Nonya nirvana

After nearly seven weeks using a cramped makeshift kitchen in our laundry, we’ve started moving into our new kitchen. I’m now free to begin the process of unleashing nearly two months’ worth of pent up cooking desires.

Most of the weekend was spent wiping wood dust out of the new cupboards and unpacking countless boxes of stuff. To give you an idea of the task’s enormity, I discovered along the way that I have around 60 different herbs, spices and spice mixes.

I only found time to cook a roast lamb, crispy roast spuds, broccoli and (real) gravy, followed by mini chocolate puddings - the ultimate “I’ve got an oven again” celebration. (At the risk of showing off, I actually now have two ovens but one has yet to be connected.)

Kuih dadar

Not long before the kitchen renovation began I was doddling around the Internet and encountered references to a book called Nonya flavours: a complete guide to Penang Straits Chinese cuisine.

Nonya (Peranakan) cuisine is one of my favourites. Laksa, sambal patai, kuih dadar, kuih seri muka – I love Nonya food because it combines many flavours that I enjoy: coconut, palm sugar, chilli, garlic and belachan (shrimp paste).


Kuih seri muka


Apparently many Nonya recipes are in danger of being lost because they’ve never been extensively documented, so the State Chinese Association of Penang decided to compile a Penang (i.e. northern Malacca Straits) Nonya cookbook. To cut a long story short, Debbie Teoh (a Nonya chef, author and food consultant) was hired to help compile and test the recipes.

My Internet searches failed to reveal where I could buy the book. Fortunately, I found Debbie's email, made contact and was delighted to receive a prompt reply saying she’d be happy to send me one.

Just as my kitchen was being pulled apart I became the proud owner of an autographed copy of Nonya flavours. It’s packed full of interesting information about Nonya culture, recipes and – best of all – lots and lots of juicy colour photos. I’ve barely been able to contain myself.

This evening’s inaugural foray into Nonya nirvana involved cooking one of the cuisine’s better known dishes, Kari Kapitan – a chicken curry.

The dish requires making a spice paste with shallots, garlic, fresh ginger, galangal, fresh turmeric, candlenuts, lemongrass, chilllis (unfortunately omitted in deference to Don and the kids), and toasted shrimp paste.

Shrimp paste reeks so badly that it almost walks, so I keep the family safe by caging it in a sealed glass jar. It needs to be toasted over a hot flame for around five minutes before it is used, which magnifies the smell tenfold. The kids reeled out of the kitchen in disgust when I started toasting it, later informing me that they could smell it out on the street!

Despite the stench, the resulting dish was absolutely delicious.

My Kari Kapitan

Over dinner, Don and the boys discussed a range of automotive intricacies.

As they analysed how to avoid over-steering radio controlled model cars, sideways drifting, and The Stig’s identity, I quietly tuned out and daydreamed deliciously about my next foray into Nonya cuisine.