Rice, noodles and bread in a multicultural society: revisiting nasi lemak, char kuey teow and roti canai in an autoethnography perspective

Malaysia is a heterogenous society that is rich with its historical heritage. It encompasses diverse ethnic groups, religious faith and cultural background. As such, it is not surprising to come across various cuisines that originates from the Malay Archipelago, mainland China and Indian subcontinent in our nation. Hence, the present research intends to explore the typical mainstream entrées in Peninsular Malaysia. It comprises the notable nasi lemak, char kuey teow and roti canai that primarily represents the staple food of the Malay, Chinese and Indian community. On that note, this study will focus into two research questions: i) why nasi lemak, char kuey teow and roti canai are interchangeable menu for the Malaysians? and ii) how the three distinct ethnic food are welcomed in a multicultural society? Autoethnography method is utilized to examine the conventional rice, noodles and bread that have become the all-time favourites to most of our citizens. Therefore, the personal lived experiences of the author will be analyzed via self-reflection process. It will scrutinize the details and interpret the subject in concern. The findings showcases that the tangible heritage food is a classic example that transcends the boundaries specifically in a multicultural landscape. It signifies that food is able to foster harmony and unity despite our divergent tradition.