The focus of my Scrumptious Saturday posts thus far have been mostly on food of Chinese origin because that’s what I eat most of on a daily basis. However, living in Malaysia where we have cultural dan racial diversity, our food too is culturally diverse. I love my spicy food and I’m always on the look out for a good Malay food stall or an Indian restaurant. Today, I’d like to introduce you to the Mamak “Nasi Kandar”.
Mamak are Malaysian people of Tamil-Muslim descent and the food is usually similar to the Indian style with liberal use of spices and curries in their cooking. “Nasi Kandar” lit. “Rice balanced on a pole” originates from the days when hawkers would carry their wares in large pots on a pole which they balance on their shoulders. What Nasi Kandar really is, is steamed white rice with a variety of foods and curries.