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One of the toughest things a vegetarian faces when traveling is getting hold of decent vegetarian fare. In a country like Malaysia, where meat eaters outnumber the herbivores, it pays to do a little homework before you board that flight.
Many visitors to Malaysia stick to their hotel or resort breakfast buffets to get a taste of local food, however vegetarian options are often limited and what's more, the local fare is likely to be less than authentic. Of course if you have friends or family who are locals, they'll likely take you to their favourite local haunts.
However, there's no reason to miss out if you don't have local contacts. If you know where to look, you too could enjoy a hearty vegetarian breakfast that's truly Malaysian. Below are some 'veggie-friendly' Malaysian breakfast options:
1.Chee cheong fun- jazz it up with sesame seeds or flaxseed (I like to stash a tiny bottle of flaxseed in my handbag when I'm on the go), even a tablespoon adds a healthy infusion of protein and omega 3 fats to your meal.
2.Vegetarian rice dumplings (the non-veg version is called bak chang)- many Chinese hawker centres have at least one vegetarian stall and you can almost always get freshly made dumplings at these stalls in the mornings.
3.Claypot yee mee- if you are there early enough (i.e. when the stall has just opened for the day), they'll be able to customise a vegetarian version for you. If you're vegan, ask them to hold the eggs and substitute with tofu or greens. Drink a glass of soymilk with your meal to meet your protein needs.
4.Nasi lemak: Skip the sambal and the anchovies, better yet, bring your own vegetarian sambal (bottled versions are available at most organic and vegetarian food stockists). Alternatively, if you're having an Indian breakfast, check if the Indian restaurant or stall you're at serves vegetarian nasi lemak. Quite a few Indian restaurants these days do.
5.Idli or thosai: If there's an Indian stall where you're having breakfast, go for either idli or thosai, both are high-protein vegan options to roti canai. Have them with sambar (dhall curry) or chutneys.
6.Butter-kaya toast and half-boiled eggs with white coffee. Or you can have soymilk instead of the coffee and eggs if you're vegan, still makes a yummy breakfast.
7.Fried noodles or mee goreng- again, good places for vegetarian versions are Indian restaurants which normally serve this for breakfast. Some restaurants even have vegetarian sambal as an accompaniment. Lacto-ovo vegetarians can order a fried egg (sunny side up) to go along with their noodles. Malay restaurants/stalls also serve this for breakfast, just order a vegetarian version.
8.Chapatti- A wheat-based bread available in Indian restaurants, it's best eaten with sambar or green peas curry. Very high in protein and vegan.
9.Nasi goreng (fried rice)- order a vegetarian version of this at a Chinese , Malay or Indian stall/restaurant. Best served with a fried egg (sunny side up) but you can always ask them to add tofu instead to the dish.
10.Vegetarian dim sum- This one is quite a rarity as it's mostly available in only a few Chinese vegetarian restaurants (which are halal by the way). If you're traveling, ask the locals for tips and directions, you may be surprised at the variety vegetarian options available to you.
Note: Happy Cow has a pretty comprehensive list of vegetarian restaurants in Malaysia, organised by state. Click on the button in the links bar at the top of this page or visit http://www.happycow.net/ for more information.
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