Friday 29 October 2010

Singapore: Peranakan cuisine

Martin LohThe word 'Peranakan' refers to the Chinese immigrants of the Malay Peninsula. Peranakan cuisine is a blend of Chinese cooking with Malay spices and ingredients, as served at the Blue Ginger in Tanjong Pagar Road.

We had plenty of time to study the artwork on the walls as we waited to be served. Beef rendang, deep fried eggplant with chilli paste and Sambal mussels, Blue GingerMartin Loh is a Peranakan artist usually associated with the Singapore gay scene who paints with a naïve style in primary school colours. Would not look out of place on one of our walls, we decided.

Our beef rendang, deep fried eggplant with chilli paste and Sambal mussels were without doubt, worth the wait. Mrs M’s dessert however, was not – a dish of crushed ice with red beans topped with vibrant green maggot-shaped lumps of jelly.

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