Nyonya Food

Nyonya food is also known as the Straits Chinese food which is an interesting amalgamation of Chinese and Malay dishes thought to have originated from the Peranakan (Straits Chinese) of Malacca. Besides Malacca, Nyonya food is also native to Penang and Singapore. However, over the years, distinct differences have evolved in the Nyonya recipes found in Penang than that in Malacca and Singapore due to the proximity of Malacca and Singapore to Indonesia and Penang to Thailand. Nevertheless, Nyonya recipes are complicated affairs, often requiring many hours of preparation and is about the blending of spices, using pungent roots like galangal, turmeric and ginger, aromatic leaves like pandan leaf and fragrant lime leaf together with other ingredients like candlenuts, shallots, shrimps paste and chilies. Lemon, tamarind, carambola and green mangoes are used to add a tangy taste to many dishes. For dessert, fruits are seldom served but instead colorful cakes are served. Nyonya cakes are rich and varied, often made from ingredients like sweet potato, glutinous rice, palm sugar and coconut milk.

Satay Celup

Sate Celup or Satay Celup (Steamboat Satay) is a dish where an assortment of raw and semi-cooked seafood, meat (including raw meat) and vegetables on skewers are dunked into a hot boiling pot of satay gravy.

Satay celup is popular in Malacca. Many tourists and locals consider satay celup a favourite because there are more than 80 types of seafood and vegetables to choose from and the sauces are thick and aromatic. Moreover, the food is always kept fresh in huge refrigerators or on shelves of cold storages in food courts.

Satay celup is sold at prices that start as low as 60 cents in Malacca where delicious food is easily obtainable at cheap prices. Barley drinks often accompany the meal due to its hot and spicy flavour, coconut water or Chinese herbs tea will be a good combination.

Satay celup is sold in a self-service mode, and as soon as seats are picked by customers, food can be immediately taken using trays provided.

For people who are unable to stand the hot flavour, one can easily request for a plain water so it can be dipped into it to wash away the sauce.