconut milk and pandan leaves to give it a rich fragrance. Of Malay origin, nasi lemak is frequently referred to as the national dish. It is customarily served with ikan bilis or fried anchovies, peanuts, sliced cucumber, hard boiled eggs and sambal. Although it is often considered a breakfast dish, because of the versatility of nasi lemak in being able to be served in a variety of ways, it is eaten at any time of the day. For a more substantial meal, nasi lemak may be served with fried chicken, curries, or a spicy meat stew called rendang.
We would pair it with a Muriel Fincas de la Villa Rosado: its crunchy and tasty mouth goes great!
Nasi kerabu
From the state of Kelantan in northern peninsular Malaysia, nasi kerabu gets its eye-grabbing color from telang flowers, which are crushed and mixed into flour. The aquamarine dish is topped with bean sprouts and fried coconut, then drenched in spicy budu, a fermented fish sauce.
A great wine option with nasi kerabu is Muriel Fincas de la Villa young white. Crispy and refreshing, its partial and short ageing in oak barrels gives it a slight body which helps to enhance the food flavour experience.
Ikan bakar
The direct translation of this dish means "burned fish". This is one tasty grilled bit of seafood. After being marinated in the all-important sambal, the fish is placed on a banana leaf and grilled over a flame. This is great for sharing and for having it with a mouthful yet fresh white wine: Viña Muriel Blanco Reserva and its powerful and long taste fits perfectly.
Satay
Malaysia has its own variations of the grilled skewers, served nationwide in chicken, beef or pork forms (the latter in non-Muslim venues only). Sauces vary from region to region, including the peanut sauce that's loved the world over. A lively, vibrant and fruitful Muriel Fincas de la Villa Crianza, which on the other side works great for all kinds of street food.
Beef rendang
Though sometimes erroneously called a curry, Malaysian food aficionados point out that this chunky cauldron of coconut milk and spices is nothing of the sort.
The difference is in how it's prepared: slowly simmered (to let the meat absorb the spices) until the rosy liquid completely evaporates.
A favorite, especially during festive seasons, rendang is found across Malaysia.We?d have it with a strong, deep and mouth-wathering Viña Muriel Gran Reserva red wine from the oldest vines near our winery in Elciego, Rioja Alavesa.
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This last photo shows the interior of one of our Malaysian importer's shop, in Kuala Lumpur. At the end, on the left, some cases of Viña Muriel Reserva can bee seen.
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