WANDERLUST // MALAYSIA www.travel3sixty.com A FEAST JPeppered by infl uences from faraway and exotic lands, the culinary heritage of Malaysia’s Jawi Peranakan community is enriched by a tapestry of cultures. WI WORDS: CHITRA SANTHINATHAN PHOTOGRAPHY: CHEWWIN WIN

114 DEC 2016

t360 Dec2016_081116_A_tsy.indd 114 11/11/2016 5:34 PM WANDERLUST // MALAYSIA www.travel3sixty.com A FEAST JPeppered by infl uences from faraway and exotic lands, the culinary heritage of Malaysia’s Jawi Peranakan community is enriched by a tapestry of cultures. WI WORDS: CHITRA SANTHINATHAN PHOTOGRAPHY: CHEWWIN WIN

Flavoured with the leaves of the lemuni plant (vitex trifolia), nasi lemuni is believed to restore vitality, and is mainly eaten by women in confi nement. The Jawi Peranakan use butterfl y pea fl owers to give the grains a blue tinge. 114 DEC 2016

t360 Dec2016_081116_A_tsy.indd 114 11/11/2016 5:34 PM t360 Dec2016_081116_A_tsy.indd 115 11/11/2016 5:34 PM s a Malaysian, I’m utterly spoilt for from Europe, the Middle East, China and the Jawi Peranakan communities are largely based choice when it comes to food. Malay- Indian subcontinent to this part of the world. in Penang, Melaka and Singapore, where their sia’s cuisine, a marriage of flavours Many adventurous souls, besotted by the forefathers once docked in search of the riches inspired by the communities that call charms of the land, settled on her shores and of the Far East. this land home, mirrors the cultural di- forged new lives for themselves. While the history of the Jawi Peranakan Aversity of a nation populated by a multi- Intermarriage between these foreigners and people offers an intriguing insight into the racial melange. Iconic dishes like nasi lemak local women were inevitable, and gave birth to melding of cultures, what piqued my interest (rice cooked in coconut milk and served with mixed race communities whose descendants even more was their cuisine, in itself a fusion condiments), laksa (spicy noodle soup), roti ca- still proudly carry on the traditions and cus- of fl avours peppered with exotic infl uences. nai (fl atbread), chicken rice and char kuey teow toms of their ancestors. During a recent trip (stir-fried rice noodles) are famous the world to George Town, the capital of the northern A FLAVOURFUL UNION To better un- over, and largely attributed to Malaysia, as well Malaysian state of Penang, I discovered one derstand the community behind this unique as neighbouring Singapore, which shares a such hybrid community – the Jawi Peranakan, cuisine, I sought the expertise of Dato’ Dr Wazir similar culinary heritage. whose ancestors hail mainly from northern Jahan Karim, an economic anthropologist and Many of the culinary creations that Malaysia India, Persia and the Middle East. author of Feasts of Penang – Muslim Culinary is known for are credited to the country’s larger Peranakan in Malay literally means ‘locally Heritage, an informative tome that celebrates communities – the ethnic Malays, Chinese and born’ and refers to coastal or port city migrants the cuisine of Penang’s Muslim communities, Indians. But Malaysian food is much more than who have assimilated into Malay, Pattani which include the Malays, Tamil or Southern the basic medley of Malay, Chinese and Indian (southern Thai) or Indonesian culture, through Indian Muslims, and Jawi Peranakan. cooking styles. From the food rituals of the intermarriage with the locals. Being a larger “Jawi Peranakan is a complex cultural defi ni- indigenous people of Borneo and Peninsular community, the Straits Chinese of Malaysia, tion of a hybrid Muslim community. A century Malaysia to the distinct culinary traditions of Singapore and Indonesia, who are of mixed ago, Jawi Peranakan would have included de- the Straits Chinese whose roots in the country Chinese and Malay heritage, are often widely scendants of Armenian Muslims and Persians. date back to the 16th century, Malaysian cuisine referred to as Peranakan, although the term is is truly a melting pot of multi-layered fl avours. not exclusive to this one community. Its evolution, which includes hybrid cuisines The word jawi is derived from the centuries- spawned from migration, intermarriage and old Arabic term used in reference to the Mus- BELOW Ayam ros is often served at trade, goes back centuries. Between the 10th lims who inhabited the port cities and trade Jawi Peranakan weddings. and 18th centuries, the trade of spices, per- centres of the Malay Archipelago. Culturally OPPOSITE PAGE Khaila is a stir-fried vegeatble dish commonly eaten in fumes and cloth lured seafarers and merchants distinct from their Straits Chinese neighbours, Jawi Peranakan households.

116 DEC 2016

t360 Dec2016_081116_A_tsy.indd 116 11/11/2016 5:34 PM s a Malaysian, I’m utterly spoilt for from Europe, the Middle East, China and the Jawi Peranakan communities are largely based choice when it comes to food. Malay- Indian subcontinent to this part of the world. in Penang, Melaka and Singapore, where their sia’s cuisine, a marriage of flavours Many adventurous souls, besotted by the forefathers once docked in search of the riches inspired by the communities that call charms of the land, settled on her shores and of the Far East. this land home, mirrors the cultural di- forged new lives for themselves. While the history of the Jawi Peranakan Aversity of a nation populated by a multi- Intermarriage between these foreigners and people offers an intriguing insight into the racial melange. Iconic dishes like nasi lemak local women were inevitable, and gave birth to melding of cultures, what piqued my interest (rice cooked in coconut milk and served with mixed race communities whose descendants even more was their cuisine, in itself a fusion condiments), laksa (spicy noodle soup), roti ca- still proudly carry on the traditions and cus- of fl avours peppered with exotic infl uences. nai (fl atbread), chicken rice and char kuey teow toms of their ancestors. During a recent trip (stir-fried rice noodles) are famous the world to George Town, the capital of the northern A FLAVOURFUL UNION To better un- over, and largely attributed to Malaysia, as well Malaysian state of Penang, I discovered one derstand the community behind this unique as neighbouring Singapore, which shares a such hybrid community – the Jawi Peranakan, cuisine, I sought the expertise of Dato’ Dr Wazir similar culinary heritage. whose ancestors hail mainly from northern Jahan Karim, an economic anthropologist and Many of the culinary creations that Malaysia India, Persia and the Middle East. author of Feasts of Penang – Muslim Culinary is known for are credited to the country’s larger Peranakan in Malay literally means ‘locally Heritage, an informative tome that celebrates communities – the ethnic Malays, Chinese and born’ and refers to coastal or port city migrants the cuisine of Penang’s Muslim communities, Indians. But Malaysian food is much more than who have assimilated into Malay, Pattani which include the Malays, Tamil or Southern the basic medley of Malay, Chinese and Indian (southern Thai) or Indonesian culture, through Indian Muslims, and Jawi Peranakan. cooking styles. From the food rituals of the intermarriage with the locals. Being a larger “Jawi Peranakan is a complex cultural defi ni- indigenous people of Borneo and Peninsular community, the Straits Chinese of Malaysia, tion of a hybrid Muslim community. A century Malaysia to the distinct culinary traditions of Singapore and Indonesia, who are of mixed ago, Jawi Peranakan would have included de- the Straits Chinese whose roots in the country Chinese and Malay heritage, are often widely scendants of Armenian Muslims and Persians. date back to the 16th century, Malaysian cuisine referred to as Peranakan, although the term is is truly a melting pot of multi-layered fl avours. not exclusive to this one community. Its evolution, which includes hybrid cuisines The word jawi is derived from the centuries- spawned from migration, intermarriage and old Arabic term used in reference to the Mus- BELOW Ayam ros is often served at trade, goes back centuries. Between the 10th lims who inhabited the port cities and trade Jawi Peranakan weddings. and 18th centuries, the trade of spices, per- centres of the Malay Archipelago. Culturally OPPOSITE PAGE Khaila is a stir-fried vegeatble dish commonly eaten in fumes and cloth lured seafarers and merchants distinct from their Straits Chinese neighbours, Jawi Peranakan households.

116 DEC 2016

t360 Dec2016_081116_A_tsy.indd 116 11/11/2016 5:34 PM t360 Dec2016_081116_A_tsy.indd 117 11/11/2016 5:35 PM Bubur asyura is a sweet rice porridge spiced with nutmeg, and decorated with candied ginger SWEET and melon, glacé cherries, as well as almonds and cashews. The dish is usually eaten by the Jawi Peranakan during Awal Muharram, TEMPTATIONS the fi rst day of the Islamic calendar year. The porridge also has a BENGKANG SUJI A savoury counterpart. baked pudding-like cake, bengkang suji contains suji or semolina, which is predominantly used in Northern Indian and Middle Eastern cakes and desserts. Made with semolina, coconut milk and eggs, fl avoured with a trio of sweet spices (cinnamon, cardamom and cloves), and studded with cashews and raisins, this sweet treat is often served at kenduri (feasts), garnished with gold and silver leaf. SERABAI A breakfast favourite, serabai are tasty crumpets enjoyed by the Jawi Peranakan. The base of the pancakes is a paste made from fermented raw rice. To prepare the batter, yeast, which lends the serabai a slightly sour tang, is used as a rising agent, and lashings of coconut milk are added for fl avour. The cakes are cooked in a special mould that gives them a slightly-domed shaped appearance. Serabai are always enjoyed with seri kaya (coconut jam). HALWA MUSCAT Time- consuming to prepare, as it takes at least four hours to whip up a batch, halwa Muscat is a rare treat. Said to originate from the Middle East, this sticky sweet is made from boiled and grated sweet potatoes or pumpkin, ghee, coconut milk or cream, and a whole lot of sugar! Sweet spices are used to fl avour the halwa, and the mixture is cooked over a low heat in a heavy-based wok until it thickens and glistens!

The heirloom fabrics, cooking utensils and chinaware used for the staging of this photo shoot was loaned to travel 3Sixty˚ by Dato’ Dr Wazir Jahan Karim and Puan Mariatul Kabtiah.

118 DEC 2016 DEC 2016 119

t360 Dec2016_081116_A_tsy.indd 118 11/11/2016 5:35 PM t360 Dec2016_081116_A_tsy.indd 119 11/11/2016 5:36 PM Bubur asyura is a sweet rice porridge spiced with nutmeg, and decorated with candied ginger and melon, glacé cherries, as well as almonds and cashews. The dish is usually eaten by the Jawi Peranakan during Awal Muharram, the fi rst day of the Islamic calendar year. The porridge also has a savoury counterpart.

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t360 Dec2016_081116_A_tsy.indd 119 11/11/2016 5:36 PM t360 Dec2016_081116_A_tsy.indd 120 11/11/2016 5:36 PM ABOVE Chef Nurilkarim Razha and “In Penang, where there is a large Southern spices that include cloves, cardamom and cinna- his mother, Dr Wazir Jahan Karim, are passionate about the preservation of Indian Muslim community, people often con- mon quills, in ghee (clarifi ed butter). Long grain the heritage and culture of the Jawi fuse the two, as most Jawi Peranakan also have rice, usually of the basmati variety, and water are Peranakan community. an Indian heritage,” she said. then added to the mixture, and the rice cooked OPPOSITE PAGE Nasi biryani, a rice dish fi rst introduced to India by the Moghuls, “But you can still tell a Jawi Peranakan by- until the grains are al dente (soft on the outside was brought to Penang more than 600 their food. In fact, food is the last retaining but with a little bit of bite). years ago by Indian Muslim merchants and traders. The dish, said to be fi t for a factor in any culture. Through the generations, Korma, a creamy spiced gravy thickened with king and queen, is served at wedding the community has held on to their culinary almond and cashew nut paste, is another dish feasts and other festive occasions. traditions,” she said. that is relished at Jawi Peranakan feasts. Like The Jawi Peranakan table is mainly coloured their Muslim brethren, the Jawi Peranakan com- by Indian, Arab and Persian infl uences. During memorate happy occasions such as weddings The present day community is mostly the the pre-colonial era, the cuisine, rich in spices and the birth of a new born with grand thanks- offspring of Punjabi or Bengali Muslims, and and exotic ingredients like rosewater, nuts and giving feasts. Goat korma is a must-have for aq- local Malays. raisins, was synonymous with lavish feasts. iqah, a feast held to celebrate a baby’s birth. True “These mostly single men, who were The cuisine is milder when compared to the to their waste not, want not mantra, a whole wealthy, conversant in languages such as Ara- fi ery fare of the Southern Indian Muslims, and goat is used; choice cuts and organ meats would bic, Persian and Bengali, and in possession of relies on aromatics like onions and garlic for be selected for korma, while the bones would go dashing good looks, captivated the hearts of flavour. Pureed tomatoes, a paste of ground into dalca, a fl avourful lentil broth. the local Malay women, and a hybrid commu- almonds and cashews, and cream are used in During the holy month of Ramadan, when nity was soon born,” she said. sauces, and an assortment of nuts and dried Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset, Jawi Per- Over the course of centuries and through or candied fruit are also liberally sprinkled in anakan families are known to break their fast assimilation, the lines that define the com- everything from rice to desserts. with a daily serving of bubur gandum daging, a munity have been slightly blurred, but cultural Dr Karim considers nasi kenduri, a must at Ma- meaty whole wheat porridge cooked with ghee, distinctions still remain, and through these lay wedding feasts today, an integral part of Jawi and fl avoured with ground spices like corian- nuances, the community is still able to differ- Peranakan cuisine. Literally meaning festive rice, der and cumin. Beef or lamb is usually used in entiate themselves. the term refers to the array of aromatic rice dish- the porridge. According to Dr Karim, who is a Malaysian of es synonymous with celebratory meals. Among Festive occasions would also be incomplete Punjabi Muslim heritage, outsiders can rarely the fragrant selections is nasi minyak or ghee without semiya, a sweet vermicelli pudding tell the Muslim communities of Penang apart, rice. The dish begins with the frying of aromatics fragranced with cardamom, cloves and cinna- despite the diversity of ethnicities. such as shallots, garlic and ginger, together with mon. While the other Muslim communities of

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t360 Dec2016_081116_A_tsy.indd 121 11/11/2016 5:37 PM Malaysia have versions of these dishes, the way Dr Karim, whose husband is a Malay, has toying with ideas to rejuvenate interest in its in which they are prepared, and the ingredients three children, all of whom are considered heritage. Nuril struck upon the notion of start- used – cream, exotic spices, choice cuts of meat first generation Jawi Peranakan due to their ing a café, an outlet for the fusion fl avours he – make them quintessentially Jawi Peranakan. parents’ lineage. Her youngest, Nurilkarim loved so well. In Jawi Peranakan households, the kitchen is Razha, is the head chef of Jawi House, a cosy the domain of women. Jawi Peranakan women restaurant that serves Jawi Peranakan dishes, PERANAKAN ON A PLATTER While are known for their sumptuous feasts and gra- alongside café standards such as sandwiches the menu at Jawi House currently caters to a cious hospitality, twin attributes that they are and cheesecakes. broader palate and features tweaked versions tutored in from a young age. In wealthier Jawi Proudly Jawi Peranakan, 27-year old Nuril of popular Jawi Peranakan fare, Chef Nuril’s Peranakan households, attention is paid to has incorporated the fl avours of his childhood passion for the food of his childhood is cer- table manners, food presentation and decorum in the food he dishes up at Jawi House. Grow- tainly obvious. – the legacies of a colonial past. ing up, Chef Nuril remembers being intrigued Patient with my every query, the young chef Dr Karim who grew up with colonial tradi- by his mixed heritage and the different fla- rattled off names of ingredients I’d never heard tions – English was the lingua franca of her vours of the food he was exposed to. “From my of, and fi lled me in on the history of some of childhood, and breakfast was marmalade on father, I learnt the fi ner points of Malay cuisine his favourite Jawi Peranakan dishes. To my toast – understands the value of preserving and an emphasis on fresh produce, while my delight, he also prepared a selection of dishes heritage for future generations. mother passed on to me her family’s Punjabi for me to sample. “Brought up with colonial traditions, and Muslim recipes.” To start, I had ayam ros or rose chicken, a coming froms a Punjabi Muslim background, I Trained in the classical style and a fre- mainstay of the Jawi Peranakan. The sauce, often felt unsure as to where I belonged. You be- quent participant in international food ex- subtly flavoured with cinnamon, cardamom gin to appreciate your heritage as you grow old- pos, Nuril had envisioned a career in haute and nutmeg, derives its rosy hue from ingredi- er or when you marry into a different culture.” cuisine, and followed his schooling with a ents that include red onions, cream of tomato stint at a renowned upscale restaurant in soup, as well as tomato puree, and is thickened FUSION IN ESSENCE While the Jawi Per- Kuala Lumpur. But when the opportunity to with a paste made from almonds, cashews and anakan of old could trace their mixed heritage head his own kitchen arose three years ago, candlenuts. A fi nal fl ourish of rosewater to the back centuries, there is still a large number of he jumped at the chance. dish adds depth of fl avour to the already rich Jawi Peranakan whose families are fi rst or sec- At the time, his mother was overseeing res- offering. Ayam ros is often the accompaniment ond generation. toration works to the Jawi House building and of choice for nasi kenduri.

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t360 Dec2016_081116_A_tsy.indd 122 11/11/2016 5:38 PM ABOVE Bamieh bamieh is served with hunks of roti Benggali, a Without appreciation and cultivation, the RIGHT Arabian sherbet, is a refreshing iced locally made bread known for its crusty tops recipes, customs and traditions of our fore- beverage fl avoured with a spice-infused rose syrup, and topped with jelly-like basil seeds, and soft crumb. fathers often slip through the cracks, and are malva nut, and katira (gum resin). Sherbet, which To go with the dishes, Nuril served two types forgotten through the passage of time. has Persian origins, is a popular thirst quencher during Iftar, or the breaking of fast in the holy of rice, the slightly bitter nasi lemuni, a Malay- In this day and age, it is indeed a joy to dis- month of Ramadan. influenced herbal rice cooked in coconut cover people like Dr Karim and Chef Nuril who OPPOSITE PAGE Paruppu teloq milk with the leaves of the lemuni plant (vitex are passionate about the preservation of time- trifolia); and biryani, basmati rice cooked with honoured rituals in celebration of their heri- a paste made from ground spices, tomatoes, tage. Without people like them, we Malaysians onions, mint, coriander and green chillies. The would be at risk of losing what is essentially a The chicken was followed by the simple rice is layered with the spice paste, studded part of our shared culture. yet hearty paruppu teloq (lentil and egg curry). with cashews and raisins, and then drizzled A taste of Jawi Peranakan food is almost But this was no ordinary watered down lentil with milk and saffron-infused water. like a journey across continents. The different curry. Thick and creamy, the curry is prepared infl uences that fl avour the cuisine – rosewater by cooking yellow lentils till tender in a mildly FOOD FOR THOUGHT As the son of anthro- from the Middle East and India, almond and spicy broth flavoured with turmeric, onions, pologists, Nuril understands fi rst-hand how the cashew nut paste from Persia, the liberal use garlic, ginger and lemongrass. Just before the cuisine he inherited is a big part of his identity. of nuts and raisins – a legacy of Middle Eastern curry is taken off the heat, eggs are broken into “I remember queuing up for bamieh at the and Mughal cuisine, and lemuni leaves favoured the sauce and left to poach lightly. Served on mosque on the eve of Eid ul Fitr, the feasts we’d by the Malay community – trace the history of a bed of hot rice, and accompanied with just enjoy on Friday afternoons after prayers, as the Jawi Peranakan, a hybrid community who a piece of fried salted fish, this unassuming well as the decadent desserts decorated with few know about. entrée is a defi nite crowd pleaser. gold and silver leaf, which would be served in As Malaysians, we are linked by our multi- I also savoured khaila, a dish of French Jawi Peranakan households. In school, I had cultural history and shared love of food, which beans, carrots and chicken liver, coated in a wanted to cook modern or European cuisine ultimately unites us all. light sauce spiced with garam masala (blend of and didn’t envision myself recreating the GETTING THERE AIRASIA FLIES TO PENANG FROM VARIOUS ground spices), and bamieh, a Middle Eastern- dishes of my youth. But somehow, I have come DESTINATIONS. www.airasia.com inspired okra and lamb stew. At Jawi House, the full circle and back to my roots.”

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t360 Dec2016_081116_A_tsy.indd 123 11/11/2016 5:38 PM