Nyonya popiah offers a taste of Peranakan heritage
It may look like your typical spring roll, but Nyonya popiah has crispier skin, a richer filling, and a deeper story rooted in cultural heritage. (Bernama pic)
SHAH ALAM : At first glance, Nyonya popiah may resemble the typical spring rolls sold at street stalls or night markets. But with its crispier skin, richer filling, and signature sambal and sweet sauce, this Peranakan delicacy tells a deeper story rooted in cultural heritage.
According to Jennifer Lee from Persatuan Peranakan Baba Nyonya Kuala Lumpur dan Selangor (PPBNKLS), the delicate wrapper and rich filling reflect generations of heritage from the Chinese Peranakan, or Baba, community.
'Preparation-wise, Nyonya popiah is more complex, with a wrapper 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 held at The Saujana Hotel Kuala Lumpur recently.
Lee, 58, said the filling is 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. The result is a complex blend of sweet, spicy, and aromatic flavours.
The sambal, meanwhile, uses either fresh or dried chillies, garlic, toasted wheat flour, and palm sugar (gula Melaka), while the sweet sauce is made from a mixture of palm sugar, flour, and a bit of soy sauce.
'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 Baba descendant.
Lee showing off her popiah-making skills during the Peranakan Chinese cooking demonstration recently. (Bernama pic)
Nyonya popiah is one of 15 traditional Peranakan Chinese dishes featured in the 'Baba Nyonya Initiative' held at the hotel throughout this month. The campaign aims to introduce Baba cuisine to the public while serving as a platform for reviving time-honoured recipes rich in cultural values and narratives.
Other featured dishes include 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.
Each dish is carefully curated to ensure authenticity in terms of cooking techniques, ingredients, and time-honoured preparation methods inherited from the Baba community.
According to PPBNKLS president Vivienne Lee @ Lianah Abdullah, the collaboration with the hotel is 'grounded in a shared goal to preserve and elevate Peranakan heritage for future generations'.
'It is about safeguarding and reintroducing Peranakan heritage, because each dish carries meaning, not just flavour,' she said.
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