The food history of Penang is linked to its creation back in 1786 when the British East India Company took charge of the region. By the next century, Penang became one of the busiest ports in the area attracting merchants of teas, spices, and cloth. People from different cultures settled there, creating Penang a multi-cultural region.
Today, the state of Penang is known for its street food. Different cultures of the world influence the food of the state. Here are the reasons I love Penang food culture.
The Famous Street Food
Penang is known as the birthplace of the street food of Malaysia. It is also one of the best foods in the world. The food of this state reflects the intermingling of various cultures of the world. The fusion of Chinese, Malay, and Indian dishes is just out of the world.
This is not it, the food culture of Penang is also under the influence of Burmese and Thai food. You can find all this food in the restaurants, various hawkers centres, and coffee shops.
The uniqueness of Penang Food
Not only it is a centre of various Malaysian cuisine, but Penang also brings its touch in all Malaysian specialities.
As soon as you land in Penang, you should try Penang Asam Laksa – a famous spicy rice noodle soup. In a typical bowl of Laska, a coconut based curry is used. The addition of tamarind in Penang gives a unique sour flavour to the dish.
Wonderfood Museum
If you want to feast your senses, you must not miss a visit to the world’s first food museum, Wonderfood. You will find the interactive and creative food art to give a tribute to the food heritage of the state.
In the museum, you will find more about the local cuisine and can have a look at the different unique dishes of the region.
In the three-floor building, you will find the giant replicas of the food dishes. No doubt, when you will leave the museum, you would need to start hunting for a place to eat the delicious food of Penang.
The abundance of Vegetarian Options
Majority of the population of Penang is Chinese. Over 80% of Malaysian Chinese are Buddhists and take the vegetarian diet. In Penang, you will find various restaurants, offering unique vegetarian options for Chinese cuisine.
About 9% of the remaining population is from Indian descent and being vegetarian is a part of their culture as well. Therefore, you will find many Indian vegetarian options as well.
In return, this makes Penang heaven for vegetarians. According to a survey, more than 140 restaurants are offering vegetarian-friendly options.
Desserts and Juices
If you are a sweet-dish lover, don’t worry, you will find many local desserts as well which are prepared with the local ingredients. Coconut milk, red beans, palm sugar, grass jelly, sweet corns, and bananas are some of the common ingredients of desserts.
You will also enjoy local fruits juices which taste heavenly delicious. These juices are usually unusual, like rose syrup with condensed milk.
The food culture of Penang is fantastic. You can enjoy a fusion of various cuisines of different cultures. If you are a food lover, you should go to this fabulous place at least once.
