Nyonya cooking is peculiar only to the Chinese of Penang, Malacca and Singapore. In a nutshell, the Peranakan culture is itself a melding of two distinct groups, namely the Chinese who settled in Southeast Asia in the 19th century and the local Malays. Out of this intermixture came forth interesting customs and traditions hitherto non-existent. Much of Nyonya cooking is inspired by the rich spices of Malay cooking featuring local herbs and ingredients. However in Penang, Nyonya cooking also has a very strong Thai influence, borrowing soury and fiery flare from their neighbouring country.
Their distinct curries and spiced salads like acar and kerabu are simply delicious. Typical Nyonya savoury dishes include otak-otak, ayam pongteh, devil's curry, tauyu bak, pai tee, assam pedas, kari kapitan, inche kabin, roti babi, babi chin, kangkung belacan, assam laksa, laksa lemak, ayam buah keluak masak assam, geram asam and itik tim. Nyonya deserts and cakes are also hot favourites.
Cendol/Chendul
Cendol is a favourite desert among locals. It is easily identified: green pandan-flavoured noodles, kidney beans in white coconut milk with palm sugar. Sweet heavenly stuff – super cheap and ultra good.
For good cendol (in no particular order): Teochew Chendul off Penang Road, Gurney Drive Hawker Centre, Taman Free School food court and Lorong Selamat coffee shop.
Laksa
Penang laksa is extremely popular, especially among locals for its wonderful balance of spicy, sweet and sour flavours. This is strictly a hawker treat, as one is unlikely to find great laksa in a fancy restaurant. It is basically made out of coarse rice noodles in a sour fish in assam-base gravy, plus a robust combo of onions, sliced chilli, cucumber, pineapple and bunga kantan (ginger buds); topped with a swirl of thick, black shrimp paste sauce. There is also an alternative variant called Siam laksa, which has a coconut milk based soup instead of assam (tamarind).
Available at most hawker centres in Penang. For delicious laksa (in no particular order), try:
Loh bak
Loh bak is a pork roll wrapped with bean curd skin and deep-fried until crispy. The filling include strips of pork marinated in five-spice powder and various ingredients such as water chestnuts, jicama, carrot and onions. Loh bak is available at most hawker centres throughout Penang. Alongside loh bak, you would be happy to find other companions on offer too such as prawn fritters, spring rolls, fish fritters, fried bean curd, baby octopus as well as century eggs with pickled ginger. Select what you fancy and a plate of these scrumptious delight would be served with sides of freshly cut cucumber and starchy soy-flavored and chilli dipping sauces.
For the best loh bak in town (in no particular order):
Nyonya kuih
Nyonya kuih include a wide selection of colourful, dainty bites such as angku, bee koh, kuih talam, kow chan kuih, seri muka, pulau tai tai, abuk abuk, onde onde, kuih kosui, pulut inti, rempah udang, kuih tayap, kuih koci and kuih bengka.
For the best Nyonya kuih in town (in no particular order):
Nyonya dishes
Must try Nyonya dishes are kiam chye boay, joo hoo char, otak-otak, sambal boreng, acar awak, perut ikan, asam prawn, asam pedas, nasi ulam, kerabu beehoon, kerabu kacang botol and curry kapitan.
To sample some of the best Nyonya dishes in town, try these restaurants:
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Written and photographed by Adrian Cheah © All rights reserved
Updated: 23 March 2019
Nyonya kuih are colourful Asian sweet cakes that are popularly served for breakfast and afternoon tea and as snacks anytime of the day. The selections are many and varied, available at morning markets and food courts throughout Penang. One such type is the explosively delicious onde onde.
Or Kuih is a mashed steamed yam cake garnished with fried dried shrimps, shallot crisps, spring onions and diced chillies. The cake is light and flavourful, best eaten with chilli sauce or "ti ciau" (fermented sweet soy sauce). Delicious yam cake must be soft with the rich taste of yam chunks.
Reminiscing about my childhood days brings back fond golden memories especially about the kitchen where I first fell in love with cooking. For me, everything that my mum shared with me will always have a special place in my heart – from cooking the most fiery sambal babi to making crunchy Nyonya jelly. Mum has definitely enriched my childhood with these experiences.
Unwrap a parcel of otak-otak and you will catch a waft of the spicy, delicious egg-like fish custard that is usually served with other dishes common in a Nyonya household. Otak-okak can also be eaten on its own or as an appetiser or even with bread. This popular dish is available at Nyonya restaurants, some food courts and wet markets, as well as a common spread in “Economy Rice” stalls.
Some people claim that oysters are an aphrodisiac. Then there are others who say that the tomato is the food of love (from its name Pomme d'Amour – French for "love apple").
In Malaysia, there exists a delicacy that, despite its name, is neither an aphrodisiac nor a love potion. Yet those who have tasted it have been known to wax lyrical over the exquisite flavour. The love-letter, or more commonly known as Kuih Kapit (a paper-thin crispy biscuit) is an essential feature of Chinese and Malay festivals.
Kuih Bangkit is one of the classic Chinese New Year cookies beside Kuih Kapit and pineapple tarts which are adored by Penangites. What makes this traditional snow-white Nyonya cookie good is the aromatic smell that welcomes you the moment you bite into the crispy outer later which then melts in your mouth to a powdery softness.
Historical records suggest that when Chinese migrants arrived in then Malaya, they brought with them several culinary styles, among them Hakka, Hainan, Foochow, Canton and others. One style of cooking which metamorphosed out of these 'prototypes' is known today as Nyonya or Peranakan cuisine, a combination of Chinese and Malay flavours.
A crunchy and aromatic dish concocted of mixed vegetables infused in a rich and spicy gravy garnished with crushed groundnuts. This dish acts as an appetiser in any meal. It adds zest to a plain dish of 'economy' fried bee hoon.
This is one of my mum's favourite acars. She has been making this for as long as I can remember. It is such an appetising dish when served with a bowl of steaming white rice.
Like other Nyonya acars, this dish is a combination of sweet and mostly tart flavours. However, the other ingredients, like onions and garlic still impart their individual aromas. The deep-fried fish absorbs the gravy and becomes succulent and moist.
The first time I sampled Christopher Ong’s cooking was at a Chinese New Year open house he held many years back. Lam Mee was on the line up and although it is an uncomplicated dish to prepare, a flavourful stock was necessary to serve up a delicious bowl. With a dollop of sambal belacan on the side, I relish the entire bowl with gusto that day. It was wonderful and had just the right combination of everything a good bowl of Lam Mee would call for. Chris also highlighted that I was eating off an authentic antique Peranakan blue and white batik bowl.