10 Authentic Peranakan Recipes Just Like Grandma Used To Make

Peranakan or Nonya cuisine is one of our country’s favourite foods. With influences from Chinese, Malay, Indonesian and even Thai cooking, Peranakan food adopts the best tastes and techniques from these cultures, creating dishes that are known for their powerful and rich flavours. And while you can certainly get your fix from the many incredible Peranakan restaurants around Singapore, why not try whipping up some of these classic heritage dishes at home yourself?

From spicy laksa bowls to sweet and sticky delicacies, try our top Nonya recipes below (psst, there are Michelin-star dishes in the mix!):

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We Made Party-Pefect Peranakan Food At This Year’s Domestic Diva Cooking Masterclass!

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10 Authentic Peranakan Recipes Just Like Grandma Used To Make

1. Spicy Nonya Laksa

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Craving a comforting bowl of laksa? Try this slurp-worthy recipe courtesy of Chef Ambrose Poh from Allspice Institute. Learn how this beloved dish is made from scratch, from the fragrant rempah paste and coconutty broth to the final garnishing touches with laksa leaves. A perfect one-pot dish for your next potluck party!

Get the recipe here.

2. Ayam Buah Keluak

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This classic Peranakan specialty is often only eaten on special occasions like Chinese New Year, simply because it requires a bit more effort to make compared to your usual stirfries. In order to achieve the unique black gravy, you’ll need to soak the buah keluak (black nuts) for at least three days, before cracking each one open and then mashing the “meat” until you get a paste. But the effort will truly be worth it!

Take it up a notch with this recipe by Michelin Star Chef Malcolm Lee of Candlenut. Get the recipe here.

3. Nasi Ulam

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Instead of regular fried rice, whip up this delicious herb rice dish. The secret to a successful Nasi Ulam? Make sure the rice is at room temperature and not piping hot when mixing it with the rest of the ingredients, as hot rice will end up cooking the herbs and turn your dish bitter.

Get the recipe here.

4. Chap Chye

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No Peranakan meal would be complete without this traditional favourite. It’s essentially a vegetable-based stew, featuring glass noodles (tang hoon), bean curd skin, cabbage leaves, black mushrooms, wood ear fungus and slices of pork belly. Michelin-star chef Malcolm Lee shares his recipe above.

Get the recipe here.

5. Nonya Popiah

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Fresh popiah is more than just South East Asia’s version of a wrap. It’s great for a light lunch and packs a punch with its contrast of flavours. Try making this at home with your loved ones and they might enjoy putting together their own popiah too!

Get the recipe here, and watch the video guide below:

6. Ayam Tempra

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Best eaten with freshly-steamed rice, this hearty Peranakan dish, shared by Fat Fuku’s Chef Annette Tan, features chicken in a sweet and sour sauce. A bit of lime juice and salt helps bring out the flavours even more.

Get the recipe here.

7. Kueh Pie Tee

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This popular Peranakan dish makes a perfect appetiser for potlucks, home parties and picnics. It features a sweet and spicy mixture of thinly sliced veggies and prawns stuffed into a thin and crispy shell. Just pop it into your mouth for an explosion of flavours! To prevent the shells from getting soggy, DIY a kueh pie tee station and have your guests fill the shells themselves.

Get the recipe here.

8. Nonya Mee Siam

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Spicy, tangy and aromatic, it’s no wonder this dish is a hot favourite amongst Singaporeans. Not to be confused with the soupy version, the Nonya take on mee siam features dry vermicelli (or bee hoon) slathered with the delicious gravy.

Get the recipe here, and watch the video guide below:

9. Roasted Brinjals With Nuts, Shalllots And Shrimp Fry

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If you love brinjals, then this dish by cookbook author and food writer Sylvia Tan is right up your alley. It features oven-roasted brinjals instead of traditional fried ones, and is topped with sambal, shrimp fry, fried shallots and nuts so every bite is bursting with flavour. For extra richness, Sylvia recommends adding candlenut. Read more about the dish and pick up cooking tips here.

Get the recipe here.

Photo: Feline Lim/The Straits Times

10. Pulut Tai Tai

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For dessert, why not serve up this simple but elegant Nonya kueh? Made of glutinous rice that’s been steamed in coconut milk and pandan leaf, it can be eaten on its own or served with a bit of kaya for added flavour. Psst, the beautiful rich blue hue comes from butterfly pea flowers!

Get the recipe here.

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10 Authentic Peranakan Recipes Just Like Grandma Used To Make

WATCH THIS VIDEO TOO

We Made Party-Pefect Peranakan Food At This Year’s Domestic Diva Cooking Masterclass!

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