Use pvPortMalloc() or malloc()?
Yes, you should use pvPortMalloc instead of malloc, as malloc is not protected against mulltitask parallel use...
Fo pvPortMalloc, you can choose from various implementations in the FreeRTOS source code (heap1.c to heap4.c); look at the comments in front of the files to choose the one that fits best your needs.
Bernard (Ac6)