Here are some tips on how to capture the taste of yesteryear.When I began writing the chapter on Hainanese influences for my first book, Penang Heritage Food, which was published in 2010, I wondered why the Hainanese were cooking Nyonya food in their restaurants. I soon worked it out – I remember my mother telling me that her father, Khoo Beng Chiang,1 had a full-time Hainanese cham phor (chef) in their house; he cooked both Nyonya and Western food.Many well-to-do Nyonyas had...
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is an engineering and food consultant. He conducts cooking classes, does research on Nonya and heritage cuisine, and hosts the occasional supper club. He has published two award-winning books: Penang Heritage Food – Yesterday’s Recipes for Today’s Cook and Nonya Heritage Kitchen – Origins, Utensils and Recipes.