Ultimate Vegan Guide to Banana Leaf Rice in Malaysia

I love how all banana leaf restaurants are vegan-friendly. It’s one of the best eateries to go to if you’re hanging out with non-veg people as there are tons of options for all. So if you’re a vegan in Malaysia, here’s a quick guide to eating banana leaf rice the vegan way.

The banana leaf rice base is usually vegan by default

The standard banana leaf rice consists of white rice, 3 types of vegetables, some condiment, and gravy of choice.

The types of vegetables differ between restaurants but usually they may include cabbage, lentil, eggplant, bitter gourd, carrot, and cucumber.

What you need to watch out for is the cucumber mix — they typically mix it with dairy yogurt. So before they put it on your banana leaf, ask them what’s inside and you can say no to it. You can instead ask to put more of the other vegetables.

At the Big Leaf BLR, they had chutney as a condiment and that’s basically just coconut pulp mixed with plant-based ingredients such as green chillies, tamarind, and coriander. As far as I’m aware, coconut-based chutney is vegan by default.

Papadum, a crispy snack, is also vegan by default as it’s usually made of lentil flour.

The gravy options are what you need to watch out for. Just like the vegetables, there will be three options — usually two curries and one dhaal. Based on my experience, the curries are usually chicken or fish based. So the only option for vegans is the dhaal. However, you can ask them if the curry is cooked with actual chicken or fish. Because in Malaysia, there are curry pastes that are made to be suitable for cooking with chicken or fish (the difference is the herbs). And somehow they would taste different even without the actual chicken or fish cooked in at all.

Basically, ask the server what’s in each option. But when in doubt:

• say no to the one with cucumber
• only choose the dhaal gravy
• enjoy the papadum

Add tofu or mock meat options

What differentiates one banana leaf restaurant to another is the variety of side dishes as well as the taste. Usually, they would have at least a sambal tofu side dish and/or veg chicken (mock meat).

I was quite impressed by the options and taste at Big Leaf BLR in Petaling Jaya. For the vegetarian side dishes, I got to try the spicy sambal tofu, ghobi (fried cauliflower), fried onion rings, and fried bitter gourd.

I admit, it’s not the healthiest as most of the side veg dishes are fried. But just ask for more of the base vegetables to keep your conscience clear.

Ask to cook in separate pans

I sometimes forget to ask if the veg side dishes are cooked in a same or different pan. So if you’re particular about this, do ask for the veg options to be cooked in a separate pan. With Indian Hindu roots, they will definitely understand this request as many do eat vegetarian as well.

Watermelon juice or iced lime tea goes well with banana leaf

Trust me! In the humid heat of Malaysia, you would want to pair your heavy and greasy banana leaf rice with something soothing and cooling. Watermelon juice is sweet so it’ll help with the spicy dishes. Iced lime tea is just a standard order for most Malaysians as it’s cooling with a tinge of sourness. Either of them would suit.

History of Banana Leaf Rice in Malaysia

During the British colonial period, the South Indian community came to then Malaya with their traditional method of serving food on banana leaves.

Good thing that banana trees grow wildly in this region!

The banana leaves are thought to enhance the flavours and aroma of the dishes. The banana leaf rice meal has since evolved and adapted to the Malaysian culture and palate. It’s no longer exclusive to the South Indian community and has been a cultural identity of Malaysia, transcending ethnicity.

I’m glad that this tradition has continued to this day as it’s a sustainable way of eating food. The West has been scrambling to find (expensive) solutions to the climate crisis when here in Southeast Asia (and Asia in general) there exist nature-based solutions for centuries.

Sadly, plastic invention of the West has crept into this region. So it’s our responsibility to hold on to the tradition of leaves and/or paper wraps.

I hope that banana leaf rice continues to be a cultural practice in Malaysia.