Ayah suka kuah yang tidak terlalu panas, tetapi saya lebih suka kuah dengan halia.

Yes. In this sentence, Ayah naturally means my father / my dad.

Malay often uses family words like ayah, ibu, abang, and kakak by themselves when the relationship is obvious from context. You could also say ayah saya, but using just Ayah is very natural.

So:

• Ayah suka... = Dad likes...
• Ayah saya suka... = also correct, but a bit more explicit

Kuah is the liquid part of a dish. Depending on context, it can be translated as:

• gravy
• broth
• sauce
• sometimes curry sauce

So there is not always one perfect English translation. In this sentence, kuah means some kind of savory liquid served with food.

Yang links a noun to a description. Here it works like that, which, or sometimes just a marker that introduces extra information.

So:

• kuah = broth/gravy
• yang tidak terlalu panas = that is not too hot

Together:

• kuah yang tidak terlalu panas = broth/gravy that is not too hot

A useful way to think about yang is that it often introduces a relative clause.

Because Malay often does not use a separate word for is/are before adjectives.

For example:

• Kuah itu panas = The broth is hot
• literally: broth that hot

So in:

• kuah yang tidak terlalu panas

there is no need for a Malay word meaning is. This is normal Malay grammar.

Because tidak is used to negate verbs and adjectives, while bukan is mainly used to negate nouns or identifications.

Since panas is an adjective meaning hot, the correct negation is:

• tidak panas = not hot

Compare:

• Dia tidak marah = He/She is not angry
• Itu bukan kuah = That is not broth/gravy

So in your sentence, tidak is the right choice.

Terlalu means too or overly.

So:

• tidak panas = not hot
• tidak terlalu panas = not too hot

That is an important difference.

Tidak panas may suggest that something is simply not hot at all.
Tidak terlalu panas suggests that it may still be warm or hot, just not excessively hot.

So the sentence is talking about a preferred temperature, not saying the broth is cold.

Literally, lebih means more, and suka means like.

So lebih suka is literally like more, but in natural English we usually translate that as prefer.

Examples:

• Saya suka teh = I like tea
• Saya lebih suka teh = I prefer tea

In your sentence:

• saya lebih suka kuah dengan halia = I prefer broth/gravy with ginger

So lebih suka is a very common and natural way to say prefer in Malay.

Repeating kuah is normal and clear in Malay.

The sentence contrasts two preferences:

• Ayah suka kuah...
• tetapi saya lebih suka kuah...

Malay often repeats the noun where English might use it, one, or simply omit it.

If the context were very clear, a shorter version might be possible in conversation, but the full version with kuah repeated sounds natural and avoids ambiguity.

Yes. This is normal Malay word order.

Malay usually puts the main noun first and the extra description after it:

• kuah dengan halia = broth/gravy with ginger

This is different from English, which often puts a modifier before the noun, as in ginger broth.

So a useful pattern is:

• noun + dengan + ingredient/object

For example:

• teh dengan susu = tea with milk
• nasi dengan ayam = rice with chicken

In this sentence, dengan halia simply means with ginger.

Yes. Dengan halia is clear and straightforward, but Malay can sometimes express this idea in other ways depending on style.

For example:

• kuah dengan halia = broth/gravy with ginger
• kuah berhalia = gingered broth/gravy / broth with ginger

The version with dengan is easy, common, and very learner-friendly.

Both mean but.

• tetapi = more neutral or slightly more formal
• tapi = more conversational and common in everyday speech

So the sentence as written sounds neat and standard. In casual speech, many people would say:

• Ayah suka kuah yang tidak terlalu panas, tapi saya lebih suka kuah dengan halia.

Both are correct.

Yes, aku could be used, but the tone would change.

• saya = neutral, polite, standard
• aku = more informal, intimate, or casual

So:

• saya lebih suka... sounds neutral and safe in most situations
• aku lebih suka... sounds more casual

The sentence uses saya because it is a good general-purpose choice, especially in careful speech or writing.