BABA NYONYA'S CULTURE - Cuisine

Baba Nyonya's Cuisine

From the Malay influence a unique "Nyonya" cuisine has developed using typical Malay spices. This unique cuisine is also known as the Straits Chinese food  thought to have originated from the Peranakan (Straits Chinese) of Malacca. Besides Malacca, Nyonya food is also native to Penang and Singapore. There are many variety dish and cakes that delicious and have amazing taste.

Chicken Kapitan

 

Kapitan chicken curry is a richer, drier, thicker version of the standard chicken curry, and is immediately recognizable by its distinct Southeast Asian flavor from local spices & herbs such as galangal, candlenuts, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves.  Belacan – a popular local fermented shrimp paste – is also added to give the dish more depth.

Inchi Kabin

Inchi Kabin is the Nyonya version of deep-fried chicken. The main difference of Inchi Kabin compared to other fried chicken is that the chicken is usually twice-fried, so they are extremely crispy. Also, there is a special dipping sauce that goes with it, which is tangy, appetizing, and complements the crispy fried chicken perfectly.

Nyonya Laksa 

Laksa Lemak or known as Laksa Nyonya is a popular spicy noodle soup in the Baba Nyonya(Peranakan) cuisine. Laksa consists of rice noodles or rice vermicelli with chicken, prawn or fish, served in spicy soup; either based on rich and spicy curry coconut milk, or based on sour asam (tamarind or gelugur). This cuisine is so delicious with seafood-rich and creamy coconut milk curry-like gravy with a lingering spice kick, enjoy together with noodles and the rest of the fresh ingredients.

Pongteh

Pongteh is Nyonya dish made with chicken or pork, potato, and flavored taucheo (fermented soy bean sauce) and gula Melaka. Some potatoes and dried shitake mushrooms are added into the dish making the dish look more attractive and giving variety apart from just meat.  Goes well with both rice and noodles.   The sauce should be thick not watery hence spices used (soy bean paste, shallots and garlic) should be pounded (mortar and pestle) instead of blended.

Ang Ku Kue 

Ang Ku Kue also known as red tortoise cake is one of Peranakan traditional cakes. Red tortoise cake is a small round or oval shaped Chinese pastry with soft sticky glutinous rice flour skin wrapped around a sweet filling in the centre.  It is molded to resemble a tortoise shell and is presented resting on a square piece of banana leaf. Shaped like tortoise shells because the Chinese traditionally believed that eating tortoises would bring longevity to those who are eating it and bring about good fortune and prosperity

Kueh Genggang/Kueh Lapis

Steamed layer cake or mostly known as Kueh Lapis have springy texture and rich coconut aroma. A good steamed layered cake is whether or not it can be tore into layers and springy enough and “not sticking to the teeth”. It also often eaten during Chinese New Year to symbolise a ladder of continued prosperity.

Nyonya otak-otak

Otak-otak is a classic Nyonya dish—brightly flavored with various aromatic herbs, exotic spices, and infused with the sweet fragrance of rich coconut milk that steamed as a cake in banana leaf. This cakes includes an assortment of seafood with the secret ingredient in Nyonya version of otak-otak, wild betel leaves or known locally as “daun kaduk.”

Pie Tee

Pie Tee is a thin and crispy pastry tart shell kuih filled with a spicy, sweet mixture of thinly sliced vegetables and prawns. It is a popular Peranakan dish. The shell are made from flour while the main filling is shredded Chinese turnips and carrots.