80
{
}
J A P A N F O R B E G I N N E R S
poultry. You’ll see evidence of this
in the 11 kinds of laksa all over the
country, and in the number of
nasi
kandar
(
rice with curried toppings
and side dishes) Indian-Muslim stalls.
Sambal belacan
is the Malay version
of sambal, the shrimp paste and fresh
chillies condiment, and we find it at
every table at nearly every eatery we
visit. It may be the one constant no
matter what kind of meal you’re having
in Malaysia, and thus a good barometer
of the quality of the food on offer.
Thanks, grandma!
Long-held family recipes are big in
Malaysia. Among Peranakans —
descendants of Chinese immigrants
who came to the Straits settlements of
Penang, Malacca and Singapore, and
adopted the largely Malay local culture
—
the housewives are revered keepers
of such kitchen treasures.
Ng Kock Seong, who hails from
the north-western state of Penang,
runs Peranakan Place in PJ’s One
Utama Shopping Center, rustling up
up his grandmother’s recipes. It’s a
comprehensive menu that lists many of
Peranakan cuisine’s greatest hits —
pai
tee
(
crispy cups with shredded turnips),
otak otak
(
grilled fish meat wrapped in
banana leaves), honey
sotong
(
stir-fried
squid with honey),
gerang asam
fish
head (usually grouper, in red sauce) —
all of which disappear within minutes
of being served. Chew likes the sambal,
taking it in with
kerabu
lady’s fingers
(
boiled okra) accompanied by small,
approving nods.
“
It’s not about what you put in,” says
Kock Seong, “because everybody
knows the formula. It’s all
about portions — how
much of each ingredient
you put in, and the
order that you put
them in. Every
household has its
own way.”
Peranakan cuisine
builds on a base of
Chinese ingredients
prepared in a variety of styles
—
from Malay, Indian and Arabic to
Thai and even Portuguese. Within this
resulting culinary tradition are some
differences in flavor: the northern
Peranakans, living closer to the Thai
border, like their dishes salty, sour
and spicy, while southern Peranakans
prefer to enjoy them sweeter.
Whatever Kock Seong’s family’s
ways are, they work. If you have room
for just one dish, a personal favorite is
the otak otak, a blend of 13 ingredients
O N T H E F O O D T R A I L
Clockwise from left:
the homey interiors
of Peranakan Place;
(
inset) chicken pong
teh, fried with a
secret mix of spices;
a sleepy street in
Kampung Baru is
made more lively by
steamed corn carts
and an impressive
view of the Petronas
Towers; (inset)
kerabu lady’s fingers
with sambal
