Banana

Acquired taste for Malaysian food

Some food in Malaysia required a trained sense of taste for proper appreciation. Not all people, particularly non-locals, would come to enjoy eating these food. The taste can be considered rather exotic. This is also applicable to locals who did not have the acquired taste for these food.

I hereby list down some of the food in Malaysia that may need a trained sense of taste, smell and, in some cases, sight for their full appreciation:

• Durian (Durio zibethinus)
• Sambal (Chili paste)
• Jamu (Some sort of herbal concoction)
• Petai (Parkia speciosa)
• Belacan (Fermented shrimp paste)
• Tempe/Smelly tofu (Fermented bean curd)
• Tapai (Fermented rice cake)

The preparation of these food may be complicated or unique such that it is not found all over the world, not unless someone decided to build chain restaurants. Likewise, some of the ingredients are seasonal or localized to specific environment conditions. But through the eyes of the foreigners, it's just plain weird. Often, these food have their history or origins ingrained in the culture of the locals. Perhaps it is this reason that the taste of such food is more likely to be appreciated by the locals only.