compare and contrast chinese food and malay food

Food is any substance or material that provide nutrient and energy to body. Different cultures has different cuisines. There are similarities and differences between Chinese food and Malays food in terms of table manner, styles of cooking and traditional food.

First at all, there are similarities and differences between table manner of chinese and malays. table manner is the style and the ways of eating on table. Both Chinese and Malays take their food for breakfast, lunch and dinner on table. similarly, both chinese and malay apply the traditional practices in their style of eating. However, there is some differences between the style of eating. Chinese use eating utensils such as chopsticks or spoon and fork for taking their meals, whereas Malays take their meals by using fingers and keep eating utensils for the minimum. Thus, both have their similar and different characteristics of style of eating.

Besides of table manner, both chinese and malay food have their own styles of cooking. Variety is the spice in Chinese and Malays food. Likewise, the traditional culinary style has been greatly influenced in the both Chinese and Malays food from one generation to one generation. For instance, Chinese food is influenced from China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, while Malays food is influnced from neighbouring counteries, such as Indonesia and the Middle East. Nevertheless, Malay food is often descibed as spicy and flavourful as it utilises a melting pot of spices and herbs. Malay cooking incorporates ingredients such as lemon glass, pandan leaves, kemangi leaves, turmeric and wild ginger buds. On the contrary, Chinese food is usually implies a lot of deep-fried, strong-flavored and greasy dishes that all taste similar. The ingredients used are Chinese herbs, ginger, mushrooms and others. Generally, both chinese and malay cooking styles are inherited from traditions, however, they are different in the preparation of food.

In addition to table manner and cooking styles, there are Chinese and Malays traditional food. Traditional food is common and special especially during the important festivals such as Chinese New Year and Hari Raya Puasa. Similarly, both prepare their traditional food during open house of their festivals. Both prepare the traditional food together with family members and sometimes with the neighbours. This symbolises the unity among them. However, the examples of Chinese food are tang yuan, dumplings, dim sumand mooncake, whereas Malay traditional food is rendang, nasi lemak, ketupat and others. It is undeniable that both chinese and malay traditional foods are prepared for open house, but the examples of both traditional foods are totally different.

In conclusion, there are the similarities and differences between Chinese food and Malay food in aspect of atmosphere of eating, cooking styles and traditional food. all of these make different cultures become unique and have their own identity.