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Malaysia, Paradise of Fermented Food 

Written by Yang Hyang-ja (CEO of the World Food Culture Center, Korea) 

Malaysia’s climate, warm throughout the year with an annual average temperature between 28 and 32 degrees Celsius and a rainy season from September to March, allows farmers to plant and harvest three crops a year off the same field, rendering the country a true paradise of fermented food. Fermentation refers to the process by which microorganisms decompose organic matter using enzymes, and the food made through this process is usually rich in lactobacilli, which have numerous health benefits. Famous fermented foods include Korean kimchi, German sauerkraut, Japanese natto, Italian salami, Indonesian tempeh, or Australian vegemite, to name but a few. What type of fermented foods people develop depends on their respective country’s climate, characteristics, and geographical environment. In this article, I will introduce you to fermented Malaysian foods. 

   Malaysians use an abundance of fruit, legumes, cereals and seafood to create fermented foods. One of them is tempoyak. It is made of durian, which, according to a popular saying, has the smell from hell and the taste from heaven. As durians have long been mass-produced, leading to an ever-increasing unconsumed surplus, Malaysians began to ferment the fruit. The result was tempoyak, now a popular Malay condiment. It is made by mixing the flesh of durian with chopped peppers and salt. The mixture is then left to ferment at room temperature for three to five days. It is usually eaten as side dish with rice or used as an ingredient for cooking, and tastes somewhat similar to salted greens in Korea. And so, a fruit that was almost left to rot was reborn as tasty condiment, and what’s more, its lactobacilli content prevents the growth of harmful bacteria. 

   Tapai is another fermented food that is popular among Malaysians. It is made of white glutinous rice or other starchy foods, such as cassavas or potatoes, and found primarily in Southeast Asia, parts of East Asia, and in Austronesian cultures. The origin of the name tapai refers both to fermented food, including yeasted bread and rice wine, and large earthen jars that were once used for fermentation. To make tapai, one must first wash and cook the respective ingredient, then cool it to about 30° C, and mix in some powdered starter culture, which is made by mixing rice flour with ground spices, including garlic, pepper, chili or cinnamon; cane sugar or coconut water; slices of ginger or ginger extract; and water. The mix is then left to ferment in covered jars for one to two days. The finished gruel will taste sweet with a hint of alcohol, and can be consumed as it is, or left for several additional days to become sourer. 

   Malaysians enjoy a variety of other fermented foods such as budu, a fermented anchovy sauce made by storing small fish in salt water for 6 to 18 months, or belacan, fermented shrimps often used for stir-fried or seasoned food. Just as Malaysia’s population is composed of multiple ethnic groups, the diversity of the country’s fermented foods seems almost limitless.

This content of this article may differ from the editorial direction of the ASEAN Culture House Monthly.