Experience the vibrant flavors of Malaysia through our list of the best Malaysian cookbooks. Explore the myriad flavors of Malaysian cuisine from the comfort of your own home.
Our list of the best Malaysian cookbooks will help you bring the unique, spicy, and diverse flavors of the land of Malays into your kitchen!
With Malaysia being home to over 33.5 million people and having a culinary history as rich as its culture, there’s no shortage of delicious recipes to try. Malaysian cuisine is so much more than just cooking and eating. It’s a tangible inheritance of the various nationalities, religions, and races that made Malaysia the country it is today.
Gordon Ramsey, one of the world’s top chefs, even opened a restaurant in the country. He said: “I love how much Malaysian cuisine is a melting pot of different cultures in the area. It’s really what makes Malaysia so incredibly unique.”
So grab one of these top Malaysian cookbooks and let your taste buds embark on an unforgettable culinary adventure!
Do you want to write your own cookbook? Here are some top tips for writing about food!
Contents
- Best Malaysian Cookbooks
- 1. Malaysia’s Culinary Heritage: The Best of Authentic Traditional Recipes by Kalsom Taib
- 2. The Malaysian Kitchen: 150 Recipes for Simple Home Cooking by Christina Arokiasamy
- 3. Malaysia: Recipes from a Family Kitchen by Ping Coombes
- 4. Penang Local: Cult Recipes From the Streets That Make the City by Aim Aris and Ahmad Salim
- 5. Amazing Malaysian: Recipes for Vibrant Malaysian Home Cooking by Norman Musa
- 6. Penang Makan: Heritage Street Food Recipes by Dayana Wong
- 7. Sambal Shiok: The Malaysian Cookbook by Mandy Yin
- 8. The Best of Chef Wan: A Taste of Malaysia by Chef Wan
- 9. The Complete Asian Cookbook Series: Indonesia, Malaysia, & Singapore by Charmaine Solomon
- 10. My Rendang Isn’t Crispy And Other Favorite Malaysian Dishes by Zaleha Kadir Olpin
- Author
Best Malaysian Cookbooks
1. Malaysia’s Culinary Heritage: The Best of Authentic Traditional Recipes by Kalsom Taib
Dive into the heart of Malaysian cuisine with Malaysia’s Culinary Heritage by Kalsom Taib. This all-encompassing book offers you a passport to Malaysian culture through its rich and diverse culinary heritage. It goes beyond the recipes, delving into the history and stories behind the 230 fundamental dishes it presents, 213 of which are Malaysian recipes.
From the iconic spicy coconut noodle soup, Laksa, to Malaysia’s national dish, Nasi Lemak, every page will take you on a flavorful journey worth exploring!
“Rice is one of the oldest grains in the world… It is by far the most important item in the daily diet of Malaysians and the foundation around which meals are prepared.”
Kalsom Taib, Malaysia’s Culinary Heritage: The Best of Authentic Traditional Recipes
2. The Malaysian Kitchen: 150 Recipes for Simple Home Cooking by Christina Arokiasamy
In The Malaysian Kitchen, Christina Arokiasamy serves traditional Malaysian favorites with her own modern twists. The result is delicious fusions of flavors that are both fresh and familiar.
This cookbook provides an authentic taste of Malaysian cuisine and delves into the country’s rich food culture, making it a must-have for food lovers and culinary novices alike. You don’t have to be a top chef to recreate the magic of Malaysian cuisine in your own kitchen.
“Growing up within the cultural heritage of the main ethnic groups in Malaysia — Indian, Chinese, Nyonya, Malay, and Portuguese — I believe it is the food, and the love for sharing it, that melts our boundaries to unite us.”
Christina Arokiasamy, The Malaysian Kitchen: 150 Recipes for Simple Home Cooking
3. Malaysia: Recipes from a Family Kitchen by Ping Coombes
Malaysia: Recipes from a Family Kitchen pays tribute to Ping Coombes’ roots, presenting over 100 recipes inspired by her mom’s cooking and Ipoh’s street markets and night stalls. Moreover, she makes Malaysian home cooking accessible to everyone, regardless of their cooking skills. Beginners will appreciate the simple ingredients, detailed instructions, and a personal touch. Sek fan la! (Come and eat!)
“To understand Malaysian food is to understand how Malaysia is made up. The country consists largely of three races: Malays, Chinese, and Indians. Imagine the array of flavors and influences just from these three cultures.”
Ping Coombes, Malaysia: Recipes from a Family Kitchen
4. Penang Local: Cult Recipes From the Streets That Make the City by Aim Aris and Ahmad Salim
Visit the culinary paradise of the Malaysian State Penang with Penang Local. The authors — Aim Aris and Ahmad Salim — are successful restauranteurs. They have pop-up restos in Japan, Indonesia, and Australia, so you know you’re learning from pros.
In this book, they compiled Penang’s best recipes that locals and visitors love. Replicate the taste of Penang at home!
“It is no secret that Malaysians love rice. It is a staple everyday ingredient, consumed for breakfast, lunch, and dinner as well as special occasions, such as weddings and kenduri (religious feasts).”
Aim Aris and Ahmad Salim, Penang Local: Cult Recipes From the Streets That Make the City
5. Amazing Malaysian: Recipes for Vibrant Malaysian Home Cooking by Norman Musa
Demystify Malaysian cuisine with Amazing Malaysian by Kuala Lumpur’s official Food Ambassador, Norman Musa.
With this 2016 cookbook, you can recreate over 100 tantalizing dishes at home, with ingredients available in any supermarket. Be as close to Malaysia as possible without leaving your house, and give your palate an unforgettable journey! This cookbook has everything: street food, meat, vegetables, rice, and noodles. You can even find desserts and drinks like the unofficial Malaysian national drink, teh tarik, or pulled tea!
“Malaysia has always been a crossroad of influences and the ultimate fusion of Malay, Chinese, Indian, Arabic and Portuguese cuisine. My subsequent sojourns back to Malaysia convinced me that it was an underappreciated cuisine and relatively unknown outside of Asia.”
Norman Musa, Amazing Malaysian: Recipes for Vibrant Malaysian Home-Cooking
6. Penang Makan: Heritage Street Food Recipes by Dayana Wong
Born and bred in Penang, Dayana Wong pours her heart and soul into Penang Makan. Here, she shares her family recipes and celebrates the vibrant Hawker culture of her home state.
Penang was once a trading post where many civilizations intermingled. Now, it’s home to many Hawker centers featuring affordable and tasty foods. Penang Makan shares authentic street food recipes inspired by these stalls, transporting you to the bustling streets of Penang with each bite.
“Let me take you on a stroll through the streets of multicultural Penang and show you the heritage street food I grew up eating; the food I long for most when I am away from home.”
Dayana Wong, Penang Makan: Heritage Street Food Recipes
7. Sambal Shiok: The Malaysian Cookbook by Mandy Yin
Mandy Yin’s Sambal Shiok offers 90 accessible recipes. The title literally translates as “shockingly good sambal!”. Sambal is an Indonesian chili sauce or paste.
Some of these recipes were inherited from Yin’s mother. The cookbook also includes recipes from Yin’s London restaurant, Sambal Shiok, where she’s head chef. So, her recipes are perfect for when you plan for get-togethers.
Treat yourself to a comprehensive array of Malaysian-inspired recipes for noodle soups, pickles, salads, and many more. Moreover, the cookbook includes an extra chapter where YIn shares some practical Malaysian traveling tips!
“The food of Malaysia is a result of the unique merger over centuries of indigenous Malay ingredients and cooking methods with external influences,.. Much like the food I cook at my London restaurant, Sambal Shiok Laksa Bar, I want to celebrate the diversity of the country and its people.”
Mandy Yin, Sambal Shiok: The Malaysian Cookbook
8. The Best of Chef Wan: A Taste of Malaysia by Chef Wan
Claiming the title of Malaysia’s Culinary Ambassador, Chef Wan presents a feast in book form with The Best of Chef Wan. It’s a collection of over 60 favorite recipes from the household name chef. Newbie cooks are welcome to try this book, but it best serves those with experience in the kitchen. You’ll discover a broad selection of Malaysian foods!
Wan aims to showcase the beauty and diversity of Malaysian cuisine through his cookbooks. This first volume of his The Best of Chef Wan series is perfect for those experimenting with Asian cuisines or Malaysians missing the taste of home.
“Malaysian cuisine is representative of Malaysia’s multicultural heritage. Each ethnic group in Malaysia has its own type of cuisine. However, most local dishes have been adapted to reflect the union of different flavours from various ethnic groups.”
Chef Wan, The Best of Chef Wan: A Taste of Malaysia
9. The Complete Asian Cookbook Series: Indonesia, Malaysia, & Singapore by Charmaine Solomon
The Complete Asian Cookbook Series by Charmaine Solomon is an influential cookbook that introduces many Asian dishes. Solomon’s expertise, honed over decades, seamlessly blends traditional recipes with modern, home-cooking-friendly techniques. Her meticulous attention to detail and the clear, step-by-step instructions make these exotic dishes accessible even for beginners.
This book is a gem for anyone seeking to broaden their culinary horizons and experience the authentic taste of Malaysia.
“Just as France has its robust country fare as well as its subtle haute cuisine, so too does Asia have a range of culinary delights that can be simple, complex, tantalising — and compulsive!”
Charmaine Solomon, The Complete Asian Cookbook Series: Indonesia, Malaysia, & Singapore
10. My Rendang Isn’t Crispy And Other Favorite Malaysian Dishes by Zaleha Kadir Olpin
Zaleha Kadir Olpin was no cook — until she moved to Australia in 2003. She longed for Malaysian food, phoning her mother to inquire how to cook this and that until she became a skillful home cook. Eventually, she participated in MasterChef UK 2018, where she was eliminated because her rendang, a classic Malaysian slow-cooked meat dish braised in spiced coconut milk, was not “crispy.” It sparked an international controversy called #RendangGate.
Olpin took full advantage of the publicity; thus, the 2020 cookbook was born. It contains the recipes Olpin compiled over the years of calling back home to satiate her cravings for Malaysian dishes. Notably those from her mother and grandmother.
Here, she keeps true to the traditional cooking methods of Malaysian cuisine. But don’t worry, all her recipes can still be done in any modern kitchen!
“We cook not just for sustenance but for love, for the people we care for.”
Zaleha Kadir Opin, My Rendang Isn’t Crispy and Other Favourite Malaysian Dishes
To hone your food-writing repertoire, check out our article on the top 10 mouthwatering food writing examples!
