Heritage Food of the Peranakan Indians: In a Chitty Melaka Kitchen

In Singapore, the term ‘Peranakan’ is commonly associated with the Chinese Peranakans. Since most Singaporeans love food, a cookbook would be an excellent way to raise awareness of the Chitty Melaka community. It would also serve to recall and record traditional recipes, with contributions from different members of the community. The massive undertaking was spearheaded by Tanya Pillay-Nair, with Jasmine Adams and Rowena Row as co-editors. Tanya coaxed (and cajoled!) the Neneks (grandmothers) into divulging their secret family recipes, which Jasmine painstakingly presented in standard recipe book format. Rowena’s focus on the Nenek notes – anecdotes and tips accompanying the recipes – ensured that the voices of the Neneks were consistently heard.

The recipes were then tested at Allspice Institute. Mr Clarence Ling, founder and principal of the culinary institute, recognised that for many people, ‘Mum’s cooking is best’; however, he also saw that the expertise of his chefs would bring rigorous standards to the book. Sakthivel Karuppiah, Ambrose Poh and Anup Kumar served as consulting chefs.

To tap on the affordances of technology and reach out to a younger audience, students from the LASALLE College of the Arts, Puttnam School of Film and Animation, were roped in to create animations depicting different aspects of life in traditional Peranakan Indian families. The students even made a field trip to the Chitty Village in Melaka to personally experience the home kampong of the community. The hours of hard work culminated in a series of animations, accessed through a QR code in the book.

In conjunction with the launch, a ticketed dinner was held at the Dempsey Project on 25 Oct 2023, featuring dishes from the recipe book. There was also a tok panjang (long table) dinner at Allspice Institute for the media and other invited guests on 16 Nov 2023.

The main launch event, open to the public, was held at the La Salle College of the Arts on 19 Nov 2023, with Ms Chang Hwee Nee, CEO, National Heritage Board, as Guest of Honour. Well-loved radio DJ John Klass served as emcee, and entertainment included a choral performance by the Gunong Sayang Association. What would be a Peranakan gathering without makan? A buffet for all rounded up the celebration.

The Chitty Melaka community is a minority within a minority.  In producing and launching this book, the association has been most adroit, working with individuals within and outside its community, and collaborating with different organisations. The inspiring result: an important documentation of a little-known aspect of Singapore’s heritage and culture, and an invitation for everyone to savour the flavours of a small and distinctive community.

The cookbook can be purchased at Allspice Institute (allspiceinstitute.com), leading bookshops (e.g. Book Bar, Epigram and Kinokuniya) and The Peranakan Museum. Readers can also email asknenek@peranakanindiankitchen.com