Nyonya Food: Nyonya Colors

26th January 2009

There is this nyonya eatery at Mid Valley that is nicely touched up by green, yellow, blue and vibrant nyonya colors and patterns. Each time I walked passed this place, I told myself or Johannes that surely I will come here and eat as much as I can. We did it one mid morning for brunch. Here is what we ordered….

(1) Nasi Kunyit with Chicken Curry – similar to nasi kuning or tumeric rice but this one is made of sticky glutinous rice. The curry is very lemak, not spicy but yet very rich in term of its aroma and taste.

(2) Cucuk Udang – some small pieces of prawn mixed with flour and various ingredients and then deep fried. Dip it in the sweet chili sauce before eating, Again, good old taste of childhood.

(3) Yum Cake - top with spicy sambal balacan, spice up my palate

(4) Small Nasi lemak Pandan – typical Malaysian breakfast where a simple version of nasi lemak wrapped in banana leaf. The ingredient is also down to earth, bit of rice, bit of sambal, a few peanuts and ikan bilis and half hard boiled egg. That would make my day for a hearty breakfast.

(5) Roti Jala with Chicken Curry – Roti Jala literally means laced bread, it is a rather common Malay and Nyonya dish.

(6) Otak-otak – You get this in many different versions, but this is the nyonya way, the wrapping is banana leave but inside you get this wonderfully done fish paste and cubes of fish meat with a bit of spicy touch and variety of herbs that create a great aroma.

(7) Curry Chee Cheong Fun – it is as if I have not had enough, I ordered this dish and opt for curry sauce instead of the classic sweet soy sauce. Again wonderfully done, the rice flake is nicely done, soft and tender, the dish is garnished with various spices and most importantly some dried prawn

and fried shallot that create the combination of fishy taste at the end. Nice one…