Malaysia.

Malaysia is located at the crossroads of Southeast Asia and acted as a vital port for many Asian and European traders traveling by sea. It is no surprise then that Malaysian cuisine is deeply influenced by diverse cultures and religions. Through history, the specific tastes and preferences of Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Christians and Jews gradually added to the variety of Malaysian cuisine. The food is primarily a combination of Malay, Indian and Chinese cuisines, but is also influenced by South Pacific island fare from Nyona, Indonesia, and Borneo.

Most Malaysian dishes include coconut, chilies, onions and lemon grass as the basic ingredients. Fresh herbs and roots such as ginger, garlic and fresh chilies are also used. Both fresh and dried chilies are ground into a sambal or chili paste to be added to soups, curries, or eaten as condiments. Cloves, cardamom, mustard seeds, fenugreek, nutmeg and cinnamon are the most commonly used spices. Most Malay dishes include Belacan (tiny shrimp dried, processed and made into a cake), an important ingredient indigenous to Malaysian cooking.

Rice is a very important part of Malaysian cuisine as it is the staple food of Malaysia. Malaysians eat rice for breakfast, lunch and dinner! Malaysians serve Ponni rice, grown in Tamilnadu, and is known for its quality. Most chefs prefer this variety as it is light and non-sticky.

Roti Canai Recipe.

• 600 gm plain flour
• 1 tbs salt
• 1 cup warm water
• Sugar to taste
• Ghee

In Edmonton.

Tropika is a very popular restaurant in South Edmonton. Their signature dishes are chilli crab, roti canai, and satay skewers that are on sale Monday- Thursday for $1.75. The interior is set to a very "tropikal" atmosphere with straw chairs, fake palm and bamboo trees, and workers dressed in green floral shirts. Tropika offers a very diverse menu full of rice dishes, noodles, curries, combination plates, great desserts and a wide variety of fruit drinks. Despite not having the formal atmosphere of the King & I, prices at Tropika are only slightly cheaper and is still not the daily restaurant of choice for most students.