Cooking 101: Common Spices in Nyonya Cooking (娘惹美食)
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What are common spices in
What are common spices in Nyonya cooking? First, I need to introduce what the term Nyonya means! Basically, Nyonya cuisine originates from the Peranakans, descendants of early Chinese migrants who went to Malaysia, and married local Malay women over 500 years ago. They were also known as the Straits Chinese, who settled in Malacca, Penang and Singapore. Female Peranakans are known as nyonyas, while men are called babas. Basically, my ancestors hopped on a boat from the Fujian Province in China, in search of a better life and landed in a small coastal town in Malaysia called Malacca. I am a sixth generation Straits born Chinese.
The language of the Peranakans, Baba Malay, is a dialect of the Malay language, containing many Hokkien words. Its use is mainly limited to the older generation. However, English has replaced baba malay as the main language spoken amongst the younger generation. Therefore, I cannot speak any Chinese (even though I look ethnically Chinese), and have been called a banana (yellow on the outside and white on the inside!). The Malay phrase "Orang Cina Bukan Cina", which literal translation means, "Chinese but not Chinese" captures the relationship between the Peranakan and Chinese identity.
In the past, nyonya girls were not educated in schools and were trained to be amazing cooks, skilled in embroidery and bead work from young. They were expected to look after the home and prepare for marriage. In those days, matchmakers played an important role. They would arrive the home at 10 am, to listen to the sound of spices being pounded by the prospective bride, in the mortar and pestle (batu lesong/tumbuk). Apparently, one would be able to tell if the person was a good cook by the rhythm and sound of the pounding. I am so thankful I was not born during that time as I would fail miserably! Today, we also simplify our lives by using a food processor to blend all our spices.
Nyonya food is complicated and can take years to master. Nyonya recipes are also handed down from one generation to the next. My mom does not use written recipes with measurements. All ingredients are measured via estimates (agak agak). Basically, you had to learn how to cook by observing and practicing. It’s only recently that I have asked my mom to quantify ingredients, in which she just replies with “one or two tablespoons” or a “handful”. I literally bring out my weighing scale or measuring spoons to measure the ingredients when she puts it aside!
Signature ingredients in Nyonya recipes are usually spicy, and use numerous pungent roots such as galangal (lengkuas, 高良姜), turmeric (kunyit, 姜黄) and ginger (halia, 老姜); aromatic leaves: kaffir lime (daun limau purut, 青柠叶), screwpine leaves (daun pandan, 班兰叶), curry (daun kari, 咖喱叶) and laksa leaves (daun kesum, 喇沙叶); and other ingredients such as shallots (bawang kecil, 小红葱), lemongrass (serai, 香茅), shrimp paste (belacan, 虾酱), fresh red and green chilli (cili merah dan hijau, 新鲜红辣椒、绿辣椒), bulls eye chilli (cili padi, 指天椒) and dried chilli (cili kering, 红辣椒干). There are many other spices that I do not cover in this video, namely, torch ginger buds (bunga kantan), candle nuts (buah keras), buah keluak, tamarind (asam jawa), coriander seeds (ketumbar), betel leaves (daun kaduk), galangal leaves, and coriander leaves, which are also common in nyonya cooking.
These spices and herbs are common in Asia, but quite expensive in Australia. Hence, many of these ingredients are imported frozen from Vietnam and available in the Asian grocery store. I personally freeze all my herbs and spices in Melbourne (e.g., lemongrass, pandan leaves, kaffir lime leaves, chilli, ginger, galangal, turmeric) so that I have stock at home all the time! I also use readily frozen shredded lemongrass and galangal in my cooking (think of time saving)! When chillies are cheap, I buy it to blend and freeze.
Overall, Peranakan or Nyonya cuisine is extremely popular in Asia. If you haven't tried this cuisine, I encourage you to visit a Nyonya restaurant the next time you visit Malacca, Penang or Singapore. The food is truly a unique blend of Malay, Chinese and other Southeast Asian cultures!
References:
Lee, C.K. (1974). Mrs. Lee's cookbook: Nonya recipes and other favourite recipes. Eurasia Press. Singapore
Ng, C.Y. & Karim, S.A. (2016). Historical and contemporary perspectives of the Nyonya food culture in Malaysia. Journal of Ethnic Foods. Vol. 3, No. 2., pp. 93-106, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jef.2016.05...
Image credits:
Butterfly blue pea flower: "Clitoria ternatea" by wallygrom is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Dried chillis: "Red Chillis" by weegolo is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0
Song credit
Be Happy · AShamaluevMusic Be Happy
The language of the Peranakans, Baba Malay, is a dialect of the Malay language, containing many Hokkien words. Its use is mainly limited to the older generation. However, English has replaced baba malay as the main language spoken amongst the younger generation. Therefore, I cannot speak any Chinese (even though I look ethnically Chinese), and have been called a banana (yellow on the outside and white on the inside!). The Malay phrase "Orang Cina Bukan Cina", which literal translation means, "Chinese but not Chinese" captures the relationship between the Peranakan and Chinese identity.
In the past, nyonya girls were not educated in schools and were trained to be amazing cooks, skilled in embroidery and bead work from young. They were expected to look after the home and prepare for marriage. In those days, matchmakers played an important role. They would arrive the home at 10 am, to listen to the sound of spices being pounded by the prospective bride, in the mortar and pestle (batu lesong/tumbuk). Apparently, one would be able to tell if the person was a good cook by the rhythm and sound of the pounding. I am so thankful I was not born during that time as I would fail miserably! Today, we also simplify our lives by using a food processor to blend all our spices.
Nyonya food is complicated and can take years to master. Nyonya recipes are also handed down from one generation to the next. My mom does not use written recipes with measurements. All ingredients are measured via estimates (agak agak). Basically, you had to learn how to cook by observing and practicing. It’s only recently that I have asked my mom to quantify ingredients, in which she just replies with “one or two tablespoons” or a “handful”. I literally bring out my weighing scale or measuring spoons to measure the ingredients when she puts it aside!
Signature ingredients in Nyonya recipes are usually spicy, and use numerous pungent roots such as galangal (lengkuas, 高良姜), turmeric (kunyit, 姜黄) and ginger (halia, 老姜); aromatic leaves: kaffir lime (daun limau purut, 青柠叶), screwpine leaves (daun pandan, 班兰叶), curry (daun kari, 咖喱叶) and laksa leaves (daun kesum, 喇沙叶); and other ingredients such as shallots (bawang kecil, 小红葱), lemongrass (serai, 香茅), shrimp paste (belacan, 虾酱), fresh red and green chilli (cili merah dan hijau, 新鲜红辣椒、绿辣椒), bulls eye chilli (cili padi, 指天椒) and dried chilli (cili kering, 红辣椒干). There are many other spices that I do not cover in this video, namely, torch ginger buds (bunga kantan), candle nuts (buah keras), buah keluak, tamarind (asam jawa), coriander seeds (ketumbar), betel leaves (daun kaduk), galangal leaves, and coriander leaves, which are also common in nyonya cooking.
These spices and herbs are common in Asia, but quite expensive in Australia. Hence, many of these ingredients are imported frozen from Vietnam and available in the Asian grocery store. I personally freeze all my herbs and spices in Melbourne (e.g., lemongrass, pandan leaves, kaffir lime leaves, chilli, ginger, galangal, turmeric) so that I have stock at home all the time! I also use readily frozen shredded lemongrass and galangal in my cooking (think of time saving)! When chillies are cheap, I buy it to blend and freeze.
Overall, Peranakan or Nyonya cuisine is extremely popular in Asia. If you haven't tried this cuisine, I encourage you to visit a Nyonya restaurant the next time you visit Malacca, Penang or Singapore. The food is truly a unique blend of Malay, Chinese and other Southeast Asian cultures!
References:
Lee, C.K. (1974). Mrs. Lee's cookbook: Nonya recipes and other favourite recipes. Eurasia Press. Singapore
Ng, C.Y. & Karim, S.A. (2016). Historical and contemporary perspectives of the Nyonya food culture in Malaysia. Journal of Ethnic Foods. Vol. 3, No. 2., pp. 93-106, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jef.2016.05...
Image credits:
Butterfly blue pea flower: "Clitoria ternatea" by wallygrom is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Dried chillis: "Red Chillis" by weegolo is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0
Song credit
Be Happy · AShamaluevMusic Be Happy
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