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Food
in Malaysia |
Nyonya food, also referred to as Straits Chinese food or
Lauk Embok Embok, is an interesting amalgamation of Chinese and Malay dishes thought to
have originated from the Peranakan (Straits Chinese) of Malacca over 400 years ago. This
was the result of inter-marriages between Chinese immigrants and local Malays, which
produced a unique culture. Here, the ladies are called nyonyas and the men babas.
Nyonya food is also native to Penang and Singapore.
However, over the years, distinct differences have evolved in nyonya cooking found in
Penang and Singapore than that in Malacca. The proximity of Malacca and Singapore to
Indonesia resulted in an Indonesian influence on nyonya food. Malacca Nyonyas prepare food
that is generally sweeter, richer in coconut milk, and with the addition of more Malay
spices like coriander and cumin. Meanwhile, the Penang Nyonyas drew inspiration from Thai
cooking styles, including a preference for sour food, hot chilies, fragrant herbs, and
pungent black prawn paste (belacan).
Influences aside, nyonya recipes are complicated affairs,
often requiring hours upon hours of preparation. Nyonya housewives of the past would spend
the better part of their lives in the kitchen, but they were fiercely proud of their
unique cuisine, preferring nyonya food to any other type of food.
It has been said that in the old days, a Nyonya lady
seeking a prospective bride for her son would listen to the pounding of spices by the
maiden concerned as it denoted the amount of attention she would give to her cooking!
Nyonya cooking is also about the blending of spices,
employing pungent roots like galangal, turmeric and ginger; aromatic leaves like pandan
leaf, fragrant lime leaf and laksa leaf, together with other ingredients like candlenuts,
shallots, shrimp paste and chilies. Lemon, tamarind, belimbing (carambola) or green
mangoes are used to add a tangy taste to many dishes.
For dessert, fruits are seldom served and are instead
replaced by cakes. Nyonya cakes are rich and varied, made from ingredients like sweet
potato, glutinous rice, palm sugar, and coconut milk.
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 • Nyonya Assam Curry Fish
The nyonya assam curry fish is cooked with assam jawa juice, shallots, garlic,
lengkuas, buah keras, serai (lemon grass), buah kantan, daun kesom, chili boh, tumeric
powder, belacan powder, chicken stock, and sugar. It is best served with steaming hot
rice. |
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Brinjal
curry
Brinjal is sliced and seasoned with tumeric powder (serbuk kunyit), dried
prawns, roasted belacan (shrimp paste), and other spices. Served with hot rice and
garnished with fried onions. |
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Popiah
The basic ingredients are the same - shredded turnip, carrots, bean sprouts,
cucumber, prawns, Chinese Taro, dried onion flakes, and garlic. However, the Nyonya popiah
has the addition of a chili and sweet sauce made from palm sugar, wet spices, and a rice
flour mixture that gives it a distinct taste. Egg is also added to the batter to give the
popiah skin a moist texture. |
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