Selangor Traditional Food Gastronomical Delights

Selangor Traditional Food may be “underrated” compared to other cities – Malaysia’s cuisine with Malay, Indian, and Chinese influences is always flavourful and toothsome.

Once you’re in Malaysia and have learned to eat like the locals, you will not be concerned with historical references and origins but, instead, wonder where to head for your next meal.

Selangor Traditional Food is good.

Travel Stylus is here to help narrow your choices to taste the best of Selangor’s gastronomical delights regarding traditional recipes and cultural diversity.

Selangor’s conventional cooking methods h down for centuries!

In the state of Selangor, you will never get hungry.

From traditional local delicacies, the kuih, to the Taiwanese famous Bubble tea, from Chinese conventional Bak Kut Teh to Indian famous Banana Leaf Rice, you will always find something to satisfy your taste buds.

Make Selangor Traditional Food at home!

If you crave some good kampung food, you will be interested in these traditional cuisines, suggested by Tourism Selangor.

We highlight the traditional flavors for you to try making at home.

Pecal

Pecal Sayur is a blanched vegetable salad with spicy peanut sauce.

This dish is known as Gado-Gado in Indonesia and is found just about anywhere in Selangor as a shared appetizer.

Pecal is often served with Ketupat or Lontong.

The key that binds this vegetarian dish together is the mouth-watering ‘Kuah’ gravy made from peanuts.

Other vegetables are
• Tofu
• bean sprout
• long beans
• cucumber

The preparation for making Pecal is almost effortless, so you can quickly try it at home anytime!

Nasi Ambeng

The Javanese-Malay dish, the Nasi Ambeng, is a fragrant rice dish often served communal dining style on a platter, usually shared with four to five people.

In Selangor, Nasi Ambeng is often served during festive and special occasions such as weddings or kenduri.

The Javanese name for Nasi Ambeng is ‘Nasi Berkat,’ translated as ‘The Blessed Rice.’

The variety of food choices for side dishes accompanying this ‘Kenduri’ dish is mind-blowing – a feast for the eyes and stomach with white rice served in banana leaf!

• Fried Chicken
• Chicken Curry
• Ayam Masak Kicap (soy sauce chicken)
• Fried Noodles
• Serunding Kelapa
• Sambal
• Beef or Chicken Rendang
• Sambal Goreng
• Fried Tofu
• Tempeh
• Long Beans
• Bergedil
• Steamed white rice

In Selangor, Nasi Ambeng is typically served at festivals, large gatherings, or locally known as ‘Kenduri.’

Sambal Taun

Sambal Taun or Sambal Tahun is a unique dish famous among Selangorians.

It originates from the early Javanese settlers and has become a traditional food of Selangor ever since.

This dish is spicy due to the chili used in its preparation.

Traditionally, the protein for the sambal is from cow skin.

Nowadays, you will find other, more tasty ingredients according to one’s preference.

• Clams
• Cow Lungs
• Anchovies

Other ingredients for cooking include

• Red Onions
• Garlic
• Shrimp Paste
• Coconut Milk
• Oil
• Tamarind Paste
• Salt
• Sugar

In the past, this dish was typically served during the Eid celebration!

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Wadai Kipeng

In the Banjar people’s tongue, ‘Wadai’ predominantly means ‘Kuih,’ while ‘Kipeng’ refers to pieces.

Commonly served at Banjar people’s weddings, this sweet glutinous rice dessert is bathed in a thick creamy gravy made from palm sugar and coconut milk.

Back in the day, it has been traditionally practiced by the Banjar community to plate up Wadai Kipeng at their Thanksgiving ceremony!

To prepare this porridge-like dessert, the must-have ingredients are

• glutinous rice flour
• Coconut
• palm sugar
• granulated sugar
• some pandan leaves

A delightful ending to your meal.

Bahulu Kemboja

Bahulu Kemboja is an ‘old-timers’ favorite and is still popular today.

A traditional kuih Bahulu Kemboja is made purely from duck eggs.

These delicious traditional sweet cakes warrant seconds and thirds.

Bahulu Kemboja can be served whenever you like. You can have it for breakfast or even during teatime over an excellent cuppa coffee or tea.

While the kuih is sold widely, the taste of the original Bahulu Kemboja can only be found in Selangor.

To maintain the uniqueness and moisture of the kuih, the ingredients needed are

• original pandan essence straight from its leaves
• wheat flour
• rice flour
• some coconut milk
• eggs
• sesame seeds
• sugar
• salt

Having such unique flavors and dishes in just one state is truly a blessing.

From appetizers, main meals, desserts, and teatime snacks, all these traditional cuisines reflect how splendid Selangor can be!

Kuih Abuk-Abuk

Old traditional Malay Kuieh, like the legendary Kuih Abuk-Abuk, is almost unheard of, nor is it easy to find.

Kuih Abuk-Abuk, a traditional kuih, is made from small sago pearl, freshly grated coconut, and tapioca mixture with a delicious sweet Palm Sugar Filling.

Kuih Abuk-Abuk is wrapped in a folded banana leaf cone, secured with toothpicks, and steamed with the peak pointing upwards.

The texture of the kuih is soft but chewy.

Serve with sweetened coconut milk and melted Palm Sugar.

Kuih Abuk-Abuk is a favorite tea-time snack with seniors.

Daging Tumbuk/ Beef Dendeng (Pounded Meat)

Beef Dendeng is a reasonably complicated dish served during Eid, weddings, or daily meals.

Originating from Indonesia, dengdeng refers to dried, thinly sliced beef in Bahasa Indonesia.

In Malaysia, this beef dish is black as night dark, flavorsome, and swimming in a pool of equally dark oil.

The taste has a hint of luxurious, spicy sweetness.

The complexity of preparing this dish required hours of toiling in the kitchen by experienced cooks.

To make a worthy Beef Dendeng, you must put your back into using a pestle and mortar to pound the sliced boiled beef.

The bashed meat is cooked again with chilies, garlic, onions, ginger, tamarind juice, salt, sweet thick soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar – until it is completely coated and glistens!

Serve with hot plain rice.

Beef Dendeng goes well with Nasi Impit, Lemang, and Lodeh gravy if cooking this for Eid or special occasions.

Dendeng is a dish that tastes even better tomorrow and can freeze well.

Satay

If you enjoy savoring marinated, delicious juicy grilled meats, you will love Satay.

Kajang, a little town in Selangor, is synonymous with Satay.

You will find several types of meat marinated in spices and seasoning, skewered on bamboo sticks, and grilled on flaming coals.

Satay is every meat lover’s dream meal or snack.

In Kajang, you can find outlets that only serve satays.

Four choices of meat available for Satay

• Chicken
• Beef
• Mutton
• Babat or Tripe

Malaysian Satay is always served with a thick, creamy, spicy (or sweet) peanut sauce in small bowls.

You can eat the Satay with Ketupat, raw onions, and cucumbers. Some stalls offer Lontong and Nasi Impit.

Everybody has their favorite satay joint.

If visiting Kajang for the first time, you can ask locals for recommendations.

Most stalls have a large crowd daily at their restaurants waiting to savor the juicy grilled meat!

Doesn’t that tell you how good it is?

Bak Kut Teh

Bak Kut Teh is a popular Chinese pork rib dish cooked in a fragrant herbal broth.

In Malaysia, the dish is synonymous with Klang’s town – the locals believe it to be the origin of Bak Kut Teh.

In Selangor, many restaurants are selling Bak Kut The. You can now find the original Klang style, Bak Kut Teh, in Puchong.

There are a few varieties to try if you love to eat pork.

• Bak Kut Teh Soup
• Dry Bak Kut Teh
• White Bak Kut Teh

Staunch Bak Kut Teh fans may insist on White Rice paired with herbal soup rather than Yam Rice.

In Klang, the white, fluffy rice served differs from other states. Firstly, the rice is drizzled with fragrant oil and then sprinkled with fried shallots.

My recommendation is to try both and see what you prefer.

Other ingredients that go well with Bak Kut Teh

• Yau Char Kwai – Chinese crullers
• White rice with fried shallots

Most outlets serve mediocre Yau Char Kwai to complement the fragrant herbal soup.

But not in this restaurant – the flavourful fried dough sticks are crunchy and soak up the soup thoroughly, providing squirts of aromatic herbal aroma with every bite.

The white, fluffy rice served with Klang’s Bak Kut Teh differs from other states.

The white rice drizzled with fragrant oil and a sprinkling of fried shallots is a good enough reason to consume the rice.

Claypot Pork cuts

• Bacon
• Half Lean, Half Fat Pork
• Pork Ribs
• Tenderloin
• Innards
• Enoki Mushrooms
• Black Mushrooms
• Bean Curd
• Bean Curd Skins

When you eat Bak Kut Teh, you can request an unlimited top-up of the soup for free.

Conclusion

Enjoying such incredible flavors and meals in a single state is certainly a blessing.

Everything about this traditional food, including the appetizers, main courses, desserts, and teatime treats, is a testament to how magnificent Selangor can be!

For more info on the food or attractions in Selangor, hop over to https://selangor.travel.