The 12 flavour categories of Malay food: Masam, manis, mamek, and more

Malay food is incredibly rich and diverse and the language has evolved to include a range of flavour descriptors that best describe the food. — Photos: LAW SOO PHYE/The Food of Singapore Malays: Gastronomic Travels Through The Malay Archipelago

Languages around the world often have unique words used to define foods: the Italian word ‘al dente’ for instance translates to ‘to the teeth’ and is used to describe the perfect cook on pasta and rice. Can you think of an equivalent word in English that best sums this up? Probably not.

Similarly, the Malay language also has particular flavour categories that the language has devised around the concept of sensations ascribed to ingredients i.e. flavours.