I say Hokkien mee, you say prawn mee: A close-up look at Malaysian food culture

★ Chen Jingyi, "the Taiwanese who understands Malaysian cuisine best," observes and analyzes the diverse culture behind Malaysian cuisine from a Taiwanese perspective.
★ The simplified Chinese version of this book was selected for Malaysia's "Sin Chew Daily Vitality Supplement" [Readers' Top Ten Books of 2024] (Non-Literature Category)!
★ Recommended by Lin Weidi, publisher of Monsoon Belt Culture!

I believe that Chen Jingyi's writing has opened a new path for comparative food. Compared to local Malaysian food writers, Chen Jingyi's uniqueness lies in her profound knowledge and understanding of the food cultures of different societies. This allows her to conduct a cross-disciplinary comparison of Malaysian food culture, clearly untangling the relevant threads.
——Lin Weidi

The "Hokkien Mee" in Penang, Malaysia and the "Prawn Mee" in Kuala Lumpur are the same food, but they have different names due to regional differences, reflecting the diversity of local food culture.

Taiwanese food writer Chen Jingyi's culinary travels have taken her to China, Japan, Taiwan and other parts of Asia. In recent years, she has focused her attention on Malaysia, a land of diverse coexistence.

From an outsider's perspective, she has combined field interviews with personal experience to write over a hundred articles related to Malaysian cuisine, accumulating a wealth of cultural observations and insights.

This book is her masterpiece, a close-up look at Malaysian culinary culture. Throughout, she shares her recent experiences with Malaysian cuisine, exploring the diverse and coexisting cultures and cultural heritage of Malaysia through food, leading readers to discover the stories and meanings behind Malaysian food culture.

Written and photographed by Chen Jingyi

A man with a cat, the media calls him the Taiwanese who understands Malaysian Chinese cuisine best.

A columnist for Sin Chew Daily's "Sentimental and Flavorful" column. He researches Chinese food culture, focusing on the connections between immigrants from Fujian, Guangdong, Chaoshan, and other regions, Malaysia, and Taiwan. In 2018, he published Taiwan's first book dedicated to Malaysian Chinese cuisine, "Ah, This Flavor: Delving into the Streets and Alleys of Malaysia to Taste the Soulful and Flavorful Chinese Snacks." He has also participated in numerous food exchange events between Taiwan and Malaysia.

With two decades of experience in food reporting and research, she was named one of Taiwan's nine most influential figures in the culinary world by Taiwan Tatler magazine in 2023. Dubbed the "Queen of Taiwanese Cuisine" by the media, she is the author of books such as "Taiwanese Flavor" and "Oh! Taiwanese Flavors."

008 Foreword: Chen Jingyi's Writing and Exploration of "Comparative Diet" / Lin Weidi
012 Preface: Diverse Symbiosis, Brilliant and Charming

014 Identity through the lens of Fujian noodles
022 Freeing up rice and enjoying the fun of eating from a plate
026 Rojak is really rojak
034 Impurity can also become a feature
038 Who are you? Where are you from?
042 Mixed? Mandarin duck?
048 The rare and valuable syrup shaved ice
052 Fuzhou Red Wine and Red Dregs
058 Have you ever eaten glutinous rice balls that look like dumplings?
062 Hui'an and Sago
068 Unique variant of Hainan cuisine
074 These foods are very big
080 Three Things I Learned from Penang’s Street Food Stalls
086 Laksa Human Touch
092 Sharing economy, Malaysia has already had it
098 Street vendor culture listed as intangible cultural heritage
102 The Charm of Rice Noodle Rolls
108 A fleeting taste
114 Sweet and Salty Zongzi
118 New Village Cuisine and Military Dependents' Village Cuisine
124 Fragrant rice, an intangible cultural heritage
130 Marmite Chicken and Maggi Shrimp
134 Breakfast Code
140 The Diners’ Willful Culture
144 Would you like a drink?
148 Dear, you have changed!
154 How much do you know about chicken rice?
158 Four major questions about Hainanese chicken rice
164 Threshold Foods in Every Country
168 Milo is everywhere
172 What does the name of the dish mean?
176 When eating fried kway teow, the first step is to listen?
180 Who owns Bak Kut Teh?
186 Is rushing to pay the bill a part of Chinese food culture?
190 Let's rewrite the history of pepper!
194 Four Food Questions Even Malaysians Haven’t Considered
198 Have you ever eaten barbecued pork head?
202 The Taste of Smokiness
208 Love for Malaysian Lard Dregs
212 Cendol, which is banned
216 Snack Artifact
220 Each of their own wonderful Assam Laksa
226 White Curry Noodles' Clone Technique
230 Add pepper to rainy days to warm your stomach and heart
236 The World of Rice