The cooking of the Malay people, native to the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and neighboring parts of Southeast Asia, shaped over centuries by trade with India, China, and European colonial powers. It relies on fragrant spice pastes, coconut milk, lemongrass, galangal, turmeric, chili, and shrimp paste to build rich curries, stews, and rice dishes such as rendang, laksa, satay, and nasi goreng. It follows halal dietary rules. Malay cuisine is related to but distinct from the broader Malaysian cuisine, which also includes Chinese-Malaysian and Indian-Malaysian cooking traditions.