PETALING JAYA: Malaysians and nasi lemak are like teh tarik and roti canai, the two just goes together.
This national dish isn’t just food; it’s an identity, a source of pride, and arguably a unifying force stronger than any political slogan.
Some would argue that mocking nasi lemak could almost spark a nationwide protest.
What makes nasi lemak so iconic isn’t just the fragrant, creamy rice cooked in coconut milk though. The real star of the show is the sambal. That spicy, sweet, and slightly smoky sambal is what turns this dish into a legend suitable to be eathen throughout the day. A good sambal can redeem even slightly soggy rice, over-fried anchovies, or a hard-boiled egg that’s seen better days.
So imagine the heartbreak when one Malaysian Reddit user, going by the username Qristie_Meow, decided to visit the Malaysia Pavilion at Expo Osaka 2025, anticipating to fill her stomach with delicious nasi lemak, only to be served what can only be described as ‘spicy water’.
In her now-viral Reddit post, she dramatically shared her disappointment, writing “Went to Malaysia Pavilion since Japanese vote Malaysian food as (1st) among the rest pavilion, but as Malaysian sediiihhhh nyaaaa with the sambal so watery.”
Yes, ladies and gentlemen the sambal was watery. Cair. Tawar. Or as we say in Penang, “cheroi” until it could almost pass for sambal-flavored mineral water.
To make matters more tragicomic, Japan had voted Malaysian food number one out of all other pavilions, which means international guests were expecting fireworks of flavour, but instead might’ve thought our sambal was a mild tomato soup with a dash of spice.
In the comment section, one user opined that perhaps the sambal is also used for their roti canai so that would explain why it is not as thick as back home.
Another user meanwhile simply wrote, “Don’t go overseas and expect Malaysian food there to be authentic.”
As the saying goes in Malay, “Hujan emas di negeri orang, hujan batu di negeri sendiri, lebih baik negeri di sendiri” or in this case, “sambal kita confirm power lagi.”
