Malaysia is a paradise for noodle lovers. But while dishes like laksa and char kway teow often steal the spotlight, there are lesser-known regional offerings that are just as delicious.
From spicy mi sanggul in the north to Sabah’s comforting mi tauhu, these hidden gems offer a taste of Malaysia’s diverse culinary heritage.
Mi sanggul
Also known as mi siput due to the snail-like shape of the dried noodles, this piquant, moreish dish is popular in northern Peninsular Malaysia, where it is a must-have at gatherings.
The flattish noodles are stir-fried with egg, cili boh (ground dried chillies), chilli sauce, tomato ketchup, soya sauce, oyster sauce, dried shrimp, Chinese chives, and bean sprouts. Proteins like prawns and fish cake are commonly added.
Mi siput
Not to be confused with northern mi siput (mi sanggul). This popular deep-fried snack – one of the must-try foods in southern Muar town – is eaten with sambal tumis, a spicy paste made with dried chillies, onions, garlic, and anchovies (chilli sauce will also do in a pinch).
Mi celup
A Kelantanese dish of Thai origin, this rice vermicelli noodle soup is made with beef bone stock enriched with spices and aromatics like ginger, lemongrass, coriander root, and celery.
Served with beef slices and tripe, each bowl comes with condiments more commonly associated with Kelantan’s northern neighbour, such as crushed peanuts, chilli powder, sugar, pickled chillies, and preserved radish.
Satay mee
A speciality of Sri Aman in Sarawak. Essentially a modified version of Foochow fried noodles, this dish gets its name from the addition of peanuts to the gravy, resulting in a satay sauce-like taste. It can be made using egg noodles or kway teow (flat rice noodles).
Mi tauhu
A breakfast staple in Sabah’s Tawau city, this dish is exactly like it sounds – noodles served with a side of tofu.
The tofu and tofu puffs, sometimes stuffed with fish paste and swimming in a taucu (fermented soya bean) broth, offer a wholesome counterpoint to the plate of plain stir-fried yellow noodles—one of the many noodle dishes available in Sabah.
This story by Yow Hong Chieh was originally published on AirAsia. Zafigo republished this story in full with permission from the publisher, simply because good stories should be read by as many people as possible! If you have stories that will be of interest and useful to women travellers, especially in Asia, please get in touch with us at [email protected].
