5 places where you can still enjoy Old World cuisine in Malaysia, Thailand, Macau – and the US
When Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, Chinese and British settlers went to Malaysia, Thailand and Macau they created dishes which combined ingredients from the various cultures
From the 15th century on, the Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, Chinese and British sailed across the seas to discover new lands. Beyond commerce, architecture and development, their travels introduced them to different ingredients and spices, and led to the creation of delectable new cuisines – amalgamations between the foods of the seafarer’s home countries and the interpretations of native cooks in their new, adopted homes.
This unique culinary heritage was then handed down in home kitchens through the years, but as these communities diminish and the newer generations cook less, they are now in danger of disappearing. Here are four places where you can still find Old World dishes.
Kristang
Landing in Malaya’s most strategic port in 1511, the intermingling of Portuguese with the local Melakans brought about the Kristang people, a creole ethnic group also known as Portuguese-Melakans. Theirs is said to be among the world’s first fusion cuisines.
Having spent the better part of her life championing this cuisine, and even producing a Gourmand World Cookbook Award-winning title, A Kristang Family Cookbook, Melba Nunis shares her memories of how her Portuguese grandfather, Vincent Santa Maria, would teach her grandmother, Rosa, how to cook his favourite dishes.
Melba says: “Kristang cuisine is so special; there’s so much history in it. Plus our community is now so small, so I really want people from all over the world to experience it and know us through our food.”
Fish kari pimente (peppery mackerel with aubergine), ox tongue semur (ox tongue and potato stew) and bolu koku (coconut cake) are some of the delicious and hard-to-find dishes you’ll find on her table. The food is hearty: rich meats turned into mouth-watering stews, fragrant, full-bodied curries, textured salads such as the seybah tangy with vinegar and an array of tongue-awakening sambals.
Try it: Melba runs a Kristang Family Supper Club called Dine with Mel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Macanese