Growing Up in a Nonya Kitchen provides a rare and insightful view into the daily life of a Peranakan family harking back to the early 20th century. With comprehensive chapters dedicated to documenting cooking utensils, essential ingredients, the Nonya's agak agak (estimating) philosophy, as well as Chinese New Year and other festive dishes, baked goods and Nonya kuehs, Growing Up in a Nonya Kitchen is a volume to read and treasure for anyone looking for an in-depth understanding of the Peranakan (and Singapore) food heritage.
Long before fusion cuisine captured the imagination of the world, the Peranakans were blending Chinese ingredients and cooking techniques with the spices and native ingredients used by the indigenous Malays, over time establishing a repertoire of recipes avidly followed to this day. Peranakan food is typically aromatic and spicy and features ingredients that include cocnut milk, galangal, turmeric, candlenuts, laksa leaves, pandan leaves, tamarind pulp, lemongrass, chillies, shallots, basil and coriander.
There is more to the culture than what's cooking in the peroh rumah, or kitchen. For instance, have you ever wondered why they speak the way they do? And what is the big deal about cherki games? Why are they always singing the dondang sayang? And, more importantly, what does it mean to be a Peranakan?
Growing Up in a Nonya Kitchen provides a rare and insightful view into the daily life of a Peranakan family harking back to the early 20th century. With comprehensive chapters dedicated to documenting cooking utensils, essential ingredients, the Nonya’s agak agak (estimating) philosophy, as well as Chinese New Year and other festive dishes, baked goods and Nonya kuehs, Growing Up in a Nonya Kitchen is a volume to read and treasure for anyone looking for an in-depth understanding of the Peranakan (and Singapore) food heritage. Note to readers: This is a newly uploaded ebook file for 2021, that corrects formatting issues
The Peranakan or Baba and Nonya culture is the result of intermarriage, from the 15th century, between Chinese immigrants and the local population of Indonesia and Malaya. The resulting fusion of cuisines, however, is not just of China and the Southeast Asian archipelago, but also from Portugal, the Netherlands and England, as well as the places they colonized. Nonya Heritage Kitchen brings together the stories of how popular food, cooking techniques, ingredients and utensils from these spheres of influence interacted to create Nonya cuisine. This telling is via the background and recipes of both well-known and rare dishes such as Bak Chang, Rempah Udang, Sugee Cake, Kiam Chai Ark, Kuih Bahulu, Cheak Bee Soh, Sesargon, and Kuih Koci. Also included is a list of stores and online shops for Nonya kitchen utensils. Here is an extraordinary and practical cookbook that reveals new information about the wide-spread and global roots of Nonya food.
Why is so little known about one of the first hybrid cultures formed before the discovery of the New World? In a personal quest for meaning and understanding of his culture's early days to the present, the author stumbles across revealing forces and world events filled with intrigue. In the process, he discovers what compelled his Chinese ancestors to risk their lives and travel thousands of miles on the high seas in search of a new home in Southeast Asia. The result of their union with the local women is the formation of the Baba Nyonya Peranakan culture of Malaysia and Singapore. In this uniquely-written and image-rich book, the author ties in elements of the culture's millenia-long history with personal recollections of his family and cultural life. We are also introduced to his family members and ancestors, as well as stories and recipes of his grandmothers' legendary Nyonya cooking that is perhaps the World's first fusion cuisine.
The Peranakans A people of mixed Chinese and Malay heritage, the Peranakans are known for their outstanding cuisine. Traditionally prepared by the womenfolk, or Nyonyas, the cuisine combines the best cooking styles and ingredients from the Chinese and Malay kitchens. ----------- With their vibrant colours, aromatic flavours and endless variety, Nyonya snacks and desserts make delightful treats whatever the occasion. In this book, renown Peranakan chef Philip Chia shares 30 recipes for irresistible Nyonya delights including essential favourites and many forgotten treats that will excite even the most jaded Peranakan palate. Written with easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions, creating these mouth-watering, crowd-pleasing treats has never been easier
If you think that most Peranakans live to eat, you may be correct. After all, good Peranakan cousine isn't a matter of tossing just anything edible into the cooking pot. It is a carefully nurtured craft, perfected through decades and possibly centuries of trial and error. Yet, Peranakan cuisine is more than just about good food. It encompasses the customs and traditions of the Peranakans, their culture and history. This book showcases the various aspects of their cuisine, and illustrates how food has become an essential part of Peranakan life.