A Nyonya, is a Chinese lady born and raised in the Straits Settlement during the British administration in Malaya. The 3 states are Penang, Malacca and Singapore.
The Peranakan community where the male dominant is called a Baba, while the ladies are called a Nyonya. Normally they are the 2nd generation chinese born in these states. Normally they are from the well to do family where their parents have decided to assimilate to the local while retaining their Chinese identity.
Most of these Chinese origin were raised by their local maids and begin to learn and speak locally. Most of them even go to the English schools set-up locally. However, they retain their Chinese heritage and culture.
Their food was a fusion between the Chinese and local cuisines, mostly uses the local spices. Some of the food can be found having a Malay flavour and also the Portuguese.
In the coming days, we shall discuss the cuisines and dishes, its recipe and its cooking. Nyonya food can be group into 3 categories: (1) chinese food of Hokkien origin, (2) Indonesian and Portuguese origin and (3) community innovated food.
One of the reason that some food do not have the taste of their original homeland is because some of the ingredients are substituted by local herbs and spice due to non availability of the the originals.
In your kitchen, be prepared to stock with the following ingredients - tamarind, ginger, lemon grass, red chillies, kunyit (turmeric), galangal (mustard scented root), lengkuas, daun ketumbar, buah pala etc.
The Peranakan community where the male dominant is called a Baba, while the ladies are called a Nyonya. Normally they are the 2nd generation chinese born in these states. Normally they are from the well to do family where their parents have decided to assimilate to the local while retaining their Chinese identity.
Most of these Chinese origin were raised by their local maids and begin to learn and speak locally. Most of them even go to the English schools set-up locally. However, they retain their Chinese heritage and culture.
Their food was a fusion between the Chinese and local cuisines, mostly uses the local spices. Some of the food can be found having a Malay flavour and also the Portuguese.
In the coming days, we shall discuss the cuisines and dishes, its recipe and its cooking. Nyonya food can be group into 3 categories: (1) chinese food of Hokkien origin, (2) Indonesian and Portuguese origin and (3) community innovated food.
One of the reason that some food do not have the taste of their original homeland is because some of the ingredients are substituted by local herbs and spice due to non availability of the the originals.
In your kitchen, be prepared to stock with the following ingredients - tamarind, ginger, lemon grass, red chillies, kunyit (turmeric), galangal (mustard scented root), lengkuas, daun ketumbar, buah pala etc.
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