24 FRIDAY 8 NOVEMBER 2013 THE MALAY MAIL 25 Introducing Jawi Peranakan cuisine to Penangites… and the rest of Malaysia too! n By Opalyn Mok They have a EORGE TOWN, Nov selection of 8 -- Most visitors to starters, hummus GPenang -- and even with toast bread some residents -- associate (background), roti the Peranakan culture with jala with curry or the Nyonya Baba or Straits- Malayan salad born Chinese who adopted (right) Malay customs and food and made it into their own. Think of the sarong kebaya and dishes like Gulai Tumis, Sandwiches are Otak Otak or Inchi Kabin. also available for But there are other types The Herbal Lemuni Rice (front) and lemon those not keen on of Peranakans in Penang rice, which was the rice of the day that rice dishes; here too; the Jawi Peranakan or the restaurant changes regularly, served is the smoked Orang Tanjung being one of with chicken curry, sambal, anchovies, fruit salmon sandwich the most prominent. chutney and egg served with salad When the Indian, Arab, explosion of flavours that is Turkish and Persian migrants a marriage of briyani masala, came here and married local coriender, parsley, rose Malay women, they adopted water, fried shallots, mint the Peranakan culture as and various herbs. their own. The multi-layered briyani Peranakan is after rice also has a sprinkling of all a Malay word that raisins and cashew nuts to means “locally born” or bring all the flavours together “indigenous.” and add a touch of the Throughout the heritage Moghul to the dish. city of George Town, the The rice itself can be Straits Chinese or Baba eaten on its own without Nyonya Peranakan influence any other side dish but to is visible in restaurants balance out the meal with boasting “nyonya food” but some meat and vegetables, sadly, there was no way for it is served with rose most of us to sample Jawi chicken, fruit chutney and Peranakan or Orang Tanjung dalcha (vegetable curry). food. Pictures by KE Ooi The briyani sets are only For that particular cuisine, A mini garden within the restaurant, located at the airwell available from Thursdays to you had to be invited to Saturdays but each week, it lunch or dinner at the homes is a different style of briyani. of the Jawi Peranakans. According to head chef That is why Datuk Dr Wazir Nurilkarim Razha, who Jahan Abdul Karim decided happens to be Datuk Wazir’s to open Jawi House to offer The multi-coloured briyani rice that is layered when cooked to produce a burst of flavours son, there are many different Penangites and tourists a complemented by rose chicken, fruit chutney and dalcha Balmieh - a thick, rich lamb curry served with crunchy toast types of briyani so they try to taste of the traditional food change the dish every week that is a unique fusion of or so. Arabian and Malay with Nurilkarim studied culinary a smidgen of Western arts and trained under his influence thrown in. Datuk Dr mother. “My mother is very An economics Wazir Jahan strict about how we prepare anthropologist and executive Abdul Karim each dish so it is still a director and founder of the wants to keep learning process and every Academy of Socio-Economic the traditions day, without fail, she will Research and Analysis and cultures check the taste and flavours (Asera), a global think tank of the Jawi of each dish to ensure that and research collective Peranakan all are the authentic flavours focusing on economic alive through of Jawi Peranakan,” he said. justice, Datuk Wazir learned Jawi House No meal at Jawi House is to cook from her mother and Gallery The exhibits at the gallery above the restaurant complete without a nice tall Begum Bismillah Karim. glass of Arabian Sherbet. But she delved further in June this year and has a (also known as butterfly pea because lemuni, a herb This milky pink drink may into the history and small menu of fusion Jawi flowers). officially known as vitex look like “ais bandung” (rose cultural traditions of Jawi Peranakan fare served in It is not your regular trifolia, enhances blood flow, syrup with milk) but this Peranakan because of her a quiet atmosphere, either nasi lemak as the rice has balances the hormones drink’s recipe dates back to anthropological research into around a mini garden at the the added flavours of a and restores the digestive more than 800 years! Perfect starter: seasonal Malayan salad of mixed fresh women and gender where café’s airwell or at its main combination of rich coconut system to normal. “We topped the iced vegetables tossed with a light tangy sauce and seasonal fruit (pomegranate, in this case) culinary art is a natural Head chef Nurilkarim Razha air-conditioned dining area. milk and herbs. Their briyani rice set is rose syrup and milk with branch of gender studies. Their signature dish is The rice is served with also another must-try as basil seeds (biji selaseh), conventional drink a different desserts such as yogurt She even wrote a book on links through the spice trade which was formerly called the Herbal Lemuni Rice chicken curry, egg, cucumber theirs is unlike regular malva nut (buah kembang twist. cheesecake, red velvet this very subject -- Feasts between Arabia, Persia, India Malay Lane, Jawi House is where white rice is cooked and talang salt fish briyani found at most Indian semangkuk) and katira Jawi House, which opens gallettes, lemon tart and of Penang: Muslim Culinary and South East Asia in the a quaint little café and art in coconut milk, delicately (queenfish) sambal. Muslim restaurants. (olibanum gum resin),” from 10am to 7pm daily lemon cheesecake. Heritage -- which was past. gallery with dining tables flavoured by lemongrass and Traditionally, the lemuni Imagine multi-coloured Nurilkarim said. except for Sundays, also Find out more about Jawi launched earlier this year. Located within the heritage on the ground floor and a lemuni leaves and given a rice used to be a post- rice with hues of orange, The malva nut and katira serves sandwiches for those House at www.jawihouse. Her recipes are meant zone of George Town, along gallery on the first floor. gorgeous hue of blue and partum or confinement yellow, red and white and at Fluffy red velvet galettes served with cream and The Arabian Sherbet goes nicely both add a jelly-like texture not keen on rice and there com or call 04-2613680 for to demonstrate the cultural the narrow Armenian Street The café opened its doors grey by tualang flowers dish for Malay women the first spoonful, you get an icing sugar and lemon tart (background) with their briyani rice set to the drink and give the is also a selection of baked reservations.