Page 40 - PN137

Food Blog 食在好玩 T he Peranakans are the descendants of Chinese settlers who married the local women in Malaya. Men are called Baba and women Nyonya. Combining Hokkien, Cantonese, Malay, Indian, and Western influences, Peranakan cuisine – or Nyonya cuisine – flourished in Melaka, Penang and Singapore. Its use of diverse spices, and its complex and layered flavours, reflect the region’s history as a cultural melting pot. Prominent Singaporean chef, restauranteur, and food critic Violet Oon has dedicated her life to her culinary heritage. Born in 1949 in Melaka, her many achievements include a lifetime achievement award at the World Gourmet Summit, and authoring three cookbooks – Peranakan Cooking, Violet Oon Cooks, and A Singapore Family Cookbook. In 2015, Violet opened her Peranakan restaurant, National Kitchen by Violet Oon, at the National Gallery Singapore with her children. An Exquisite Peranakan Meal National Kitchen by Violet Oon’s décor is stunning. The Peranakan floral tiles on the floor and the walls juxtapose with the black wooden panels of the walls and ceiling interspersed with mirrors to create a multi-layer visual feast. Elegant crystal chandeliers decorated with beads, shiny black leather sofas, and ornamental black sandalwood chairs are matched by marble tables embellished by the leaves of the scarlet ginger lily. I was taking in the splendid view of the Padang, Marina Bay Sands and the Singapore Flyer as my friend placed our order. The appetisers arrived shortly. The classic Nyonya dish, Kuay Pie Tee, featured a crispy shell made by frying batter using a mould and filling made from shredded bamboo shoots and turnips cooked in prawn stock, instead of the typical jicama, and was served alongside fresh shrimp, chili sauce, and a sweet sauce. Smothered in peanuts and dark sweet sauce, the Tau Hu Goreng was served with cucumber and sprouts, making each bite refreshing. For the mains, the VO Curry Chicken’s thick and fragrant curry made from Nyonya curry powder, curry leaves and coconut milk, was soaked up by the chicken and potatoes. Slowly braised in a sweet and spicy sauce of tamarind, gula melaka and coconut, the Daging Chabek Beef Cheek was delectably tender. For dessert, the Gula Melaka Tea Cake With Coconut Ice Cream tantalised the tastebuds. The crispy, granular texture of the braids complemented the ice cream sprinkled with coconut flakes. The second dessert was the Kueh Beng Kah, topped with gula melaka and dipped in coconut milk – truly satisfying. Equally as iconic as Falling in Love with Peranakan Cuisine 恋恋娘惹风情 By Quek See Ling 文:郭诗玲 40 - popularnews 137