Joie de vivre, French for “joy of living” is often used to describe the Peranakans. They are a jolly people with great exuberance when it comes to the enjoyment of life. Food is prepared with a joyous spirit and eaten with relish. Even simple food tastes great at a Peranakan’s table. What’s the secret to […]
Continue readingLast week, I wrote about a Nyonya’s training in knife skills, and how she is taught to perfect the art of fine slicing and dicing of herbs and vegetables for Nasi Ulam. This week, we look at how this skill is further refined in the fine slicing of turnips and bamboo shoots for making Nyonya […]
Continue readingCanapé is the ultimate in finger food, perfect for pre-dinner cocktails, tea time, a light lunch to impress guests, or as celebration food to be enjoyed with wine. Whatever the occasion, canapé offers a wide range of tastes and also encourage conversations as guests enjoy the little bites while standing up and moving about. A […]
Continue readingPeople have asked me when is a spice paste, a “REMPAH” or a “Sambal”. I was taught that “Rempah” is the raw state of the spice paste but once it’s cooked, we call it “sambal”. So today, I will begin with Sambal Garam Assam. This spice paste is a combination of fresh turmeric, lemongrass, candlenuts, […]
Continue readingSomeone asked me what is in the oxtail stew that made it “Nyonya”. Well, oxtail stew has been around long before I was born. I grew up having oxtail stew on Sundays and public holidays when the extended family gathers. I remember huge pots of oxtail stew sitting on low charcoal stoves, bubbling away merrily […]
Continue reading