Night Market

The best and cheapest Malay food in town is in the night market: look for the yellow arch reading ‘Medan Selera MPKB'. The stalls are set up in the evening around 5pm, when the sizzle of oil and heat hits the air and magic ensues. They're used to foreigners here and stall owners often tone down the heat without you having to ask; the resulting food is sometimes overtly sweet. Say ‘Suka pedas' (‘I like it hot') to eat as the locals do. Specialities include ayam percik (marinated chicken on bamboo skewers) and nasi kerabu (rice with coconut, fish and spices), blue rice, squid-on-a-stick and murtabak (pan-fried flat bread filled with everything from minced meat to bananas). Bear in mind, though, that the whole thing closes down for evening prayers between 7pm and 7.45pm, and Muslims and non-Muslims alike must vacate the premises. The market closes around 2am.