3 Interesting Facts About Peranakan Food
How much do you know about Singapore’s famous Peranakan food?
In fact, Peranakan cuisine is a unique and popular item that’s been around for decades. It prides itself on its rich, mouth-watering flavours that hold an immense amount of history and tradition to it.
While it consists of a mixture of Malay, Chinese, and Southeast Asian influences, there are subtle nuances about Peranakan food that differentiates it from the rest. In this article, let’s find out more about the interesting facts about Peranakan food buffet catering and where to find the best Peranakan buffet caterer in Singapore!
1. Peranakan and Nyonya are not exactly the same
Firstly, Peranakan means “locally born and bred”. This comes from the fact that many Chinese immigrants got married to the local population after they immigrated from China.
This act of coming together thus resulted in the cultivation of a new and unique culture with their own set of traditional beliefs and customs. With that came along their own style of cuisine!
On the other hand, “Baba Nyonya” is a term used by the Peranakan Chinese in Malaysia. These are words inspired by the Indonesian language!
2. Peranakan food is truly one of a kind
Peranakan food has become a global phenomenon for good reason – no two Peranakan dishes are alike!
As we already know, Peranakan cuisine consists of a combination of Chinese and local Malay cooking methods and spices. This is exactly the reason as to why Peranakan dishes are so distinctive, as each dish has been created or invented based on the chef’s interpretation and choice of ingredients.
Take, for example, some signature must-have ingredients in Peranakan food include the likes of coconut milk, tamarind, and lemongrass. This is why Peranakan food is famous for having a myriad of different flavours and dishes as a result of the various different ingredients. There are of course countless others, as Peranakan cuisine is known for being highly flavourful in their own ways!
3. Peranakan food requires a long and tedious cooking process
Unlike many other foods out there such as fast food, Peranakan cuisine isn’t a one-pot-wonder dish that can be prepared as a simple weekday dinner meal.
In fact, Peranakan food is renowned for its meticulous and tedious preparation before the food is cooked!
This is usually done many hours beforehand. For example, the meat or seafood that is going to be cooked will be marinated hours before to make sure that the flavour is well absorbed. Small ingredients such as spices are not left out during this preparation process too. Peranakan food cooks often grind their herbs with a mortar and pestle to make sure that the food has a strong and distinct flavour.
Another testament to the complexity of preparing Peranakan food is the Kueh Lapis, a confection made up of multiple layers, symbolising the ladder or prosperity. It takes skill and time to prepare all those layers!
For Peranakan people, food had a religious significance, and many dishes were originally served only on holidays.
Looking For The Right Caterer For Peranakan Buffets In Singapore?
Choosing the best caterer for your Peranakan food buffet in Singapore is no easy matter.
The best caterer combines the quality of your food well while delivering the best bang for your budget!
When you order a Peranakan buffet from Chilli Manis, you’ll have a variety of dishes and small menu items to choose from. You can also mix and match your dishes for a memorable buffer event! Contact us at 6250 1112 or email sales@chillimanis.com.sg.
