Peranakan Pleasures
Hello,
helloooo..(pounding and thumping of the mike). Oh well, (while
fiddling with the mike) here we are, on the Peranakan Inn at East
Coast to have supper before we proceed to your hotel to turn in
for the night. (Looks up) Oops, looks like most of you are ahead
of schedule already. Hooi, the gentleman in the corner... LOOK
OUT! Too late, he just got a extra big serving of the lady's, his
wife, maybe, saliva down the front of tee-shirt. Ah ha! You
should be able to see the beach now...we are nearing our
destination.
Nonya food, also known as
Peranakan fare, is a marvellous fusion of the flavours of the
Malay and Chinese cuisine. Invented by the Peranakans, a people
whose heritage stems from intermarriage between the early Chinese
settlers and the local Malays as far back as the 15th
century, Nonya cuisine is a combination of the culinary skills
and tastes of these two cultures.
Basically, Nonya cuisine makes use
of the ingredients of Chinese cooking-- pork, vegetables and
seasonings-- and blends them with Malay spices and herbs. The
result? Highly imaginative, tasty, and often extremely subtle. Belacan
(shrimp paste), chillies and coconut milk form an integral part
of Nonya delicacies.
Give buah keluak, a unique
formula of chicken plus dark nuts to create a lavish sauce. After
that, drink itek tim, a hearty soup made by simmering
duck, green pepper, salted veggies, tomatoes and sour plums at
one go. Top off your meal with the ever-popular otak otak,
which is a banana leaf wrapped combination of fish slices, chilli
paste, coconut milk, galangal and herbs.
The above-mentioned Nonya courses make for
nothing short of a splendid meal, but you must also save some
space in your tummy for the tempting desserts of this indigenous
cuisine. Kueh lapis and ang koo kueh are but two of
them. These truly mouth-watering culinary feats often come in a
myriad of colours and are sweet and sticky, with an allure all
their own. I guarantee that the first bite you take will have you
reaching for more-- and more-- and more-- and more and more and
more and more and more and more…
La
Carte
Ang Koo Kueh (nonya dessert)---- S$0.50 each
Kueh Lapis (layered cake) ---- S$0.60 each
Otak Otak (grilled fish slices) ---- S$0.40
each
Nonya Dumpling ---- S$1.50