Your editors have just come back from a field trip to Phuket last week. We have found many indicators of the close connections between the Peranakan Chinese in Penang and the Phuket Peranakans, better known as Phuket Babas (this latter term refers to both genders, Thai speakers finding difficulty in pronouncing nyonyas). See the earlier post, dated 17 January 2009.

There is indeed a long list of very visible markers of our shared culture, from architecture, cuisine, attire (e.g. clothing, footwear and jewellery accessories), religious beliefs and practices, language (hokkien dialect), education (schooling in Penang) to place of origin (many Hokkiens, i.e. from Fujian Province).

Future posts will touch on various topics with a view to throwing more light on aspects of our shared history.

For now, a look at the similarities in food, in particular, the nyonya kuih.

A stall set up in a shophouse in Phuket town

Here too is a link to an interview conducted on National News Bureau of Thailand (NBT TV) on Phuket history and its relations with Penang, dated 27 February 2009.

http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglish previewnews2.php?news_id=983&news_headline=VDO%20Interview%20-%20

Colin%20Mackay,%20writer%20&%20historian%20of%20Phuket,

%20Loh%20Wei%20Leng%20&%20Neil%20Khor,%20from%20University%20of%20Malaya,%20KL

It is also on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XN0EkuIW9Q8

Before Chinese New Year is over, it might be appropriate to look at the creative efforts of one nyonya restaurant - possibly still on the menu today! Food reviewer Helen Ong, who is based in Penang, had an article in the Sunday Star, entitled, Tasty Twists, where she looked at Nyonya Yee Sang, among other dishes, for the reunion dinner.

http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2009/1/25/sundaymetro/3072491&sec=SundayMetro

She has a book, Helen Ong’s Great Dining in Penang, published by Areca Books (www.arecabooks.com) last year which has to touch on nyonya food (have not had the opportunity yet to dip into this book), what food enthusiasts would associate with the former Straits Settlements ports of Penang, Melaka and Singapore.

Perhaps some of our readers have actually sampled the Nyonya Yee Sang and can let us know whether this should be on next year’s reunion dinner!

Timothy Tye’s website on Penang provides useful information for the traveler, from sightseeing, transport and accommodation to a section on food, essentially choices on the range of hawker food available, with helpful tips as to location. With reference to local cuisine, he has a section entitled, “Ingredients of a nyonya kitchen”.

As his list is by no means comprehensive, perhaps those who consider themselves to be connoisseurs of nyonya cooking can add to his list, so that those wishing to whip up tasty dishes can draw on those more knowledgeable, willing to share.

http://www.penang-traveltips.com/penang-nyonya-kitchen.htm

Food and Cultural Identity

Peranakans are very particular and protective over their cooking traditions. They are not resistant to change, in fact they invented fusion food. What many Peranakans are concerned about is authenticity and that people do not get ripped-off by so-called “Peranakan” or “Nyonya” restaurants.

The Penang State Chinese Association, together with other associated Peranakan associations, is proposing that these restaurants be rated. Of course, we acknowledge that there is a wide range of cooking styles but we thought members might be better informed not merely about where these restaurants are located but also whether standards are maintained!

Let us know what you think or drop us a line describing your nyonya restaurant experience.