Spotlight on Peranakan cuisine

The Star

22-05-2025

Nyonya 'popiah' is more complex to make because of its delicate wrapper, rich filling and signature 'sambal'. — Photos: Bernama
Association showcases Baba Nyonya classics made from time-honoured recipes
WHILE the Peranakan delicacy Nyonya popiah may resemble the spring rolls sold at street stalls or night markets, its wrapper, richer filling, signature sambal and sweet sauce tell a story rooted in cultural heritage.
Peranakan Baba Nyonya Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Association's (PPBNKLS) cultural and social committee member Jennifer Lee Choo Neo told Bernama that the delicate wrapper and rich filling reflected the culinary traditions handed down generations by the Peranakan Chinese or Baba Nyonya community.
'Nyonya popiah is more complex to prepare. The wrapper is made from wheat flour, tapioca flour, eggs, warm water and salt.
'The batter is rested for 30 to 60 minutes for a softer, more flavourful texture – unlike regular spring roll wrappers which use only flour and water.
'To create the wrapper, the batter is gently spread in a thin layer over a flat pan,' she said during a Peranakan Chinese cook­ing demonstration in Shah Alam for the media.
Lee said the filling was made from fresh ingredients such as jicama (sengkuang), cucum­­­­­ber, bean sprouts, omelette, fried tofu and prawns, combined with sautéed fermented soybean paste (taucu) and garlic, resulting in a complex blend of sweet, spicy and aromatic flavours.
She explained that the sambal was made using either fresh or dried chillies, garlic, toasted wheat flour and palm sugar (gula melaka), while the sweet sauce was made from a mixture of palm sugar, flour and a bit of soy sauce.
Lee (left) demonstrating the way to assemble the 'popiah'.
'Although slightly tedious to prepare, this delicacy is often a special choice for various events, including birthday celebrations or weddings,' said Lee, who is a third-generation Nyonya.
Nyonya popiah is one of 15 traditional Peranakan Chinese dishes featured at the 'Baba Nyonya Heritage' promotion at The Saujana Hotel Kuala Lumpur in Shah Alam, Selangor, throughout this month.
The hotel's general manager Jasmine Ong Li said the campaign was not only aimed at promoting Baba Nyonya cuisine but also served as an important platform to revive time-honoured recipes that were rich in stories and cultural values.
Other featured dishes included buah keluak, lobak masak lemak (braised radish in coconut gravy), nasi kemuli, pai tee, stuffed cencaru (fish), ee pioh soup, pajeri eggplant, Nyonya sambal belacan, fried tamarind prawns and various traditional kuih.
Ong said each dish was curated to ensure authenticity in terms of its use of cooking techniques, secret ingredients, and traditional preparation methods inherited from the Baba Nyonya community's ancestors.
PPBNKLS president Vivienne Lee @ Lianah Abdullah said that to support the initiative, the association had provi­ded intensive training to the hotel's culinary team, covering the ingredients and preparation methods.
'Our collaboration is grounded in a shared goal – to preserve and elevate Peranakan heritage for future generations.
'To us, this partnership is about safeguarding and reintroducing Peranakan heritage, because each dish carries meaning, not just flavour,' she said.