Peranakan Food in Singapore Eaten with Relish

Peranakan Food eaten with Relish in Singapore

Singapore is a hub of many cultures, and the Peranakan culture is one of them. In case you didn’t already know, the Peranakan culture is a mix of Chinese and Malay cultures. The cuisine is an amalgamation of Chinese dishes with a Malay twist.

The Peranakans were originally traders and merchants, but they became well-known for their fusion of Chinese and Malay cultures. The dishes that they created became a blend of Chinese, Malay, Indian, Portuguese, and Dutch influences.

If you are wondering where you can relish some Peranakan food or host a Peranakan food buffet catering in Singapore, we have got you covered! Keep reading to understand why you should enjoy this unique cuisine.

Why Should I Relish in Peranakan Food in Singapore?

There are many reasons for you to relish Peranakan food in Singapore, especially if you have never had Peranakan food before. You will be taken aback by the flavours, some of which may be difficult for you to recreate at home, even if you have the recipe for the dishes.

That said, here are several reasons to get you started on your Peranakan food experience:

You get to appreciate the cultural background
You get to relish in diverse flavours
You get to discover regional variations
You get to savour the freshest ingredients

1. You get to appreciate the cultural background

As we pointed out earlier, Peranakan food is a fusion of Chinese and Malay cuisine. It is also known as Nonya food due to the Peranakans’ mixed ancestry of Malay and Chinese heritage.

Being one of the most popular cuisines in Singapore, Nonya cuisine has been in existence for centuries, making it one of the most well-known cuisines in Southeast Asia, with some dishes having become famous internationally.

With such a cultural background to the dishes, you get to appreciate and relive the best part that history has made possible – the food.

2. You get to relish in diverse flavours

Since Peranakan food is a unique fusion combining Chinese ingredients with Malay spices and cooking techniques, the flavours should not come as a surprise. You can call it unique and full of spices, or better yet, flavourful.

The flavours that each Peranakan dish produce differs based on the ingredients used as well as the spices. For instance, a Peranakan food buffet catering may replace the ingredients due to the lack of availability or even based on your food preference while considering your food restrictions.

This allows you to relish in the diverse flavours that each Peranakan food has to offer, leaving you wanting more.

3. You get to discover regional variations

No two Peranakan food are the same as each dish is an interpretation based on the preferred flavours, chef’s ingredients, and region. Thus, making Peranakan food is especially unique with many variations.

That said, there are several variations to the Laksa with Laksa Lemak being a variation that we Singaporeans are familiar with, while the tangy Assam Laksa is a variation that most Malaysian Peranakans are familiar with.

Other famous Peranakan dishes include Ayam Buah Keluak and Nonya Kueh. With the abundance of variations for Peranakan food, it is an experience that you would not want to miss out on.

4. You get to savour the freshest ingredients

Peranakan cuisine is not fast food; it takes a high level of patience to prepare the ingredients. To ensure that the meat and seafood properly absorb the essential spices, they must be freshly sourced and marinated for many hours before they can be cooked.

The same goes for spices. Fresh spices are sourced to ensure the strong Peranakan flavour seeps into the meat and seafood. For most halal catering services, the ones preparing the dishes will often use a mortar and pestle to grind some of the ingredients such as lemongrass, ginger, and turmeric root that give Peranakan food its strong and distinct flavour.

Keen to relish Peranakan food in Singapore?

Consider engaging a Peranakan food catering service to create a unique experience for you and your family. Besides, you’ll be introduced to new flavours that may leave you wanting more.

The best caterer can balance the quality as well as the presentation of the food while delivering the best value for your money. When you choose a Peranakan food catering service from Chilli Manis, you’ll have a variety of dishes and side menu items to choose from.

As a halal-certified caterer, we seek to present the best Peranakan food catering service in Singapore. Keen to try our food catering service? Contact us at 6250 1112 or email sales@chillimanis.com.sg.

Things You Didn’t Know About Peranakan and Nyonya Cuisine

Peranakan is Malay for “born here”, which refers to the Straits-born people of Chinese and Malay or Indonesian heritage. Male Peranakans are referred to as “Baba” whereas females and the culture in general of this matriarchal community are addressed as “Nyonya”. Peranakan Cuisine can be found in parts of the Malay Archipelago particularly in Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore.

Peranakan cuisine can be considered as a hybrid of Chinese (mainly Hokkien but also Hainanese), Malay, Indian, Thai and Western colonial (Portugese, Dutch and English) influences. Peranakan food buffet started off as a blend of Chinese ingredients and cooking techniques along with species and native ingredients used by the indigenous Malays. Its flavours are usually aromatic and spicy, featuring ingredients that represent its hybridised roots. Some popular ingredients include Malay spices such as belacan (dried fermented shrimp paste) and daun limau purut (kaffir lime leaf). Other ingredients that are usually found in Chinese food include pork and kiam chye (pickled vegetable). To add a tangy taste, sometimes tropical fruits such as mangoes or belimbing (a fruit belonging to the same family as the starfruit) are used to enhance the flavours of dishes as well.

Here are some interesting facts that you may not have known about Peranakan Cuisine

The terms ‘Peranakan’ and ‘Nyonya’ are interchangeable when describing the food

When Chinese immigrants married locals, it created a unique culture with entirely new traditional beliefs, clothes and cuisine. As the women were mainly in charge of preparing meals for the family and the community, this style of cuisine is referred to as “Nyonya”. Both Baba and Nyonya are respectful and endearing terms for men and women that originally derived from the Indonesian language.

Peranakan and Nyonya dishes are never the same

Each time a dish is prepared it is up to the interpretation of the preferred flavours and ingredients of the chef. Some commonly used ingredients used in Peranakan cooking include coconut milk, laksa leaves, lemongrass and tamarind. With its abundance of ingredients and ingredients, most dishes are highly flavourful and packs a punch.

Different regions influence the cooking styles of Peranakan cuisine

Depending on the geographical influences of each community, there are regional variations of Peranakan cuisine. For example, dishes from the island of Penang in the northern part of Peninsular Malaysia are influenced by the Thais which results in higher usage of tamarind and other sour ingredients like pineapple. On the other hand, dishes from Singapore and Malacca are more influenced by Indonesian cuisine, and tend to use coconut milk. One classic dish is laksa (spicy noodles served in curry-based soup). It can be prepared in two different ways: the sour asam laksa from Penang, and the coconut milk-based laksa lemak from Singapore and Southern Malaysia.

Peranakan cuisine has a long preparation time

Cooking Peranakan food requires a high level of patience and preparation in advance. Meat and seafood must be marinated in spices for many hours before so that they can thoroughly absorb all the essential spices to be used in cooking later on. Even the spices require time to prepare beforehand as fresh spices are ideal for stronger flavours. Hence, the chef will usually use a mortar and pestle to grind the ingredients such as lemongrass, wild ginger and turmeric root that are responsible for giving Peranakan food its strong and distinct flavour adored by many.

Craving deliciously authentic Peranakan Cuisine in Singapore?

Chilli Manis is a Halal certified food catering group that offers a specially curated peranakan buffet catering which features a large variety of courses for your guests to dig into. Helmed by Madam Serene Hoh who is a veteran of the food service industry with more than 36 years of operational experience managing restaurant and catering business. She specialises in serving authentic Peranakan dishes prepared with a generous serving of herbs, spices and aromas to enhance its flavours – turning even the simplest of meals into an unforgettable gastronomic affair. Get Peranakan buffet to enjoy up to 15% off when you order from us in advance!