WORLD CAFE ASIA

World Café Asia: Malacca - Malaysia

Presenter: Bobby Chinn

The Malaysian city of Malacca is famed for its Peranakan heritage - descendants of early Chinese migrants who settled in Penang, Malacca and Singapore and inter-married with local Malays. The resulting Nyonya cuisine is a fusion of Chinese ingredients and wok-cooking techniques blended with spices used by the Malay community. The food is tangy, aromatic, spicy, herbal and laced with ingredients like coconut milk, galangal, pandan leaves, lemongrass and cincaluk - a powerfully flavoured, sour and salty shrimp-based condiment, typically mixed with lime juice, chilies and shallots.

The use of coconut milk sets Malacca apart from its northerly Peranakan counterpart of Penang which is more influenced by Thai cuisine and its liberal use of sourer flavours like as tamarind. The Portuguese colonists also made their mark on Malacca's rich culinary heritage with signature dishes such as Devil's Curry.

Host Bobby Chinn tours the charming Malaysian city of Malacca in a colourfully decorated trishaw and explores the influence of Straits Chinese culinary culture which is showcased in local dishes like Nyonya Laksa and Nyonya Kuih. Bobby meets up with Florence Tan, affectionately known as the Queen of Nyonya Cusine who takes him on a Peranakan tour starting with the Baba and Nyonya Museum and stopping off at Charlie's where he learns how to prepare Nyonya cakes and snacks, and street stalls famed for their Nyonya cuisine. Next stop is Formosa, a fortress built by the Portuguese to protect the city from invaders. It's among the oldest surviving European architectural remains in Asia. Bobby also visits the Stadhuys, formerly the Dutch administration centre in Malacca and believed to be the oldest Dutch building in the East.

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From history to trade, Bobby decides to try his hand at fishing with the local fisherman and sets off for the ocean to catch some fish. He then attempts to sell his catch at the local fish stall but is not very successful... Sticking to what he knows best, Bobby meets up with Michael, owner of the Seafarer restaurant, who teaches him how to make Ikan Bakar (barbecued fish with lots and lots of special chili sauce!). A weekend in Malacca is not complete without a visit to Jonker Street Market. Bobby eats his way through the delicious street food on offer at this colourful night market.

Last off, Marcia, the owner of Bibik Neo teaches Bobby how to put Peranakan culinary culture into practice. Together they cook a selection of famous dishes: Ayam Buah Keluak, Chicken Rice Balls, and fiery hot Portuguese Devil’s Curry.

Coming soon...