Posted by: CK Lam Tags: 10400 Penang, Asam Pedas, Asam Pedas Fish, Assam Laksa, Bean Sprouts, Chinese Black Mushroom, Ck Lam, Coffee House, Crunchy Texture, Daun Kesum, Fish Dish, Fish Flakes, Fresh Herbs, Generous Sprinkling, Grated Coconut, Jalan Macalister, Lemon Grass, Limau, Makansutra, Mimi Nyonya Laksa, Nasi Ulam, Nyonya Delights, Nyonya Food, Oyster Mushroom, Oyster Porridge, Plenty Of Fish, Raw Ingredients, Rice Dish, SL Coffee House, Spicy Taste, Torch Ginger, Wisma Central
BY CK Lam
Mimi Nyonya Laksa is a popular little eatery in Penang for many office workers lunching around the area. The eatery, located on the ground floor of Wisma Central, was named after the owner.
Many are obviously drawn to their Nyonya delights. The daily specials are available on a rotating basis. The nasi ulam cooked with generous sprinkling of fresh herbs, garnished with daun pudina (mint leaves) and red chillies, is a firm favourite among the customers. The combination of carrots, onions, daun limau purut (chopped lime leaves), serai (lemon grass), daun kaduk (wild pepper leaves), daun kesum (laksa leaves), daun cekur (sand ginger leaves) and grated coconut layers the complex flavours of this rice dish.
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Posted by: CK Lam Tags: Amp Nbsp, Assam Prawns, Braised Ginger Duck, Cantonese Food, Celebrating Chinese New Year, Chinese Black Mushroom, Chinese Dish, Chinese Festival, Chinese New Year, Crab Meat, Dried Sole, Festive Occasion, Fish Maw, Flavors, Gong Xi Fa Cai, Happy Chinese New Year, Happy Chinese New Year 2013, Hoi Sin Sang Choi Bao, Home Cooked Meal, Ju Hu Char, Lettuce Leaf, Lettuce Wrap, Lum Mee, Nyonya Cuisine, Nyonya Cuisine, Old Chicken, Pig Stomach, Prompet Curry FIsh, Rich Flavor, Sea Cucumber, Shark Fins, Tao Tay Curry, Torch Ginger, Turmeric Prawns, Water Snake, Year of the Water Snake
Happy Chinese New Year 2013, Year of the Water Snake!!!
There are so many life’s great things and one of them is having reunion meal with your loved ones. And this year I could not have asked for better with the flying in of my sons, daughter in-law and my granddaughter.
The home cooked meal of Nyonya and Cantonese food prepared by mother-in-law has many ingredients and delicacies which are important signs for the Chinese festival. Here are some of the dishes that we had been enjoying over the years.
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Posted by: CK Lam Tags: Anglo Chinese Terraces House, Antique Wooden Doors, Baba Bar, Baba Nonya, Banh Xeo, Chinese Antique Furniture, Chinese Granite, Christopher Ong, Ck Lam, Contemporary Design, Course Greens, Course Menu, Degustation Menu, Frangipani, Georgian Church, Grilled Chicken Kapitan, Hong Bak Lamb, Hotel Experience, Indo Chine, Indo-Chine Cuisine, Jalan Kapitan Keling, Karl Steinberg, Keba, Kebaya, Kuan Yin Temple, Lap Pool, Lor Ark, Mantou, Pai Tee, Panna Cotta, Penang Boutique Hotel, Penang Chinese Town Hall, Peranakan Cuisine, Prawn Geng, Reception Lobby, Seven Terraces, Stewart Lane, The Kebaya, Tub Tim Krob, World Charm, World Heritage Site
BY CK Lam
The newly opened Seven Terraces in the heart of World Heritage Site is Penang’s newest boutique hotel. Sitting on Stewart Lane, this hotel by hoteliers Christopher Ong and Karl Steinberg is converted from a row of seven C19th Anglo Chinese terraces houses.
Seven Terraces offers guests a boutique hotel experience with its Peranakan and contemporary design and its many Baba Nonya and Chinese antique furniture and collectibles. The hotel comprises a restaurant, bar and 18 air-conditioned suites with modern amenities.
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Posted by: CK Lam Tags: Acat Hu, Bird Nest, Charming Restaurant, Ck Lam, Delicious Gravy, Distinctive Heritage, Dried Prawns, Fish Stomach, Flavors, Fresh Seafood, Ginger Tea, Gravy, Hangings, Heritage Area, Kaduk, Kua, Laksa, Lebuh Noordin, Lightings, Little Kitchen, Little Kitchen @Nyonya, Lor, Masak Titik, Nutmeg Juice, Nyonya Baba, Nyonya Cuisine, Nyonya Peranakan Cuisine, Penang, Penang Nyonya Food, Pengat, Peranakan Dishes, Perut Ikan, Pickled Fish In Tumeric VInegar, Pig Liver, Proprietor, Pungent Flavors, Rempah Hae, Rm10, Shophouse, Shrimp Paste, Stomachs, Three Generations, Titik, Tu Kua Lor Bak, Ulam, Unesco Heritage, White Radish
BY CK Lam
Tucked in the heart of George Town’s Noordin Street is Little Kitchen @ Nyonya. The charming restaurant housed in an old two storey shophouse with a distinctive heritage façade, serves home-cooked Nyonya dishes.
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Posted by: CK Lam Tags: Book Launch, British Origin, Button Mushrooms, C K Lam, Chicken Pie, Cooking Demonstration, Culinary Tradition, Dr Ong Jin Teong, Food Book, Fusion Cuisine, Girls Association, Ground Pepper, Hainanese Chicken, Hainanese Chicken Pie, Heritage Food, Khoo Chiew Kin, MGS Old Girls’ Association, Min Chee, Mph Bookstores, National Heritage, New Straits Times (Life & Times), Penang Heritage, Penang Heritage Food, Professional Cooking, Spice Garden, Stick Cinnamon, Street Hawkers, Tropical Spice, Tropical Spice Garden, YWCA
BY C K Lam
Tropical Spice Garden recently sees the book launching and cooking demo by Dr Ong Jin Teong at the al-fresco style Pavilion next to the cooking school. The event highlighted Dr Ong’s culinary biography Penang Heritage Food, a collection of recipes for the classic and forgotten dishes of Penang.
Penang Heritage Food also sheds light on the different cultural influences that has made Penang’s fusion cuisine a unique national heritage. Dishes with Malay, Hokkien, Indian, Thai and Hainanese influences are included.
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Posted by: CK Lam Tags: Amp Spa, Appetisers, Authentic Tapas, Cashew Nuts, Chef Kam Kok Wai, Chicken Pie, Chicken Pie Tee, Chili Sauce, Delicious Salad, Fish Broth, Fish Cakes, Fresh Juices, Fried Prawn, Herbs And Spices, Impressive Presentations, Julienned Vegetables, King Prawn, Miang, Miang Kham, Mint Jelly, Mint Leaf, New Straits Times (Life & Times), New Straits Times (Northern Streets), Nyonya Cuisine, Penang Laksa, Pinang Restaurant and Bar, Pinang Thaipas, Rasa Sayang Resort, Red Chili, Rice Noodle, Somtam, Sour Fish, Spring Rolls, Tangy Lime, Taste Buds, Thai Fish, Tod Man Pla, Tom Yam Goong
By CK Lam
Let’s go enjoy Penang and Thai-style tapas, also known as Pinang Thaipas, at the alfresco poolside Pinang Restaurant and Bar in Shangri-La’s Rasa Sayang Resort and Spa. With a spectacular view of the sea, this place is the perfect spot to indulge in appetisers and finger food coupled with a glass of wine, cold beer or fresh juices.
Executive chef Kam Kok Wai offers customers authentic tapas with wonderful flavours and impressive presentations. The menu boasts a mix of nine local and Thai favourites.
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Posted by: CK Lam Tags: Assam Pedas, Assam Prawns, Assorted Mushroom, Casual Environment, Chicken Meat, Chicken Roll, Chili Padi, Chili Sauce, Chinese Chives, Chinese New Year, Chinese Tea, Duck Meat, Duck Soup, Fish Assam Pedas, Happy Chinese New Year, Herb And Spices, Ivy'S Kitchen, Joo Hoo Char, Kari Kapitan Chicken, Kerabu Pomelo, Kiam Chai Ark Thng, Lettuce Leaf, Moist Chicken, Prosperity Salty Duck Soup, Red Snapper, Soya Bean, Style Dish, Sweet Notes, Tangy Flavor, Thng
It’s about Nyonya food in a casual environment for Chinese New Year!
Ivy’s Kitchen is offering two Happy Chinese New Year menus to usher in the Chinese New Year festive season. Priced at either RM488++ and RM688++, the menus come with a wide range of comfort Nyonya dishes, free flow of rice and ‘Tee Kun Yeam’ Chinese tea.
We had the pleasure of enjoying the RM488 menu consisting of nine dishes – kerabu pomelo, fish assam pedas, kari kapitan chicken, prosperity salty duck soup, chicken roll, assam prawns, assorted mushroom in mix vegetable, joo hoo char and soya bean jelly with longan. The kerabu pomelo has pomelo, chili padi, coriander, Chinese chives and plenty of ginger flower. The taste was appetizing with offerings of sour and sweet notes and heat from the cut chilies.
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Posted by: CK Lam Tags: Chicken Meat, Chicken Stock, Chinese Mushroom, Chopped Garlic, Cooked Chicken, Cooking Classes, Cooking Lessons, Cooking Oil, Cooking School, Cuttlefish, Distinctive Aroma, Fried Vegetables, Indian Cuisine, Jiu Hu Char, Lettuce, Lone Grag Villa, Malaysian Cuisine, New Straits Times (Life & Times), Penang, Recipe Sheets, Sambal Belacan, Spice Garden, Teluk Bahang, Tropical Spice Garden Cooking School, Tsp Soya Sauce
BY CK Lam
Recently, I was invited to a cooking session at Tropical Spice Garden Cooking School in Teluk Bahang, Penang. The school offers cooking classes for Nyonya, Chinese, Malay and Indian cuisine and is set in a building surrounded by the lush Tropical Spice Garden.
Under the guidance of Pearly Kee, who is well-versed in Nyonya cooking, the participants and I gained some insight into Nyonya cuisine. We were handed recipe sheets for otak-otak and jiu hu char and Kee guided us through the two dishes.
Both recipes were simple. The jiu hu char had several ingredients put together, each with its unique flavour and texture. This stir-fried dish was so fresh and light and paired nicely with lettuce and sambal belacan.
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Posted by: CK Lam Tags: 12th July, Aromatic Herbs, Asam Pedas, Betel Leaf, Chicken Curry, Choon Peah, Classic Chicken, Coconut Milk, Daun Kaduk, Ginkgo Nuts, Gravy, Impressive Range, Inche Kabin, Kabin, Kaffir Lime Leaves, Kapitan, Kari Kapitan, Nasi Ulam, New Straits Times (Life & Times), New Straits Times (Life & Times), Nyonya Breeze Abu Siti Lane, Nyonya Breeze Desire, Nyonya Breeze Desire Straits Quay, Peah, Penang, Penang Nyonya Food, Peranakan Cuisine, Perut Ikan, Pig Stomach, Sambal Belacan, Sambal Goreng, Spring Rolls, Stomachs, Straits Quay, Tender Pieces, Too Tor T’ng, White Rice, Worcestershire Sauce
* This article was published in the New Straits Times (Life & Times) on 12th July 2011.
The recently opened Nyonya Breeze Desire restaurant in Straits Quay carries on the tradition of Peranakan cuisine associated with Penang. The food are similar to that at its outlet in Abu Siti Lane.
Cooking Nyonya food has always been a meticulous affair and Nyonya Breeze Desire had the cuisine prepared with great attention to detail, balancing flavours and taste. The impressive range of dishes include nasi ulam, inche kabin, sambal goreng, asam pedas and braised meat.
The dishes came in large and small portions. I chose the latter. The starter was a plateful of jiu hu char or stir-fried sengkuang (RM13.90) served with fresh lettuce and sambal belacan. The gravy had hints of mushroom, carrot and dried squid. All in all, a perfect dish.
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Posted by: CK Lam Tags: Chicken Meatballs, Chinese Meal, Chinese New Year, Chow Thye Road, Cod Fish, Colorful Ingredients, Deep Fried Chicken, Dinner Price, Festive Dish, Food Menus, Glutinous Rice Ball, Ground Peanut, Ivy’s Kitchen, King Prawn, Lime Juice, New Straits Times (Life & Times), New Straits Times (Life & Times), Nyonya dishes, Oyster Sauce, Pacific Clams, Plum Sauce, Pork-free Restaurant, Raw Fish, Salted Fish, Sea Cucumber, Stewed Assorted Mushroom, Vegetable Dish, White Fungus
* This article was published in the New Straits Times (Life & Times) on 19th January 2011.
Ivy’s Kitchen is offering an alternative from the common Chinese meal for this coming Chinese New Year festive season with a menu sprinkled with several tantalizing Nyonya dishes. This restaurant is offering two different menus, priced at RM388++ and this special menu at RM688++. Both the food menus boast a wide range of dishes filled with auspicious meanings for this special day.
Traditionally the Chinese New Year banquet is kicked off with the Yee Sang. This dish of raw fish, crispy cracker and colorful ingredients which are symbolic is eaten with a coarsely ground peanut, plum sauce and lime juice dressing.
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Posted by: CK Lam Tags: Barbequed Spare Ribs, Cajun Spring Chicken, Chinese Influences, Curry Chicken, Devil Curry, Eurasian Food, Figo's, Figo's Restaurant, Flavors, Fresh Oyster, Generous Portion, German Restaurant, Homemade Bread, Ingolf’s Kneipe German Restaurant, Malacca, Malacca-Portuguese, Medan Selera Mutiara, Mexican Oyster Shots, Mexico, New Orleans, New Straits Times (Life & Times), New Straits Times (Life & Times), Nyonya Cuisine, Nyonya Cuisine, Plain Rice, Pork Cordon-Bleu, Pork Ribs, Portuguese Food, Restaurnt, Rice Casserole, Rice Dish, Rich Stock, Satchmo’s Pork Chop, Signature Dishes, Sungai Kelian, Tanjong Bunga, Tanjung Bungah Penang, Texas, Texas Barbequed Spare-Ribs, Vintage Bulgaria Restaurant
***This place has since closed down
* This article was published in the New Straits Times (Life & Times) on 5th January 2011.
Penang is blessed with a plethora of cuisines, and lately we discovered a new outlet that really stands out among the masses. Figo’s Restaurant recently opened its doors in Jalan Sungai Kelian housing area in Tanjong Bunga. The restaurant is a short distance away from Ingolf’s Kneipe German Restaurant, Vintage Bulgaria Restaurant and the Medan Selera Mutiara.
Listed on their menu is an assortment of sandwiches and heavier entrees with flavors of New Orleans, Texas, Mexico and signature dishes of Nyonya and Malacca-Portuguese.
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Posted by: CK Lam Tags: 26th October, Assam Prawn, Baba Nyonya Culture, Baba Nyonya Wedding, Baju, Baju Panjang, Bride And Groom, Cheow Tao Ceremony, Ck Lam, Colorful Wedding, Curry Kapitan, Dress Accessories, Eleme, Focal Concepts, George Town World Heritage Site, Gorgeous Hand, Gulai Tumis, Head Dress, Heritage Town, Impor, Kasut Manek, Manik, Nasi Ulam, New Straits Times (Life & Times), New World Park, Nyonya Belles, Nyonya Bridal Head Dress, Penang, Peranakan Restaurant, Peranakan Wedding, Sarong Kebaya, Sedan Chair, Sri Batik Nyonya Restaurant, Tea Ceremony, Traditional Style, Twelve Days, Wedding Ceremonies, Wedding Ceremony, Wedding Planner, Wedding Schedule
BY CK Lam
A rich and colorful Peranakan wedding!
Baba-Nyonya wedding ceremony is fast disappearing and forgotten by many except for a handful of the older generation. In the heritage town of Penang, there has been a strong call for couples to revive this heritage by taking their vows in this traditional style. Won’t it be a lovely change for couples to wed in a truly unique traditional showcase of rich and colourful Baba-Nyonya culture?
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