The Indians, whether Muslim or Hindu faith, had given Penang its most famous and sought-after cuisine – the nasi kandar. People have been known to travel from all over just to score a plate of rice utterly drenched in at least two types of lively-flavoured curries accompanied by fried chicken, fish, mutton or seafood and a myriad of vegetables. What started as peddling rice and curries, hand-carried in pots to port workers in Penang, nasi kandar has certainly come a long way since then. It’s no surprise since the Indians came from a land of spices from which they expertly grind into various curry pastes that produce robust and colourful curries and marinade.

Where to try: Hameediyah restaurant on Lebuh Campbell, Line Clear on Jalan Penang and Nasi Beratur on Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling in George Town, as well as a couple of nasi kandar restaurants on Jalan Todak 4 in Seberang Perai.