Nyonya Homecooking Dishes

Kitchen tested, Nyonya dishes I eat since I was young, these dying Nyonya cuisine are hand me downs recipes

Nyonya homecooking dishes are generally cooked using the very fresh of herbs and spices. Fresh roots like galangal, sand ginger or cekur are basic of Nyonya food. Lemon grass, shallots, nutmeg fresh turmeric add to form a balance of sweetness to dishes.

For you in modern days learning is made easy with electrical blenders, mixers, gas cookers and all affordable tools. But the garden herbs and spices are still the same ones we used, nothing much changed as this are authentic Nyonya homecooking dishes recipes.

As for me, I remember days of charcoal stove, grinding the herbs and spices with mortar stone, sitting on the wooden coconut slices to "parut" coconut for our local cakes like Kuih Ketayap. But I still make kaya using the traditional method so for you, really it is more fun now. See our super fragrant and delicious Nyonya kuih muih photos here.

Here, I will try to explain some of the lovely home dishes I eat since I was a kid. My aunts, uncles and cousins are my encouragement.

All they have to say to me whenever they recalled some "so called old Nyonya dishes" is, aiya you know so long I have not tasted this or that. That spark is enough for me is to, come next week and we have a feast.

So it is the case of everyone getting a feast of life but luckily no one gets any indigestion. In fact, they would even called to tell me they have a great time bombing the toilet or their wives.

Then I will get another call from the wives to say I must have put too much or this or that. It is fun, cooking with herbs and spices you can find in your garden, neighborhood or wet markets.

Roti Jala

Roti Jala or Lacy Pancakes is indeed an unforgettable party dish. It is a meal of its own when you served with rich curry. Chicken and mutton seems to be a favorite choice.

As a party or tea time dish, it is cooked with less heat for the kid's to enjoy. Good for kid's birthday party.

Nasi Kunyit

There are two occasions I can remember eating Nasi Kunyit. One during announcement of a new baby full moon. Yellow turmeric glutinous rice is used during "muah geok". The other is when we pray to Datuk Kong.

For those who don't know, at the front of Nyonya houses they have a small reddish orangy shrine. Usually you can see one big pile of anthill inside.

When we were young, we would bow and pray as we cross as it was believed Datuk Kong protected us.

Bak Char Rempah

Bak Char Rempah or Nyonya Stir Fried Pork cooked with grounded shallots, dried chillies and black sauce is an interesting and refreshing dish. It has some heat and it is sweet, great with hot white rice. We used to lick the plate after everyone has finished the meal.

As this dish is prepared with lots of onion wedges, stay clear of these "wind breakers". HA HA. I love mine with deep fried onion rings, yum yum.

Nyonya Fried Rice

With scrambled eggs, diced prawn the rice is fried with freshly prepared sambal belachan and spices till aromatic.

An easy to do meal when you are busy. French beans, Mushrooms, pineapple and banana stem cubes can be added for more taste.

Pineapple Pachadi

The Nyonya Pineapple Pachadi or Ong Lai Pacheri is a sweet gula melaka dish. it is different from the Indian Pachadi as we served it in round slices.

From the curry paste, I will shared 2 other dishes we loved like Brinjals and Hard boiled Eggs. They are equally and unbelievably unforgettable dishes.

Nyonya Popiah

Eating our Nyonya Popiah is an experience. Your first bite is like your first kiss. I laugh when I was told recently. But I understand why it is so.

Because the ingredients are prepared separately, it does gives you the different moments of flavor.

The prawns, meat and bean curd is fried, bean sprouts are blanch, french beans are stir fried and garlic oil is specially prepared.

I leave you to imagine the layers of taste. Indeed it is different form the usual popiah you eat form the hawker's stall which is full of jicama or sengkuang or bangkwang.

I must say, this is one dish you can get your guest to help themselves when you entertain. One meal you have them talked about for ages.

Hainanese Satay

When you learn how to prepare Hainanese Satay, I will share with you three sauces. It is quite an experience to savor satay with these unique sauce.

A specially prepared sauce with sweet potato and sour plum. Even among the locals, not many can remember this sauce.

Many may have forgotten the pineapple sauce cooked with lemongrass. I won't leave out the usual peanut sauce.

Above I share 3 days of my first class of Nyonya Homecooking Dishes. It is supposed to be 9 dishes but the variations is more then you can bargain for. As the classes progressed I will add more photos.

A little on the Nyonya class. In some classes, the cooking enthusiast will get their hands to trying out some preparation or cooking methods. There is no wrong or right way, only more practice means the better cook or chef you become.

You are lucky, you know I remember Dato Lim will always tell us if you have not prepared more then 10 times, don't ask him why things went wrong.

In our classes, we share lots so that you get more confident cooking for your love ones. Having said that, all Nyonya in Penang have their own secret recipes. I don't claim that mine is the best.

I can only said, I loved to share with you our Penang favorite Nyonya homecooking dishes. Like to try out,write to us here.

Go to Top of Nyonya Homecooking Dishes Page

Back to Lim Bian Yam Page

Back to Lim Bian Yam Cooking Student Page

Back to Penang Home Cooking Class Page

Back to Penang Food Page

Back to My Island Penang Home Page