For those who want to dip their toes into Southeast Asian cuisine, or might want to recreate from your travels, then this is perfect for you. In this post, I’m sharing some of my favorite Southeast Asian recipes that you can try to make at home.
The 6 dishes that I’m focusing on today come from Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand. They have bold flavors that contain the perfect balance of savory, spicy, and aromatic tastes.
So with that said, let’s start!
1. Indonesian Ayam Geprek (Smashed Fried Chicken)
Ayam geprek is a popular Indonesian food of crispy fried chicken that’s smashed with a pestle and mixed with sambal (spicy sauce). It’s crunchy, juicy, fiery, and incredibly addictive. I’m more of a moderate spice level enjoyer myself, so the best part about making it at home is being able to tailor it exactly to your preferences!
2. Indonesian Ayam Penyet (Fried Chicken)
This Indonesian ayam penyet is actually a sister dish to ayam geprek, and also means “smashed chicken”. It uses the traditional 2-step method to simmer the chicken in spices that penetrates the flavors deep within, before frying. And just like ayam geprek, it’s usually served with rice, sambal, vegetables, and sides like fried tofu and fried tempeh.
3. Malaysian Nasi Lemak
Enjoy Malaysia’s rich and flavorful national dish, the nasi lemak. To assemble your own plate, serve coconut milk rice with a side of spicy sambal, fried anchovies, roasted peanuts, sliced cucumbers, and hard-boiled eggs. An iconic comfort food that can also be paired with other side dishes like fried chicken, beef rendang, or fried eggs.
4. Malaysian Char Kuey Teow
Char kuey teow is a beloved Malaysian hawker food that can easily be made at home within just 20 minutes. Smoky and charred stir-fried flat rice noodles with cockles, bean sprouts, and garlic chives. Perfect for weeknight dinners!
5. Malaysian Ayam Goreng Berempah (Spiced Fried Chicken)
Ayam goreng berempah is Malaysian-style fried chicken marinated in a fragrant blend of spices and aromatics. The flavorful chicken is crispy and golden on the outside, while juicy on the inside. I also highly recommend frying up any extra marinade to get delicious crumbly bits called kriuk for you to munch on.
6. Thai Crispy Omelette
And last but definitely not least, is the Thai Style Crispy Omelette, known as Khai Jeow. It’s a simple dish of eggs seasoned with fish sauce then fried until it obtains a crispy edge, while still fluffy on the inside. This dish is often served with white rice. So easy and quick to make, you’ll be wanting for more.
There you go! My 6 favorite Southeast Asian recipes. Be it crispy fried chicken, fragrant rice dishes, easy stir fried noodles, or a quick egg side dish, these are great options to start off with.
More Southeast Asian Recipes
But here are some other recipes for you to try as well!
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