{"id":5683,"date":"2024-09-26T09:23:15","date_gmt":"2024-09-26T01:23:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/1000journey.my\/en\/?p=5683"},"modified":"2025-06-10T11:52:59","modified_gmt":"2025-06-10T03:52:59","slug":"five-fantastic-dishes-of-terengganu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/1000journey.my\/en\/five-fantastic-dishes-of-terengganu\/","title":{"rendered":"Five Fantastic Dishes of Terengganu"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Photo: Damia Mustafa<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Hugging the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia like a plump shrimp, the state of Terengganu has garnered an unfair reputation as being a backwater in the eyes of the Klang Valley city-slickers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But what it lacks in overpriced Japanese ramen or influencer cash grabs, it more than makes up for it with some down-to-earth, hearty Malay cuisine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beneath its sleepy towns and gorgeous coasts belie a stellar reputation for some of Malaysia\u2019s most mouth-wateringly delicious Malay food!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are you ready to begin your travels into Terengganu\u2019s tantalizing tastes? Let\u2019s go!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nasi Dagang<\/h2>\n\n\n
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Photo: MalayMail<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

If there ever was a candidate for the king of East Coast cuisine, then it must be nasi dagang<\/em> or \u201ctrader\u2019s rice\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This maelstrom of fragrance and flavour is usually made by steaming rice \u2013 sometimes more than once \u2013 in creamy coconut milk. Then, an East Coast spin on curry called gulai darat<\/em> is added, featuring fish or chicken stewed in a dizzying array of spices like turmeric, lengkuas, lemongrass and ginger. Top it off with some Malay pickled veggies called acar<\/em>, and you have a hearty and unforgettable meal!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Popular in the East Coast states of Kelantan, Pahang and of course, Terengganu, nasi dagang<\/em> can even be found up north in Thailand\u2019s Pattani and Yala provinces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But ask the locals, and they\u2019ll usually swear by a local place called Nasi Dagang Atas Tol. Although it has a branch within the state capital Kuala Terengganu, it still manages to attract hundreds of hungry patrons to its original store in the village of Kampung Atas Tol more than 10km away from the town centre! And it\u2019s not hard to see why \u2013 it still uses good old wood-fed flames to cook its curry, giving it a smoky aroma that\u2019s irresistible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Laksam<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Photo: Kuali<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

No, it\u2019s not laksa!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite being one letter away from its more famous cousin, laksam<\/em> is a wildly different dish that showcases Terengganu\u2019s love of fish and coconut milk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beginning with cooked rice flour strips that look quite like the Chinese dish chee cheong fun<\/em>, they are cut up into adorable tiny little rolls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But what sets it apart are the sauce and toppings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For laksam<\/em> sauce, you\u2019ll find a uniquely salty-sweet broth made from fish, coconut milk and sometimes the citrusy punch of the asam gelugor<\/em> fruit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After dousing the laksam<\/em> in said sauce, the next step is to garnish it with some a handful of finely shaved ulam<\/em> salad greens and a dollop of spicy belacan<\/em> fish sauce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These rolls, sauce and toppings combine to create laksam<\/em> \u2013 a humble East Coast dish that both looks *and* tastes like a five-star pasta dish \u2013 for a fraction of the price, no less!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although laksam<\/em> can be found almost everywhere in Terengganu, there are also plenty of stores that in the Klang Valley that bring this delicious dish closer to home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Satar<\/h2>\n\n\n
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Photo: Alicia Lim<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

In case you haven\u2019t noticed, Terengganu folk really love their fish!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the bounty of the South China Sea next door, it\u2019s no big surprise that the day\u2019s fresh catch frequently finds their way into almost every dish!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But nothing symbolizes the humble and straight-shooting character of Terengganu people and their cuisine more than satar<\/em> fish cake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not to be confused with satay skewers \u2013 though they share a cooking method \u2013 satar<\/em> can be found through the savoury, aromatic smoke wafting from Terengganu\u2019s countless roadside stalls or food courts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Satar<\/em> starts with a blend of fish paste, spices and coconut (sensing a theme here?) that gets wrapped in a banana leaf before being barbequed by the dozen in giant skewers over a charcoal flame.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And that\u2019s it! The result is a smoky and savoury triangular fish cake \u2013 akin to ketupat rice – that goes great by itself or with a main dish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keropok Lekor<\/h2>\n\n\n
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Photo: Esperanza Doronila<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Why bother with fish and<\/em> chips when you can have both<\/em> in one convenient package called keropok lekor<\/em>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An evergreen Terengganu specialty, keropok lekor<\/em> is a long, brownish snack that\u2019s made from fresh fish paste mixed with sago flour, resulting in a sausage-like delicacy that\u2019s won a legion of fans stretching all the way from Kuala Terengganu to Kuala Lumpur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Depending on whether it\u2019s steamed or deep-fried, keropok lekor<\/em> will give you a softer or chewier texture. When paired with some homemade sweet chili, it transforms into a bundle of salty goodness topped off with just the right tinge of fatty umami \u2013 the perfect snack to keep the munchies at bay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Besides buying freshly fried lekor to chow down on, you can also bring some home in the form of shrink-wrapped or frozen bundles from various local Terengganu stores. Once you\u2019re in the kitchen, get a wok full of oil to fry some up for yourself!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nekbat<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Photo: MalayMail<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Diet fanatics beware! If there\u2019s one thing Terengganu folk love more than fish and coconut milk, it\u2019s got to be sugar!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

East Coast cuisine is filled with syrupy sauces, sugary rice and, of course, sweet desserts such as the bundles of joy called nekbat<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nekbat<\/em> is a made from a rather simple batter of flour and eggs which is then baked to a golden colour, or orange if there\u2019s food colouring. Soft but bland, these dry, hardy nekbat<\/em> can last months and not too far off from unflavoured sponge cake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But then comes the sweetness. After boiling water mixed in with sugar and pandan leaves, the nekbat <\/em>are poured in and left to soak in that fine syrup. When they\u2019ve grown sufficiently plump, then it\u2019s time to savour one of Terengganu\u2019s most cherished desserts!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you\u2019re longing for something to cleanse that salty keropok lekor<\/em> or hearty nasi dagang<\/em> you just had, these little clamshells will be your saviour!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo: Muhayminismail<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Now that you\u2019ve had a quick look at the vast world of Terengganu cuisine, were they any that left you drooling? If not, why not look further afield for some of Hong Kong\u2019s must-try foods<\/a> or enjoy some Viennese hospitality at their cozy coffeehouses<\/a>? Or if you\u2019re looking for more sweet tooth delights, sink your teeth into this guide to the sweetest Japanese desserts<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hugging the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia like a plump shrimp, the state of Terengganu has garnered an unfair reputation…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":5685,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[24,250],"tags":[100,220,33,221,91,219],"class_list":["post-5683","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-eat","category-malaysia","tag-cuisine","tag-east-coast","tag-food","tag-local","tag-malaysia","tag-terengganu"],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/1000journey.my\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/damia-mustafa-zbE7u3TdL2o-unsplash-scaled.jpg",2560,1920,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/1000journey.my\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/damia-mustafa-zbE7u3TdL2o-unsplash-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/1000journey.my\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/damia-mustafa-zbE7u3TdL2o-unsplash-300x225.jpg",300,225,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/1000journey.my\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/damia-mustafa-zbE7u3TdL2o-unsplash-768x576.jpg",768,576,true],"large":["https:\/\/1000journey.my\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/damia-mustafa-zbE7u3TdL2o-unsplash-1024x768.jpg",1024,768,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/1000journey.my\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/damia-mustafa-zbE7u3TdL2o-unsplash-1536x1152.jpg",1536,1152,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/1000journey.my\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/damia-mustafa-zbE7u3TdL2o-unsplash-2048x1536.jpg",2048,1536,true],"penci-recipe-1200x1200":["https:\/\/1000journey.my\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/damia-mustafa-zbE7u3TdL2o-unsplash-1200x1200.jpg",1200,1200,true],"penci-recipe-1200x900":["https:\/\/1000journey.my\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/damia-mustafa-zbE7u3TdL2o-unsplash-1200x900.jpg",1200,900,true],"penci-recipe-1200x675":["https:\/\/1000journey.my\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/damia-mustafa-zbE7u3TdL2o-unsplash-1200x675.jpg",1200,675,true],"penci-single-full":["https:\/\/1000journey.my\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/damia-mustafa-zbE7u3TdL2o-unsplash-1920x1440.jpg",1920,1440,true],"penci-slider-full-thumb":["https:\/\/1000journey.my\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/damia-mustafa-zbE7u3TdL2o-unsplash-1920x800.jpg",1920,800,true],"penci-full-thumb":["https:\/\/1000journey.my\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/damia-mustafa-zbE7u3TdL2o-unsplash-1170x878.jpg",1170,878,true],"penci-slider-thumb":["https:\/\/1000journey.my\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/damia-mustafa-zbE7u3TdL2o-unsplash-1170x663.jpg",1170,663,true],"penci-magazine-slider":["https:\/\/1000journey.my\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/damia-mustafa-zbE7u3TdL2o-unsplash-780x516.jpg",780,516,true],"penci-thumb":["https:\/\/1000journey.my\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/damia-mustafa-zbE7u3TdL2o-unsplash-585x390.jpg",585,390,true],"penci-masonry-thumb":["https:\/\/1000journey.my\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/damia-mustafa-zbE7u3TdL2o-unsplash-585x439.jpg",585,439,true],"penci-thumb-square":["https:\/\/1000journey.my\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/damia-mustafa-zbE7u3TdL2o-unsplash-585x585.jpg",585,585,true],"penci-thumb-vertical":["https:\/\/1000journey.my\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/damia-mustafa-zbE7u3TdL2o-unsplash-480x650.jpg",480,650,true],"penci-thumb-small":["https:\/\/1000journey.my\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/damia-mustafa-zbE7u3TdL2o-unsplash-263x175.jpg",263,175,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Wei 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